Issue Type: Farm Animals

Farm animals

Humane Society International / Viet Nam

Hang Le/HSI

Update: As of April 2022, Fusion Hotel Group Viet Nam|Alba Wellness Valley by Fusion has published that it no longer buys eggs from caged hens.

HO CHI MINH CITY—Fusion Hotel Group is partnering with Humane Society International, a global animal protection organization, to improve animal welfare in its supply chain. To do this, Fusion has committed to sourcing 100% cage-free eggs, both in shell and liquid forms, in its existing and future properties in Vietnam, and elsewhere.

Fusion, which launched its brand of wellness-focused hotels and resorts in 2008, is the only fully vertically integrated hospitality company in Southeast Asia. All of Fusion’s locations in Vietnam, in Da Nang, Cam Ranh, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Phu Quoc, Quy Nhon and Vung Tau, will start implementing the use of cage-free eggs by 2021 and to reach 100% by 2025.

With this commitment, Fusion Hotel Group becomes the first Vietnam-based hotel and resort company to join the international cage-free egg movement. Phuong Tham, HSI Vietnam country director, said: “We are delighted with Fusion’s commitment to a cage-free egg policy. We appreciate its desire to lead the way among hospitality companies to a higher standard of corporate-social responsibility for animal welfare in the country.”

HSI actively supports companies throughout South East Asia with the implementation of their animal welfare policies. This includes conducting workshops for a range of stakeholders. Fusion’s commitment reflects what previous workshop participants have stressed: The future is cage-free.

Samir Wildemann, Fusion’s vice president of operations, said: “We are proud of our commitment to corporate social responsibility and responsible consumption, which includes animal welfare in our supply chain. There is a growing demand for higher welfare and quality products, and cage-free eggs are a key example of humane and sustainable ingredients.”

Battery cage systems are infamous worldwide for confining hens in tiny spaces, no bigger than an A4-sized sheet of paper; hens in these systems cannot move freely or fully spread their wings. In Vietnam, the majority of egg-laying hens live in battery cages.

But there is progress being made around the world for egg-laying hens, as more corporations choose to emphasize animal welfare in their supply chains, which is good news for billions of these birds.

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Humane Society International / Mexico

HSI 

MEXICO CITY—Hacienda Santa Bárbara, an eco-hotel in Tlaxcala, Mexico, has committed to improving farm animal welfare by exclusively sourcing cage-free eggs for all of its menu items by the end of 2021.

Hacienda Santa Barbara is a hotel from the 17th century, which has been converted to an ecological destination, using only locally produced products to reduce its carbon footprint.

Javier Zamora, owner of Hacienda Santa Bárbara said: “We are committed to working with our suppliers to use eggs from cage-free birds. We started this project with a goal to provide our clients with the best quality food, and for us this means it must be sourced from producers who employ higher animal welfare  and more sustainable production methods.”

Arianna Torres, corporate policy and program manager for HSI/Mexico, said: “We congratulate La Hacienda Santa Bárbara for committing to offer only cage-free eggs on all its menus, joining the more than 200 companies worldwide that have already made this promise.”

The lives of countless farm animals improve when companies go cage-free. In Mexico, there are tens of thousands of egg-laying hens. The country’s conventional industrial production systems confine chickens for their entire lives in tiny cages made of wire, known as “battery cages.” These cages are so small that the chickens cannot even fully stretch their wings. Common sense and science agree that restraining animals for virtually their entire lives causes significant harm, depriving them of the opportunity to express important natural behavior.

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Media contacts: Laura Bravo, Mexico: 5554561476; laurabravocom@gmail.com

Humane Society International

HealthyFarm

Update: As of 2021, HealthyFarm has published that it no longer buys eggs from caged hens.

DANANG—HealthyFarm, a sustainable retailer in Vietnam, officially announced a policy to highlight animal welfare in its supply chain, committing to sell only cage-free eggs. The social enterprise worked with Humane Society International, a leading global animal protection organization, on the adoption of this policy. By working and supporting its farmer networks, HealthyFarm’s new policy will help to improve the lives of up to 10,000 hens this year. HeathyFarm will focus on growth and expansion in the years to come.

Established in 2016 in Danang, HealthyFarm is a social enterprise focusing on food sustainability including natural farming practices and upholding animal welfare. The enterprise seeks to protect public health while maintaining low environmental impact. HealthyFarm’s mission is to bring clean, safe and natural food to consumers while simultaneously supporting the local farmers and local communities. After nearly five years of operation, HealthyFarm has distributed more than half a million free-range eggs to both wholesale and retail channels. Starting from 2020, the social enterprise has been partnering with HSI and World Animal Protection to develop networks of small-scale producers from rural communities to fulfill its commitment to serve 100% cage-free eggs in its stores and to its business customers. This is one of HealthyFarm’s most dedicated projects as it matches the organization’s mission. Additionally, HealthyFarm is planning several consumer engagement events to raise awareness about cage-free eggs and animal welfare across Vietnam.

