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Happy New Year – if I can still get away with saying that!
That Was the Year that Was
While CTPA is most definitely focussing on 2026 and getting stuck into the important job of representing and supporting members and the industry, I would just like to take a moment to reflect on 2025.
It was, of course, a significant year for the Association - celebrating 80 years of the CTPA championing Cosmetic Science, Innovation and Excellence. The highlight of the celebrations was the 80th Anniversary Dinner in June, not only a wonderful occasion and opportunity to mark the contributions of CTPA staff, friends, members and stakeholders past and present but also the launch of the Anniversary campaign honouring the vital role the Association has played over the past eight decades, our core values and the strength of the industry we represent - all the while keeping our eyes on the future. If you have not seen it already, you can watch (or re-watch!) the CTPA 80th Anniversary Movie “A Story That We Share” here (Celebrating 80 Years) complimented by “What Our Members Say”, a collection of short videos featuring member testimonials highlighting the value of CTPA’s work and showcasing real experiences and perspectives from across the membership (What Our Members Say).
2025 was also a year of incredible successes for the CTPA Team, on behalf of the industry. These included: the cross-sector, UK-EU-wide Position Paper on regulatory cooperation on chemicals; in-depth foundation work on a harmonised industry Take-back Scheme; instigating the Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR) Task Force and its work; being seen as a trusted partner by DBT (Department for Business and Trade) on trade agreements; the sell-out CTPA International Seminar; the CTPA 80th Anniversary Movie; progress with Cosmetics Europe on ingredient defence and data sharing with the UK SAG-CS (Scientific Advisory Group on Chemical Safety in Consumer Products); the BSCA (British Society for Cutaneous Allergy) audit on nail varnish ingredients; the pivotal SkinCare Simplified – A Parent’s Guide campaign.
The exceptional work of 2025 has certainly helped to direct the Association’s ambitions for 2026. As has the outcome of CTPA’s biennial membership survey. Without giving away too much, as this will be communicated in due time, the survey reflects how our members feel about the work that the Association does, with a humbling 96% of respondents saying they are satisfied or very satisfied with their CTPA membership!
2026 Workplan
The 2026 ‘Direction of Travel’ highlights the topline priorities for the CTPA Team, working on the key workstreams of: UK and EU Regulations; Science; Sustainability and the Environment; International; Communications; Membership; and Public Affairs under the four CTPA Strategic Pillars of: Influence; Protect; Promote; and Lead.
With thanks to my fellow Leadership Team colleagues – Caroline Rainsford (Director of Science) and Nico Shaw Núñez (Director of Regulation), and to all the CTPA Team members for their input into the workplan; and thank you to Jean Maffi, CTPA’s new Finance Manager, for the important work on the budget.
I am delighted that, at its December meeting, the CTPA Board approved both the Direction of Travel and Workplan and am pleased to report that the 2026 budget was also approved to support the Association’s bold plans!
Our work will, of course, be supported by the relevant CTPA Committees, Working Groups and Advisory Groups which will help guide the work to ensure all members’ needs are heard and to enable members to shape CTPA’s position.
The whole CTPA Team has entered 2026 with enthusiasm and we are all looking forward to working with members and key stakeholders in achieving our 2026 goals, as the voice of the UK cosmetics industry.
A word on advocacy in action
In my December DG Insights, you may recall me highlighting the Independent Water Commission (IWC) report had outlined 88 recommendations, including one to investigate “whether an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme is needed for the water sector to fund necessary improvements.” Defra (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) was exploring whether an EPR system for micropollutants in urban wastewater is a possible way forward for England and Wales, and a White Paper on the Government’s plan to implement the IWC report’s recommendation was expected. Given the issues with the EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD), this was extremely urgent for us. CTPA actively engaged with key Defra officials on this, and I wrote to the Defra Secretary of State, Defra Minister and other Government departments, sharing the industry’s concerns over the use of EPR for this matter and offering solutions that would be far more efficient at tackling wastewater than EPR. CTPA also developed an industry Position Paper on implementing an EPR framework for micropollutants in wastewater, with the support of members, available to download here.
The Defra Water White Paper was published on 20 January. The White Paper outlines plans to abolish Ofwat and consolidate key water system functions from existing regulators into a single new regulator; sets out measures to upgrade infrastructure; and reforms to the legislative framework, including updates to the Urban Wastewater Treatment Regulations and the Water Framework Directive Regulations. A Transition Plan will be published in 2026, providing a roadmap for implementing these changes. You can read more here.
CTPA is very pleased to report that the White Paper does not mention EPR for micropollutants in wastewater. However, CTPA will continue to engage with Defra to understand more about the Transition Plan and monitor the implementation of the plans contained in the document.
I am incredibly grateful to Rachael McEvoy, CTPA Senior Affairs Manager, Environment, for leading on this work and her engagement with Defra officials. I would also like to thank CPAAG (Communications and Public Affairs Advisory Group) and Graham McMillan, CTPA Public Affairs Adviser, for their support with the active advocacy.
