From World Animal Protection

BRF and JBS Brazilian Companies show leadership in Tier 2.
Companies with presence in Latin America and the Caribbean markets such as MacDonald’s and Unilever show progress on Farm Animal Welfare.
San José, January 24.- Coop Group and Migros Switzerland’s largest food retailers, and Cranswick a UK food producer, are two amongs the companies showing leadership on farm animal welfare in the global Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW) report, published this week (23 January, 2017).

The report, which is compiled in collaboration with leading animal welfare organisations Compassion in World Farming and World Animal Protection and investment firm, Coller Capital, provides an annual review of how the world’s leading food companies are managing risks and opportunities associated with farm animal welfare. These companies cover all three of the food industry sub-sectors (food retailers and wholesalers, restaurants and bars, and food producers).

The BBFAW clasify the companies in 6 tiers based on their politics and actiones on animal welfare:

1: Leadership on Farm Animal Welfare.

2: Farm Animal Welfare Integral to Business Strategy.

3: Established Approach to Farma Animal Welfare but Work to be Done.

4: Making Progress on Implementation of Farm Animal Welfare Processes.

5: Farm AnimalWelfare on the Business Agenda but Limited Evidence of Implementation.

6: No Evidence that Farm Animal Welfrae on the Business Agenda.

In the first tier are Marks & Spencer (UK), Migros (Switzerland), Noble Foods (UK), Waitrose (UK), Coop Gruop (Switzerland) and Cranswick (UK).

Companies in Latin America and the Caribbean

While the majority of companies by BBFAW are from the United States and Europe, the company scope includes 3 Brazilian companies. BRF and JBS both brazilian food produces are in Tier 2. Indicating that they both have made strong commitments to farm animal welfare, have well developed management systems and processes, and have a clear focus on farm animal welfare performance measures.

Varied of companies included in the BBFAW sell their productos on many countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. Some of these companies that have commercial operations in the region and integrate the animal welfare in their business strategy are MacDonald’s, Unilever and Noble Foods. Those companies thata are in the 3 tier are Nestlé, Walmrt, Wendy’s, Ferrero and Subway. These companies have some established animal welfarepracticies but have more work to do on integrate farm animal welfare into their business strategies.

Companies are paying increased attention to farm animal welfare

Comparing the results of the 2016 Benchmark the first Benckmark in 2012 is evident that global companies are paying increased attention to fram animal welfare. 73% of companies now have published farm animal welfare policies (compared to just 46% in 2012). In addition 65% of companies have published targets on farm animal welfare (up from 26% in 2012).

Ricardo Mora, Manager of Latin America Farm Animals Program, sais “there’s with progress companies demonstrate strong commitments to farm animal welfare and have established management systems and processes. Event though there are many companies in tier 4 and 6, wich means that there is still mucho work to be done. The aim is to get even more companies include farm animal welfare on their business agenda.

NOTES TO EDITOR

About World Animal Protection

World Animal Protection (formerly known as the World Society for the Protection of Animals) has moved the world to protect animals for the last 50 years. World Animal Protection works to give animals a better life. Its activities include working with companies to ensure high standards of welfare for the animals in their care, working with governments and other stakeholders to prevent wild animals being cruelly traded, trapped or killed, and saving the lives of animals and the livelihoods of the people who depend on them in disaster situations. World Animal Protection influences decision makers to put animals on the global agenda, and it inspires people to protect animals and to change animals’ lives for the better.

About the Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW)

1. The Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW) – now in its fifth year – has been designed to encourage higher farm animal welfare standards across the food industry. Read the full report here

2. The Benchmark is the first global measure of farm animal welfare management, policy commitment and disclosure in food companies and is designed for use by investors, companies, NGOs and other stakeholders interested in understanding the relative performance of food companies in this area. More information on the programme can be found at www.bbfaw.com.

3. The company-by-company results are presented in Attachment 1 to this release.

4. In total, 99 companies were included in the 2016 assessment; 12 more than in 2015. The companies represent three primary food business sectors: (a) food retailers and wholesalers; (b) restaurants and bars (a category that includes many of the food service providers), and (c) food producers and manufacturers. The list includes listed and non-listed companies (private companies, partnerships and co-operatives).

5. Coop Group (Switzerland), Marks & Spencer, Noble Foods, and Waitrose retain their Tier 1 position and are joined by Cranswick and Migros, which have climbed one place from Tier 2.