International Collaboration on Cosmetics Safety Announces 2026 Board Officers

January 22, 2026

The International Collaboration on Cosmetics Safety (ICCS) today announced the election of its 2026 Board officers, confirmed at the organization’s December 2025 Board meeting. The newly elected leadership reflects ICCS’ continued commitment to advancing approaches in animal-free cosmetics safety.


“I am thrilled to continue working with an outstanding group of officers whose leadership and dedication are essential to advancing the ICCS mission,” said Erin Hill, President and CEO, ICCS. “As the scientific and regulatory landscape continues to evolve, this Board brings the experience, perspective, and collaborative spirit needed to accelerate progress toward global adoption of animal-free safety science.”


The following were elected to serve as the officers for the 2026 Board of directors:

 

  • Chair: Stéphane Dhalluin, Ph.D., DABT, Global Head, Human & Environmental Safety Evaluation, L’Oréal
  • Vice Chair: Darren Praznik, President & CEO, Cosmetics Alliance Canada
  • Secretary: Heike Scheffler, Ph.D., Safety Advocacy and Regulatory Toxicology Director, Global Product Stewardship Beauty and Oral Care, Procter & Gamble
  • Treasurer: Michael Southall, Ph.D., Senior Director, Head of Global Toxicology and Clinical Safety, Medical Clinical & Safety Sciences, Kenvue

 

"I am profoundly honored to be re-elected by my peers as Chair of the ICCS Board of Directors,” said Stéphane Dhalluin, Ph.D., DABT, "Building on the momentum of a highly impactful 2025—a year defined by robust achievements and the delivery of concrete scientific frameworks—our mission is clearer than ever. By leveraging our unique global, multi-stakeholder collaboration, we remain dedicated to bridging the gap between innovation and regulation. Together, we are ensuring that cutting-edge, animal-free science becomes the universal standard for protecting human and environmental health.”


With this leadership in place, ICCS is well positioned to deepen collaboration and advance its mission at a pivotal time for cosmetics safety science worldwide.


In 2025, ICCS delivered tangible scientific and regulatory progress, including the release of a Best Practice Guidance document, the development of new methodologies supporting next generation risk assessment, and extensive engagement with regulators and scientists worldwide. These efforts strengthened global dialogue around animal-free safety science and helped advance shared understanding of how innovative, animal-free approaches can support regulatory decision-making.


ICCS was formed in early 2023 with the mission to advance the adoption of animal-free assessments of cosmetics, and their ingredients, for human and environmental safety. The organization is comprised from market leaders in the cosmetic product and ingredient manufacturers sector, notable trade and research associations, and influential animal protection organizations.


About ICCS

The International Collaboration on Cosmetics Safety is a global initiative headquartered in New York. It brings together scientists from industry, academia, and non-governmental organizations to promote the adoption and regulatory acceptance of animal-free safety science through education, research, and collaboration. Visit www.iccs-cosmetics.org


"Building on the momentum of a highly impactful 2025 our mission is clearer than ever."

Stéphane Dhalluin, L'Oréal

Announcement

China Association of Fragrance, Flavour and Cosmetic Industries (CAFFCI) Joins the International Collaboration on Cosmetics Safety

June 15, 2026
ICCS is delighted to welcome the China Association of Fragrance, Flavour and Cosmetic Industries (CAFFCI) as a member of ICCS. This milestone reflects the strong and growing commitment shared by ICCS and CAFFCI to advancing animal-free safety assessment through scientific collaboration, innovation, and international partnership. Building on the ICCS–CAFFCI Memorandum of Understanding, our organizations are already working together to expand access to ICCS Best Practice Guidance documents within China, supporting the broader adoption of modern, science-based, animal-free approaches to cosmetic and personal care product safety assessment. We are honored to deepen our collaboration with CAFFCI and look forward to the continued progress that can be achieved together in strengthening global best practices and advancing the future of animal-free safety science.
Announcement

ICCS 2025 Annual Report Now Available: A Year of Global Progress

April 6, 2026
We’re excited to share that the ICCS 2025 Annual Report is now available, highlighting a year of strong momentum driven by the expertise, engagement, and collaboration of our global membership. In 2025, ICCS members across industry, alongside partner organizations and trade and research associations, continued advancing animal-free safety science through practical tools, scientific outputs, and meaningful engagement with the regulatory community. What stands out most is the scale of this collective effort, turning innovation into real-world frameworks and global dialogue that support regulatory progress. Read the full report

ICCS Webinar: Applying NAMs in Practice for Skin Sensitization Assessment

January 8, 2026
In July 2025, the International Collaboration on Cosmetics Safety (ICCS) published its Best Practice Guidance (BPG) Document on Skin Sensitization Assessment , supporting the consistent and scientifically robust use of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs). The guidance has been widely welcomed by regulators and safety assessors as a critical step toward strengthening confidence in non-animal approaches for cosmetic ingredient safety evaluation. As regulatory frameworks worldwide continue to advance toward animal-free safety decisions, implementation is the decisive next step. To support this transition, ICCS is convening a free, in-depth webinar focused on how the Guidance can be applied in real-world regulatory risk assessments for skin sensitization. From guidance to practice: This session will demonstrate how defined approaches under OECD Guideline 497— including the 2 out of 3 (2o3), the Integrated Testing Strategy (ITS), and the SARA-ICE model—can be used together within practical, decision-ready risk assessment workflows. Webinar Details Thursday, April 9, 2026 1:00 – 4:30 PM CET Format: Virtual | Free to Attend Speakers and Presentations Donna Macmillan, PhD – Director, Outreach & Capacity Building, ICCS An Introduction to the ICCS Best Practice Guidance Document on Skin Sensitization Petra Kern, PhD – Senior Toxicologist/Risk Assessor, Procter & Gamble A Deep Dive into OECD GL 497 Defined Approaches: 2o3 and ITS Georgia Reynolds, MSc – Safety Science Leader, Unilever Applying OECD GL 497 Defined Approaches: SARA-ICE Nathalie Alépée, PhD – Research Toxicologist & Scientific Officer, L’Oréal The ICCS BPG on Skin Sensitization in Practice: A Case Study The webinar will provide live Q&A, offering attendees the opportunity to engage directly with the speakers and discuss practical, regulatory-relevant questions. Who Should Attend This session is designed for regulatory scientists, safety assessors, and technical experts working across regulatory agencies, industry, and associated research organizations who are involved in skin sensitization assessment and the application of NAM-based evidence.  Join ICCS and leading experts to explore how NAMs can be confidently applied in regulatory practice and help support robust decision-making without the use of animals.
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