The following information is intended for Accreditation and Certification Bodies with an interest to offer services according to COSMOSstandard. The requirements as summarized here are based on the COSMOS-standard, the COSMOS-standard Control Manual and the
COSMOS-standard Labelling Guide. The scheme documents are available on www.cosmos-standard.org

Overview of key requirements for COSMOS signatures:
COSMOS ORGANIC, COSMOS NATURAL, COSMOS CERTIFIED and COSMOS APPROVEDCOSMOS-standard
signature
Categories

COSMOSORGANICCOSMOS
NATURALCOSMETIC FINISHED PRODUCTS• Subcontractor• Manufacturer• Brand owner

COSMOS
CERTIFIEDCOSMOSAPPROVEDCOSMETIC INGREDIENTS• Subcontractor• Manufacturer• Brand owner• Manufacturer• Brand ownerof raw materials…with organic content

of raw materials…without organic content

Beneficiaries… of organic products

Scope… of natural products

Scope 1: certification of organic or natural cosmetic products, raw materials withorganic content, base formulas

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Scope 2: Approval of nonorganic raw materials thatcan be used in certified
referencesMaincriteria

ReferenceschemedocumentsCOSMOSORGANICCOSMOS
NATURALCOSMOS
CERTIFIED

Labelling
and communi-cation

The following requirements are compulsory on labels:Standard
Chapter 10

Labelling guide
Chapters 4 to 8•
signature• Mention of the % of organicand natural origin content• Indication of organic
ingredients in the INCI list•
signature• Mention of % of natural
origin content•
signature• Mention of % of organic
content

COSMOSAPPROVED• No claim to an organic
certification allowed• The
signature can be used

Ingredients• Mention of the certification bodyStandard

Chapter 5
Chapter 6Chapter 7.4
Appendix I to V
Appendix VIII

• Precautionary principles: GMOs and Irradiation are forbidden• Sustainability: specific criteria on palm oil, palm kernel oil and derivatives; requirements to be of organic origin
or from sustainable sources (CSPO) (not required for complex mixtures, such as perfumes and elements ofperfumes or ingredients that are extracted using petrochemical solvents)• All ingredients must be validated according to their category and process (Water, Minerals, PPAI, CPAI, otheringredients)

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Manufacturingand storage

Packaging& FabricsFormulations

Main
criteria

Referenceschemedocuments

StandardChapter 7
Appendix V
Appendix VI

COSMOSORGANICCOSMOS
NATURALCOSMOS
CERTIFIED• Minimum of 20% of organic content or at least
10% for rinse-off product, non-emulsified aqueous
products, and products with at least 80% minerals
or ingredients of mineral origin• At least 95% of the PPAI must be organic origin• The remaining PPAI must be organic if they arelisted in Appendix VI• The CPAI listed in Appendix VII must be organic• Maximum of 2% of petrochemical moieties(Appendix V)• No minimum oforganic content• Maximum of 2% of
petrochemicalmoieties (Appendix V)• Presence oforganic ingredient• Base formulas
without organic
ingredients• No organiccontent• Primary packaging
must be validatedand compliant• N.A.

Standard• Primary, secondary packaging and fabric components must be validated andcompliant• Minimization of direct and indirect environmental impacts of packaging andrevision compulsory each 3 years

Standard• Avoid any confusion or risk to the integrity of the products• Prevent contamination of the ingredients and the products

Chapter 8.3
Chapter 8.4
Appendix IX

Chapter 8.1
Chapter 8.2

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COSMOSAPPROVED

N.A.

Main
criteria
Application

Evaluation process

Application
review

Reference scheme
documents

Control Manual
Chapter 8 ►8.3.1

Control Manual
Chapter 8

COSMOSORGANICCOSMOS
NATURALCOSMOS
CERTIFIED• Application form completed for every prospective client• Review of the application form to study the feasibility and the definition of the prospective client• If possible, formalization of the commitment

Standard

Chapter 11.1 ►11.2
Evaluation

Control Manual• Documentary evaluation for each Product/Raw Material• Initial on-site audit

Chapter 8 ►8.3.2
Review &Certification
decision
Certification
documentation
Directory ofcertifiedproducts

Control Manual

COSMOSAPPROVED• Documentaryevaluation foreach Raw Material• Review of the evaluation results to take the appropriate certification decision

Chapter 8 ►8.3.3

Control Manual
Chapter 8 ►8.3.4

Control Manual
Chapter 8• If the certification decision is positive, certification document edition• The list of certified products/raw materials is available on the COSMOS website

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Main
criteria

Evaluation process

Surveillance

Changes
affectingcertificationTermination,reduction,suspension orwithdrawal ofcertification
Complaints andappeals

Referencescheme
documents

Control Manual
Chapter 8 ►8.3.6

Control Manual
Chapter 8 ►8.3.7

Control Manual
Chapter 8 ►8.3.8

Control Manual
Chapter 8

COSMOSORGANICCOSMOS
NATURALCOSMOS
CERTIFIED• The evaluation process has to be renewed every year
• Update of the application form if needed to declare anychange• Annual surveillance audit

COSMOSAPPROVED• The evaluation process has to be
renewed every year
• Update of the application form ifneeded to declare any change• Re-assessment of raw materials
at least every 3 years (or assoon as any change)• Information by the client of any change to evaluate the impact on the certification• Information of the clients by COSMOS of any change of the requirements of the scheme and theconsequences• Termination, reduction, suspension or withdrawal of certification can be decided following client’s
demand or a certification body’s decision• Everyone can make a complaint or an appeal• The complaint/appeal will be processed, and an answer/decision must be sent by the certificationbody

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