Dr. Kasia Weina, founding partner and director of HealthyFarm, stated: “We are excited to take the next steps towards sustainable, responsible consumption that highlights ethical treatment of animals throughout our supply chain. We aim to pioneer this movement and continue to raise awareness and facilitate change surrounding this issue.”

Hang Le, corporate outreach manager for HSI/Vietnam, stated: “We applaud HealthyFarm for joining hundreds of food companies around the globe in pledging to source only cage-free eggs, and we invite other companies to do the same. Through commitments like these, consumers and the food industry in the country are sending a clear message: Immobilizing egg-laying hens in cages is unacceptable, and the days of not questioning how animals are treated in the food industry are long gone. The future of egg production is cage-free, and we look forward to continuing to work with HealthyFarm on the implementation of this policy.”

In Vietnam, the vast majority of egg-laying hens are confined in wire battery cages, where each hen has less space than an A4-sized sheet of paper to spend her entire life. Battery cages are inherently cruel—hens are unable to move freely or express important natural behaviour, including nesting, perching and dustbathing. Cage-free systems generally offer hens higher levels of animal welfare than battery cage systems.

HealthyFarm joins other multinational companies that have made similar global cage-free egg commitments that apply to Vietnam and the rest of Asia, including 4P’s Corporation, AccorHotels, Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Nestle, Sodexo and Mondelez International, among others.

For more information on the project’s progress and updates, please follow the fanpage HealthyFarm – Naturally raised eggs.

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Humane Society International / Mexico

Tigrane Hogbossia

MEXICO CITY—Mica and Lalo, a restaurant and agroecological market, has committed to exclusively sourcing eggs from cage-free hens and pork from producers who do not confine mother pigs to crates throughout its supply chain by the end of 2021. With this announcement, Mica y Lalo joins the growing list of more than 200 companies around the world, like Bimbo, Barilla and McDonald’s, among others, that have pledged to include only cage-free eggs and pork in their supply chains.

Micaela Patiño, owner of Mica and Lalo, said: “Regardless of which link we belong to in the food chain: producer, supplier, processor, cook or consumer, the decisions we make are not isolated. We must take responsibility for our actions and inform ourselves of the impact they have. We can no longer blindfold ourselves or let others act. The congruence of our saying with our actions will be the basis of the change we want to see.”

Arianna Torres, of Humane Society International/ Mexico, said: “We congratulate Mica and Lalo for adopting this important commitment, where they prioritize the welfare conditions of farm animals and in this way contribute not only to guaranteed freedom of movement for laying hens and pregnant sows, but also provide their consumers with food in harmony with nature.”

This commitment improves the lives of tens of thousands of laying hens in Mexico. The country’s conventional industrial production systems often confine chickens for their entire lives in tiny cages made of wire. The cages are so small that the chickens cannot even fully stretch their wings. Common sense and science agree that restraining animals for virtually their entire lives causes significant physical pain and stress.

More and more companies are adopting responsible consumption policies. HSI will continue working with Mica and Lalo and other companies to remove animal cruelty from their supply chains.

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Media contact: Laura Bravo, Mexico: 555-456-1476; laurabravocom@gmail.com

Humane Society International / Mexico

David Paul Morris

MEXICO CITY—La Hacienda San Andrés, a XVI hacienda, has committed to sourcing exclusively cage-free eggs throughout its egg supply chain by the end 2021. The hotel made this decision because of animal welfare concerns with caging systems and to emphasize sustainable, responsible sourcing.

Chef and partner of Hacienda San Andrés, Marco Margain, said: “We are committed to our consumers to provide only eggs from cage-free birds. With this we reaffirm our social responsibility and maintain the highest standards for our clients regarding animal welfare.”

Arianna Torres, from HSI/Mexico, said: “We congratulate Hacienda San Andrés gourmet hotel for deciding to serve only cage-free eggs. More and more companies are adopting responsible consumption policies, and we will continue working with Hacienda San Andrés and other companies in favor of farm animal welfare.”

With this commitment, Hacienda San Andrés joins the list of more than 200 companies in Mexico and around the world, including Grupo Bimbo, CMR Restaurants, Grupo Alsea, Toks Restaurants, Barilla and many others, that have committed to source produced in systems that provide freedom from intensive confinement.

