The Vegan Society
UK-registered charity founded in 1944 that coined the word "vegan" and now runs the Vegan Trademark, one of the most widely used vegan certifications worldwide.
The Vegan Society is a British-registered charity, founded in November 1944 by Donald Watson and five colleagues who split from the UK Vegetarian Society over the question of dairy and eggs. The organization’s first newsletter, Vegan News issue 1, coined the word vegan from the first and last letters of vegetarian.
Why it matters
The Vegan Society is the oldest continuously operating vegan institution in the world. Its Vegan Trademark, introduced in 1990, is registered in more than 60 countries and is one of the most widely trusted vegan certification marks on consumer packaging. The charity’s research programme has published influential guidance on B12, iodine, omega-3, and plant-based infant and child nutrition.
Activities
Vegan Trademark certification, nutrition research and consumer guidance, public education campaigns, policy work with UK and EU governments, and grants to vegan projects. A significant share of the vegan-certified products in UK and European supermarkets carry the Society’s mark.
Relevance
The Society’s founding minutes and first newsletter are among the most important primary sources for the history of veganism as a distinct movement. As a charity (not a commercial business), it is included in this directory because it operates the certification and educational services that much of the vegan business ecosystem depends on.