Cosmetics

Sustainable Cosmetics, Natural Cosmetics, and more

Sustainability is becoming an increasingly important factor for the cosmetics industry. Terms such as “natural,” “promoting animal welfare,” “recycled,” “microplastic-free,” “sustainably packaged,” or “responsibly sourced” may be strong selling points, but starting in September 2026, they must be clearly, transparently, and robustly substantiated.

For cosmetics companies, verifying sustainability claims is particularly complex because their products rarely consist of just one sustainability aspect. A cream may contain plant-based ingredients, use palm oil-based derivatives, be sold in plastic packaging, and at the same time be marketed as natural, or microplastic-free.

Each individual claim requires its own verification framework—ranging from raw material data and supply chain information to laboratory analyses and certified standards.

Control Union and Certified Cosmetics

s an independent certification body, Control Union Certifications Germany supports companies in systematically verifying relevant claims, selecting appropriate standards, and providing certified evidence.

For cosmetics companies, this means less risk of misinterpretation, greater credibility, and a stronger foundation for marketing, retail, and regulatory compliance.

Particularly relevant are RSPO, Demeter, EU Organic, Naturland, and flustix. These programs help address key sustainability issues in the cosmetics industry with structured, externally audited evidence—ranging from palm oil supply chains and organic raw materials to microplastic-free formulations, and plastic-reduced or recycled packaging.

Getting certified in 5 steps

Control Union Certifications aims to provide assurance and confidence to all interested parties that a product, process, service or organisation that it certified fulfils the requirements of the relevant inspection or certification standard. It’s for that reason that the certification process is laid down in procedures, which describes the entire process, from application to certificate issuance and who is qualified to conduct such activities.

All our certification programs

Request a certification or verification

Click on the ‘apply now’ link on the specific certification program page to begin the application process. Is the link missing? Please contact us, and we can send you a separate application form to be filled and returned to us. The verification programs will include an application process.

Receive the offer letter

Once we have your application(s), we will provide you with an offer letter that will indicate the price and scope of your certification.

Accept and get your audit plan

Upon accepting and signing, we will contact you about setting up dates for your audit. Once an auditor is assigned to your audit, an agenda and audit plan will be sent to prepare for your audit. At the close of your audit, the auditor will indicate if any non-compliances have been found and agree to the deadlines of the corrective actions.

Audit review

The audit results are reviewed by a secondary person who is independent of the audit. The certification body then decides whether a certificate can be issued. Any nonconformities identified must first be corrected through appropriate corrective actions and must have been assessed as resolved by the auditor.

Certification decision and certification status

Certification is granted or maintained if the applicable certification requirements are met and sufficient objective evidence is provided. If the requirements for certification are not met, or if required corrective actions are not implemented in a timely and/or effective manner, certification may be denied. The scope of an existing certification may be expanded or restricted. If certification requirements are no longer met, if necessary monitoring or evaluation activities are not permitted, or if identified nonconformities are not corrected in a timely and effective manner, the certification may be suspended or withdrawn.

Apply for Certification Now

Download certification application form

How can we help you?

Control Union Certifications Germany GmbH

Availability (phone):
Mon. | Wed. | Fri.: 09⁰⁰-12⁰⁰
Tue. & Thu.: 09⁰⁰-12⁰⁰ & 13⁰⁰-16⁰⁰

+49 30 509 69 88 0

cucg.service@controlunion.com

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