Mexico is one of the largest egg consumer countries in the world, according to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and more than 99% of laying are confined in an area smaller than a sheet of letter-size paper, where they cannot express their natural behavior, causing physical and psychological suffering.

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Media contact: Laura Bravo, Mexico: 555-456-1476; laurabravocom@gmail.com

Humane Society International

Cage-free hens
Michelle Riley/The HSUS

SÃO PAULO—Casa Santa Luzia, a traditional high-end supermarket in the city of São Paulo, announced it will sell exclusively cage-free eggs by 2023.

This commitment comes after many years of working with Humane Society International and other animal protection organizations. HSI will continue to work with the company in Brazil during the implementation of this policy.

Ianê Almeida, animal welfare specialist for HSI Farm Animals in Brazil, said: “We congratulate Casa Santa Luzia for adopting a full 100% cage-free egg commitment, and we look forward to continuing to work with the company and its egg suppliers on the implementation of this policy. This decision sends a clear message to the egg industry that the future of egg production is cage-free in Brazil.”

This commitment will improve the lives of thousands of egg-laying hens. Egg-laying hens in Brazil are typically confined for their whole lives in wire cages so small that they cannot even fully stretch their wings. Cage-free production systems typically offer hens higher levels of welfare, allowing the birds to express more of their natural behavior, including ground scratching and pecking, laying their eggs in nests, perching and fully spreading their wings. HSI works together with the food industry in Brazil and worldwide to help ensure a successful transition to these higher animal welfare production systems through farm tours, technical workshops on cage-free systems and the exchange of best practices.

Casa Santa Luzia joins the growing list of supermarkets in Brazil, including the four largest, that have committed to selling exclusively cage-free eggs in the country: Carrefour, Walmart (Grupo Big), GPA and Cencosud.

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Media contact: Ianê Almeida: ialmeida@hsi.org

Humane Society International / India

Reduce your consumption of animal products and pledge to #EatKind for animals, people and the planet!

Humane Society International

HSI

SÃO PAULO—Cencosud, the fourth largest supermarket chain in Brazil, has announced it will sell exclusively cage-free eggs at its over 200 stores throughout eight states in the country. Cenconsud operates under different brands—GBarbosa, Bretas, Prezunic, Perini and Mercantil Rodrigues—and all of them are covered by the policy, which will be fully implemented by 2025 for their own brand eggs, and by 2028 for all eggs. The company also operates in Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru, and has an office in China.

This commitment comes after many years of working with Humane Society International and other animal protection organizations. HSI will continue to work with the company in Brazil during the implementation of this policy, and in the countries where they operate, to help them adopt a 100% global cage-free egg commitment.

Maria Fernanda Martin, corporate policy and program manager for HSI Farm Animals in Brazil, said: “We applaud Cencosud for adopting a full 100% cage-free egg commitment, and we look forward to continuing to work with the company and its egg suppliers on the implementation of this policy. This move will relieve thousands of egg-laying hens from a life of extreme confinement, and sends a clear message to the egg industry that the future of egg production is cage-free.”

Egg-laying hens in Brazil are typically confined for their whole lives in wire cages so small that they cannot even fully stretch their wings. Cage-free production systems typically offer hens higher levels of welfare, allowing the birds to express more of their natural behavior, including ground scratching and pecking, laying their eggs in nests, perching and fully spreading their wings. HSI works together with the food industry in Brazil and worldwide to help ensure a successful transition to these higher animal welfare production systems, through farm tours, technical workshops on cage-free systems and the exchange of best practices.

Cencosud joins the other three largest supermarket companies in Brazil that have fully committed to selling exclusively cage-free eggs in the country: Carrefour, Walmart (Grupo Big) and GPA. From one end of the supply chain to the other, companies in Brazil and in the region are committing to cage-free.

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Media contact: Maria Fernanda Martin: mfmartin@hsi.org; +55 (11) 9 5770 9922

Humane Society International / India

Farm animal protection is an unexplored sector, and is seldom seen as a long-term career option. The insufficient interest and support from premier public and private institutions has created a vast talent pool gap. What is often overlooked is that the maximum suffering of and impact on animals and people is centred around farm animal issues. While it lies at the intersection of environment protection, climate change mitigation, nutrition, food and water security, public health, livelihoods and labour welfare, it continues to work in silos.

The primary objective of the Farm Animal Protection Leadership Programme is to serve as a framework to strengthen the Indian farm animal protection movement and bring together its allies for a sustainable future.

Vision: Our vision is to create united, talented and skilled leaders who will transform India in its endeavour to create a compassionate and sustainable future.

Mission: Our mission is to enable farm animal protection through values-aligned leadership in the sector.

