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news release

UNCAGED CONDEMNS PROCTER & GAMBLE SPONSORSHIP OF LONDON 2012 OLYMPICS

Uncaged has condemned the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over its decision to strike a deal with Procter & Gamble (P&G) for sponsorship of the London 2012 Olympic Games. As well as complaining to the IOC, Uncaged are also deeply disappointed that the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games, the Mayor of London Boris Johnson and Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt MP have tacitly approved this scandalous arrangement.

P&G's unethical practices are in fundamental conflict with the values of the United Kingdom and the Olympic movement. By giving P&G a platform, London 2012 is endorsing and perpetuating animal testing for cosmetics. They are promoting gratuitous cruelty to animals that is heavily opposed by the majority of the public.

The UK banned animal testing for cosmetics on the grounds of unnecessary cruelty back in 1998. That ban has now been extended across the European Union. Procter & Gamble evade this ban by testing cosmetics on animals in the USA and other countries with weak animal welfare laws.

Testing cosmetics on animals also puts P&G in opposition to the fundamental principles of Olympism, which claim to uphold 'universal fundamental ethical principles' and promote 'a peaceful society'. It is hard to think of anything less ethical or peaceful than P&G’s practice of poisoning animals to death for such trivial purposes.

Although MPs from across the political spectrum have signed EDM 176 which condemns this deal, and concerns have been raised at the London Assembly by Green AM Darren Johnson, the Mayor of London and the Government remain unmoved.

P&G, no doubt, hope that this sponsorship deal will create an illusion of ethics and social responsibility around the company. Just the kind of 'greenwash' mega-corporations love. Therefore, without exposure and debate about their animal testing practices, P&G have little incentive to move beyond such egregious abuse. That is why silence on this matter would be equivalent to tacit approval of this barbaric practice. In this instance, sitting on the fence contributes to unnecessary cruelty to animals.

WHO TO PROTEST TO:

1. Click here to write to your MP to ask them to sign EDM 176 which criticises P&G’s sponsorship of the Olympics.
2. The International Olympic Committee, Château de Vidy, Case postale 356, 1001 Lausanne, Switzerland. Phone: +41 21 621 61 11. Fax: +41 21 621 62 16. Or via their website at https://secure.registration.olympic.org/en/faq/ask-question.
3. London 2012: Sebastian Coe, Chair, LOCOG, One Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London E14 5LN, or via www.london2012.com/contact-us.php.
4. The Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) leads for the UK Government on delivery of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Contact Jeremy Hunt MP, Secretary of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2-4 Cockspur Street, London SW1Y 5DH. Email enquiries@culture.gov.uk.
5. By virtue of this deal P&G also becomes a ‘partner’ of The British Olympic Committee, 60 Charlotte Street, London W1T 2NU, boa@boa.org.uk.
6. If you are in London, write to Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, Greater London Authority, City Hall, The Queen's Walk, London SE1 2AA. mayor@london.gov.uk The Greater London Authority is a major funder of the Games.
7. Another opportunity for Londoners to register their concern about P&G sponsorship is by contacting your members of the London Assembly, who you can find at www.london.gov.uk/who-runs-london/the-london-assembly/members.

Uncaged Campaigns - this is an updated news release. First published 02.06.10, updated 04.08.10.