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Dr Ged O’Shea on 2015
One of the roles of an effective trade association is to provide
strong leadership in times of change and uncertainty.
This must go beyond simple consistency in explaining the
responsibilities a company must shoulder in placing cosmetic
products onto the market but should look ahead to the
challenges the industry might face in future, to explore
options for meeting those challenges and to propose and
enact those things necessary so to do. In this respect,
the second Members’ Event, held in 2015, generated a
wealth of ideas to stimulate such a review.
During the year, myself and the CTPA Vice-chairs along
with the Association management have begun the job of a
wide-ranging strategic review over the roles and
responsibilities of CTPA now and in the future. This is not
to say anything is broken, but the time to check the roof is
when the sun is shining, not when the rain is coming through.
This is not a simple task but has to be carried out in the light
of many uncertainties including the growth of e-commerce
in its various guises, the wider access of the global citizen
to products from other markets, the greater collaboration
between cosmetic associations globally and the phenomenal
growth in online communications. Now that anyone can
be their own publisher, the context within which CTPA
has developed its communications operation is changing
rapidly and we must ensure we are part of those
conversations where they happen and not waiting for
potential readers to come to us.
Another element of the mix is that of enforcement of the
legislation under which manufacturers operate. It is only
fair that the law is enforced to avoid the consumer being
exposed to unsafe, ineffective or poor quality cosmetics,
including counterfeits. Unless there is effective enforcement,
reputable companies and the trust the consumer places in
their brands could be undermined.
I am therefore especially glad that our sector has a lead
officer within Trading Standards (TS) with whom we have
a very good relationship, along with officials within the
Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
The lead officer has attended many of our seminars
during the year and often discusses the practical aspects
of interpretation and enforcement with us, promoting best
practices and ensuring companies have access to consistent
advice. The role of Trading Standards is key to protecting the
consumer and CTPA hopes both TS and BIS will continue to
receive the necessary level of government support.
The relationship CTPA has with BIS and TS has also expanded
into contact with the Home Office, which has taken a lead
in expanding understanding of alternatives to animal testing
and their use in product safety assessment to major
non-European markets. The success, knowledge and
experience of the cosmetics industry in this field have been
pivotal in underpinning work at senior government level to
promote globally the European approach to cosmetic product
safety where animal testing is no longer any part of the
programme and hasn’t been for many years.
So, for the year ahead, CTPA will be building upon the work
of 2015 to prepare the Association to move with the times,
to be ahead of the crowd and to demonstrate leadership in
re-thinking how and where an association engages with its
many audiences in a world that is so very different to that in
which the Association was founded in 1945.
In particular, I would like to thank the CTPA staff for their
continued dedication and hard work in supporting the
Association and the industry. My thanks also to the Board
members for their support and to all our members who
devote time and effort to the Association’s work.
Chairman’s Report
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