Participants will be able to:

  • Learn from the foremost global leadership and farm animal protection experts
  • Network with the brightest peers in the farm animal movement
  • Build coalitions with allied movements
  • Explore purpose-driven high-impact career opportunities

Who should apply

We are seeking participants who are passionate, visionary individuals with a clear desire to transform the lives of farm animals, people and our planet. We are looking for leaders who will bring integrity, values and a collaborative spirit into advocacy for farm animals.

We invite those who wish to develop the skills to design, run and measure impactful programmes for farm animals, who will bring new ideas to pressing challenges we face, and who have strong growth potential and the propensity for creating a vibrant movement for farm animals.

Professionals, part-time and full-time employees, consultants, interns and volunteers from the following fields may apply for the programme:

  • Animal protection
  • Environment protection and climate change mitigation
  • Labour welfare
  • Food and nutrition security, and public health

Deadlines and how to apply

  • Opening of applications: 1 February 2021
  • Closing of applications: 21 February 2021
  • Announcement of final list of (30) selected participants: 20 March 2021
  • Commencement of programme: 9 April 2021
  • Duration of programme: 6 months + internship/project
  • Fee: The cost of the programme, if invited to participate, is INR 20000, payable at https://supporthsi.in/

To apply: Please download and fill out this application form and send it by 11:59 pm, 21 February 2021 to farmanimalleadership@hsi.org

Faculty

Read bios of our many expert speakers.

Frequently asked questions

Read our frequently asked questions, or contact us at farmanimalleadership@hsi.org if you don’t see the answer you need.

HSI/Canada’s Forward Food program will support Sodexo’s foodservice operations in introducing delicious and sustainable menu items

Humane Society International / Canada

Chat Photography/HSI Vegan macaroni and cheese

MONTRÉAL—Sodexo Canada and Humane Society International/Canada are excited to announce a new national partnership that will elevate plant-based menu options in Sodexo’s accounts across the country. As part of the partnership, HSI/Canada’s Forward Food program will train Sodexo chefs on plant-based cooking techniques and work with Sodexo leadership to develop new, custom plant-based recipes. Select Sodexo accounts will transition at least 20% of their current menu items to be plant-based with support from HSI/Canada’s Forward Food program, which has already worked with numerous institutions and businesses in Canada to enhance their plant-based offerings.

“Understanding the impacts of our services on the environment, communities we serve, wellness we provide and people we employ is on the forefront for Sodexo Canada’s sustainable living initiatives. Together with Humane Society International we have refreshed our strategy to bring our teams the tools they need through training and engagement, data analysis and responsible sourcing strategies to achieve our commitment to reducing emissions and providing increased healthy and delicious plant based menu offerings,” says Davide Del Brocco, sustainability manager at Sodexo Canada.

Riana Topan, campaign manager for HSI/Canada says, “We are thrilled to be partnering with Sodexo to support their sustainability and plant-based menu goals. Sodexo has set ambitious targets to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and serving more plant-based meals is critical to achieving those targets and to improving animal welfare. We look forward to supporting Sodexo’s higher education, corporate, energy and resource accounts across Canada to ensure that their customers always have access to sustainable and satisfying plant-based food options.”

“The Sodexo Innovation Challenge incorporates the creativity of our chefs and the resources of our Corporate Responsibility team directly into the menu development process. This synergy with HSI/Canada’s Forward Food program enables us to achieve our mutual goals of creating menus that speak to the needs of Canadians and drive sustainable business practices,” says Kyle Mason, Sodexo Canada’s senior manager of culinary development.

In November, Sodexo and HSI/Canada’s Forward Food program will host the country’s first virtual, national plant-based culinary training session for 12 of Sodexo’s higher education accounts. The training session will give Sodexo chefs from across Canada the opportunity to learn a variety of plant-based recipes, experiment with new ingredients and cooking techniques, and explore ways to integrate more options into Sodexo’s menus. Following the training, each Sodexo account will significantly increase its offering of plant-based items that are better for animals, the environment and human health, as part of the HSI/Canada’s Forward Food Pledge.

The partnership is officially launching this month, with Sodexo Canada’s participation in HSI/Canada’s annual Forward Food Leadership Summit. Del Brocco will speak about Sodexo’s corporate social responsibility initiatives and commitment to serving more sustainable plant-based dishes. The summit will bring together food service professionals from the higher education, retail, restaurant, manufacturing and other sectors, and will discuss how to use plant-based foods to create healthier, more sustainable menus in the wake of COVID-19.

Sodexo and Humane Society International intend to co-host additional events in 2021. HSI and Sodexo are also working together on similar initiatives in other countries around the world, including in Southeast Asia, that will improve sustainability, public health and animal welfare.

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