I. General
- How to apply for certification ?
In order to study the feasibility of your project, we invite you to contact us directly via the email address contact@certification-vegan.org or to make a request for contact (contact button). If your certification project is already well defined, please use the form to request a quote here: https://www.certification-vegan.org/request/index.php
- What are the steps of the certification process ?
All processes start with a contact and an exchange (email or telephone) concerning your certification project. If the admissibility of the project is confirmed, we then formulate a quotation adapted to your request.
Upon receipt of the signed quotation and deposit, an email containing a list of the documents required for the documentary audit will be provided. On receipt of the documents, the document audit will be carried out by an expert who will give you feedback on the conformity of the file.
Once the documentary audit is validated, a physical audit on the production site will be scheduled in agreement with the auditor, the production site manager and the certification officer.
Once the physical audit has been validated and the final review carried out by the certification committee, your expert will deliver a digital version of your product and/or factory certificate, together with an invoice for the outstanding amount.
3. How long does it take to obtain the EVE VEGAN certificate ?
The time needed to study the certification file depends mainly on the time needed to send the required documents. When you sign the contract, you are provided with a list of documents required for your file. The more complete and compliant the documents we receive, the shorter the delay.
From the date of receipt of your documents, it takes a maximum of 2 weeks for a first documentary return from your expert.
4. How long is my certificate valid ?
A Product certificate is valid for 18 months.
A Factory certificate is valid for 36 months.
5. Who can apply for certification ?
Any company can apply for certification.
However, in order to apply for certification, you must be the legal owner of the mark. No quotation or certificate will be issued on behalf of a third party.
We also advise you to ensure that your company has a quality system (QMS) in place so that you can pass the audit of the production site with no worries.
6. Can I have a service certified ?
The certification of a service requires an in-depth study of its relevance in terms of its admissibility to the “vegan” claim, but also of our ability to define the scope of certification.
We advise you to contact our services to discuss your project: contact@certification-vegan.org
7. Is the certification recognized ?
Our brand was founded in 2016 by the Vegan France association, in accordance with the criteria of the main European vegan associations. The most demanding and successful certification on the market, it represents a real guarantee of quality and confidence for consumers around the world.
The EVE VEGAN certification mark is a private mark, valid internationally. We now have partners all over Europe and Asia who are actively contributing to the development of the VEGAN brand’s already strong reputation.
We have already certified more than 7,000 products in 21 countries.
8. How can I use my certification ?
You can use the certification logo on all products certified by our services. You can also publish it on your social networks, your website and any other promotional material, provided that you respect the graphic charter provided after the certification.
9. What is the certification fee ?
As each certification project is different, it requires a specific price study. There is a common base which then varies according to the number of references to be certified and the locality of the manufacturing site of the products.
To obtain our price list, please contact us: contact@certification-vegan.org
10. Can I have new products certified during the validity of my certificate ?
It is possible to add products during the validity of your certificate. To do so, simply send a request to the secretariat, which will issue a certification extension quote.
Mail secretariat: gestion@certification-vegan.org
11. How do I renew my certification ?
Three months before the expiry of the certificate, a notification email is sent to you with a renewal quote. All you have to do is sign the quote and pay the deposit to start the renewal process.
If it is a product certificate: it is renewed every 18 months. We check all the documentation with recent dates to ensure that the product still complies with the certification standard.
If it is a factory certificate: it is renewed every 36 months. We carry out a new audit at the production site(s) to ensure that the factory still complies with the certification standard.
II. Technical information
- What are the criteria for obtaining a certificate ?
Finished product – General
No raw material of animal origin should be used at any stage of the production, processing, and packaging of the certified finished product.
Finished product – Processing aids
No processing aids of animal origin shall be used at any stage of the production, processing, and packaging of the certified finished product (extraction method, reagents, solvents, bacterial culture medium, enzymes…).
Finished product – Animal testing
The development and/or manufacture of the certified finished product must not involve or have involved vivisection or live animal testing less than 7 years prior to the certification project, of any kind whatsoever, carried out on the company’s own initiative or on its behalf, or by parties over which the company exercises effective control.
Raw Materials
The raw materials used in the manufacture of the finished product should not use raw materials of animal origin at any stage of their production and processing.
Raw materials derived from biotechnology processes such as bacterial action, enzymes, yeast, and fungi, should be guaranteed to be free from the use of raw materials of animal origin.
The development and/or manufacture of the raw materials must not involve or have involved vivisection or live animal testing of any kind, carried out at the initiative of or on behalf of the supplier, or by parties over which the supplier has effective control, within 7 years prior to the certification project.
Raw materials are not required to be vegan certified to be accepted by EVE VEGAN® certification.
Packaging items
The packaging items used for the packaging of the certified finished product should not contain any animal material, nor should they use adhesives of animal origin. The scope of animal origin is on the packaging item itself and not on its previous history.
Packaging items do not have to be vegan certified to be accepted by EVE VEGAN® certification.
Definition of the term “animal
Animal” means the entire animal kingdom, means all multicellular vertebrates and invertebrates,
and “raw materials of animal origin” means any raw material from breeding, slaughter, hunting and fishing.
- How do I know if my product is relevant for certification ?
Not all types of products are eligible for the vegan claim, which must remain relevant to the consumer. We therefore assess the eligibility of candidate products on a case-by-case basis before issuing a quote. Raw, unprocessed plant products, kitchen utensils or plant breeding material are not eligible.
If you have any doubts about the admissibility of your products, do not hesitate to contact us by email or telephone.
- How do I know if my production facility is certifiable ?
Our certification procedure requires an audit of the production site by an auditor appointed by EVE. Our requirements to guarantee the criteria are at least the existence of a documentation system, the existence of an internal traceability system and a quality management system (QMS). Without a quality system or traceability, you will not be able to obtain a favorable opinion and corrective action obligations will be required before certification is granted.
The production site can be mixed (vegan and non-vegan production). However, it is mandatory that the risks of cross-contamination are identified, assessed and controlled.
- What is the difference between a Factory Certificate and a Product Certificate ?
A “Product” certificate guarantees a list of product references as conforming to the standard and having the right to use the certification logo on their packaging.
A factory certificate guarantees that the production site complies with the certification standard. This does not mean that all products produced at that site are vegan and can use the certification logo. A “product” certificate is required for this.
However, a manufacturing factory can use its certificate for a customer who wishes to obtain certification for its products.
- Do I have to produce exclusively vegan products to be certified ?
No, the certification is for a product reference and not for the company’s activity. A mixed activity (vegan and non-vegan) is not an obstacle to certification.
- Can I obtain certification if I produce my products with a subcontractor ?
Yes, however the subcontractor will have to agree to the compliance audit by EVE VEGAN on the production site of the products concerned.
- Do my suppliers’ ingredients have to be certified ?
No, it is not obligatory that your raw materials or suppliers are EVE VEGAN certified. Each material will be checked regardless of its origin or supplier.
- Can you certify products manufactured outside France ?
Thanks to our partners, we are able to carry out audits in over 21 countries.
To find out if your production site can be audited, please contact us directly at: contact@certification-vegan.org
Can’t find your question ? Do not hesitate to contact our services for more information.