Animal welfare transparency could be a path to profit

Animal welfare is an issue that is creeping up the investor agenda. We know that consumers are increasingly seeking out sustainable and organic food, but now investors are also starting to ask retailers and restaurants about their animal welfare processes, including the treatment of cows, pigs and chickens.

In her brief article,  ‘Animal welfare transparency could be a path to profit‘, Emily Chasan highlights the rise of investor and consumer interest in animal welfare issues and how better corporate disclosure on farm animal welfare could help investors.

This comes on the back of the publication of the annual Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW) – an investor-backed benchmark identifying corporate leaders and laggards on farm animal welfare. Looking at the performance of 99 global foods brands, the report finds that animal welfare is becoming a top priority even though reporting remains relatively underdeveloped.

The report also finds that:

Jeremy Coller, Founder of Coller Capital and the FAIRR (Farm Animal Investment Risk & Return) Initiative said in response to the report

From farms to fast food chains, global investors want well managed, forward-thinking food companies – and the Benchmark is an essential tool to help investors identify such corporate leaders. For many investors, a company’s disclosure of farm animal welfare practices offers a valuable insight into the wider quality of corporate management.