Cranswick, Marks & Spencer, Noble Foods and Waitrose are leading the way when it comes to managing animal welfare, as indicated in the global Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW) report.
UK food producer Cranswick, Marks & Spencer, Noble Foods and Waitrose all attained the highest marks for their management and reporting on farm animal welfare in the BBFAW report, published today (23rd January, 2017).
Now in its fifth year, the BBFAW provides an annual review of how 99 of the world’s leading food companies are managing risks and opportunities associated with farm animal welfare.
The report, which is compiled in collaboration with animal welfare organisations Compassion in World Farming and World Animal Protection, and investment firm, Coller Capital, reveals that companies are paying increased attention to farm animal welfare within their supply chains.
Statistics indicate that 73% of companies now have published farm animal welfare policies (compared to just 46% in 2012), and 65% of companies have published targets on farm animal welfare (up from 26% in 2012).
Reflecting on these findings, BBFAW executive director, Nicky Amos, said: “With 26 companies moving up at least one tier since 2015, there is a clear indication that the food industry is finally starting to treat farm animal welfare as an important business issue.
Jeremy Coller, founder of Coller Capital and the FAIRR (Farm Animal Investment Risk & Return) Initiative added: “It’s very encouraging that 26 companies have risen up the Benchmark this year. That suggests a critical mass is building in the food sector to improve farm animal welfare management practices.
“The market is changing rapidly with consumers demanding higher welfare standards, regulators introducing tougher laws in areas such as antibiotic use, and investors driving change through new initiatives like FAIRR.”
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
