Why what businesses are doing with animal welfare, is everyone’s business
In my opinion, treating animals as commodities, is morally wrong, and it’s something that more and more people agree on. Not only is it morally wrong, but the way that factory farm animals are exploited, is cruelty at its very ugliest. The value of their lives is side-lined to maximise profits — treated as products, not the sentient beings capable of feeling emotions, that they are.
Sadly, this isn’t the life for just a small handful of animals either. An astonishing 50 billion animals suffer at the hands of humans each year in factory farms. Chickens have their beaks cut off. Piglets are ripped from their mothers and have their tails docked with no pain relief. And, as we’ve recently seen with the Karim Allah ship, cattle undergo perilous journeys, often spending days, weeks or even months at sea in ‘hellish’ conditions, only to reach their destination to be killed.
When I stop for a moment to think about what those animals must go through. Not understanding why, they have come into this cruel world only to live a life of immense pain, fear and suffering — it sends chills down my spine. It actually makes my heart ache.
For me, 2020 has been a clear wakeup call that the abuses of animals will continue carrying disastrous consequences. Like swine flu, avian flu, SARS and now COVID-19 — they all link back to animal exploitation. In fact, a 2020 UN report finds intensive farming responsible for more than half of all infectious diseases passing between animals and people since 1940. Numerous experts have sounded the alarm that another pandemic is likely as a result of factory farming. The intensive farming links with human resistance to antibiotics and the emergence of superbugs are increasingly clear.
It’s clear, to stay safe, business as usual is not an option. It’s imperative that we have tools that hold businesses accountable for their actions — and the Business Benchmark in Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW) does just that. The programme has been monitoring businesses since 2012, when it was founded by World Animal Protection and Compassion in World Farming (CIWF).
It’s a scorecard, based on a tier system. It exposes those that may hide behind bulky company reports, jargon or spin. Having this level of transparency is essential. Food companies who fail to recognise and act on the dangers between animals and health are risking their responsibilities to the animals at the hearts of their businesses, to their customers and the planet. The BBFAW tool challenges the failures and celebrates the feats.
Since it began, there’s been a groundswell of people rejecting the status quo that exploiting animals is acceptable. Plant based diets are no longer niche, and are in some places, increasingly becoming the norm.
There are now expectations for companies — from customers, other businesses, and investors. We know that because the results speak for themselves — four out of five (82%) of the companies assessed since 2012 have moved up at least one tier in the BBFAW rankings; and nearly two-thirds (61%) of companies globally are now considered to be actively managing business risks and opportunities associated with farm animal welfare.
Sadly though, many companies are resisting change such as Starbucks, that have not moved since BBFAW began, and Subway, has actually gone down a tier, showing little regard to improve the lives of animals. This is why, we need to keep them under the spotlight, because urgent action is needed — for animals, people, and the planet.
I started working on this programme when I was at CIWF. Now, as CEO at World Animal Protection, I am honoured that I’ve been able to stay connected to this important piece of work. But for World Animal Protection, and for me personally — this ninth cycle of BBFAW marks the end of an era. We are bowing out and handing over the baton to another dedicated partner — Four Paws International, who will continue with CIWF. It has been a privilege for us to be a fundamental partner for BBFAW. I know that the very capable hands of CIWF and Four Paws will drive forward the BBFAW programme to numerous other successes.
Our new World Animal Protection strategy seeks to overturn the entrenched systems that cause so much suffering and anguish to farmed and wild animals. As an organisation, we must prioritise issues where change can transform the lives of the greatest number of animals. To do this, it is vital that we overhaul the global food system, with animal welfare remaining at the core of our mission.
For me, as I look to the future, I know that we’ve got many challenges ahead, but also lots of reasons to feel optimistic. If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it’s that rethinking our relationship with animals isn’t just a nice to have — it’s essential, and we ignore the welfare of animals at our own peril. The human health threat has been magnified by this crisis, that we have all been trapped in, and animals can no longer be the forgotten victims.
We need to reset the balance, and we need to ensure that animals are respected. All animals — wild or farmed — should all be given the opportunity to smell fresh air, feel the sun on their face, the grass beneath their feet, and live a life free of fear and pain. Keeping animals healthy and happy without stress, is as important for animal welfare as it is to human health.
Join us and help build a better future for farm animals and move businesses to protect animals. Find out more here.
