Te Protejo: Raising awareness about animal testing in Latin America

The first in a series of blogs written by past winners of the Lush Prize, describing the impact that winning a prize has had on their work.

In 2017, Te Protejo became the first Latin American organisation to win a Lush Prize, recognised for their years of work in Chile raising awareness about animal testing for cosmetics and transforming consumer choices by demanding cruelty-free products. Through their pioneering Festival Ecobelleza, an event that since 2014 has brought together cruelty-free brands, zero-waste initiatives, vegan food and local entrepreneurship, creating a vibrant platform for responsible consumption and awareness, they gather around 20,000 attendees in just two days.

The Lush Prize is the largest fund in the non-animal testing sector, awarding £250,000 annually. It recognises initiatives in Science, Training, Public Awareness, Political Advocacy, and Young Researchers. Its goal is to support alternatives that replace animal testing, and Te Protejo won in the Public Awareness category, standing out among global changemakers.

For the Te Protejo team, receiving the prize was an unforgettable milestone: “We felt so much pride and confirmation that all the efforts we had made until then were worth it. It was like a boost of energy to keep working,” says Camila Cortínez, General Director and founder of the organisation.

The award also helped them cross borders and reach other audiences. Camila adds: “It positioned us as an international organisation, brought us into media outlets we had never reached before and validated us in the eyes of others as a serious organisation with recognised work.” Eight years after this milestone, Te Protejo learned the importance of connecting internationally and valuing collaboration with other associations. 

The journey since then has also brought multiple challenges like adapting to the COVID pandemic, ensuring financial sustainability and continually identifying new issues in the region. In 2023, the organisation was even close to shutting down, which led them to transform their business model and the way they work. “The desire to do everything sometimes clashes with the team’s capacity and limitations,” they say. Still, the motivation to keep growing has never diminished and now the team has grown to 14 advocates working in five areas: Awareness, Advocacy, Alliances, Certifications and Research.

Alongside these challenges came new triumphs. Two years after receiving the Lush Prize, Te Protejo was honoured with the Viva Schmidheiny Award in Latin America, in the category NGO with environmental impact. After that, they won the Viva Schmidheiny for their adaptation to the pandemic in 2020. More recently, in 2024, the organisation was elected to represent animal protection NGOs in Chile’s National Animal Bioethics Committee, strengthening its role in shaping ethical guidelines for research and experimentation. 

Thanks to the #BeCrueltyFree campaign, supported by the organisation in Chile, Brazil and Mexico, and their persistent advocacy, Te Protejo accomplished major milestones. In 2021, animal testing for cosmetics was banned in Mexico after the organisation gathered more than 1.3 million signatures. Four years later, in 2025, another historic victory was achieved in Brazil, securing a ban with the support of over 1.6 million signatures. In Chile, the same campaign ultimately led to the prohibition of animal testing, marking a turning point in the fight for cruelty-free beauty in the country.

Today, Te Protejo continues to lead the cruelty-free movement in Latin America. Their message to others working for a world without animal testing is clear: “Trust in your work, collaborate with others to increase your impact and always seek opportunities to improve and learn.”

Anyone who wishes to learn more about their mission and join this transformation can visit Te Protejo’s website. There, individuals are invited to discover how small changes in habits can create a profound impact, and to become part of a global movement that is redefining the beauty industry towards one that is cruelty-free.

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2 September 2025