Animal Welfare Policy 

Suppliers,

Direct Operations

We assess whether the company has commitments and trains employees on a comprehensive set of animal welfare issues, including confinement, routine mutilations, transportation, slaughter, environmental enrichments etc. We also assess whether a company implements disciplinary action if employees breach its policy. We assess whether companies invest R&D on improving animal welfare. 

• Welfare Policy. 

• Key Welfare Issues. 

All – cumulative KPI. 

Assurance & Certification 

Suppliers,

Direct Operations

We assess whether the company’s operations are certified by a farm assurance programme and the whether the company’s operations are auditing & assurance by an animal welfare organisation, and if the company publicly reports on the progress of animal welfare metrics. 

• Auditing & assurance by an animal welfare organisation (by protein).

• Public reporting on welfare metrics. 

Best practice is awarded when most of company’s operations (>66%) are certified by a “high tier” farm assurance programme and reports on welfare metrics annually. 

Performance on Key Material Risks 

Suppliers,

Direct Operations

We assess whether the company manages key welfare risks related to confinement, which varies by species. Companies are also assessed on their management of 2 other key risks identified by species, such as stunning, dehorning or higher welfare breeds, etc. 

• Performance on key material welfare risks by protein. 

Best practice is awarded when a company manages key welfare risks related to confinement, which varies by species, as well as 2 other key risks identified by species, such as stunning, dehorning, or higher welfare breeds, etc. The company also works on improving the criterion and reports on progress or public commitments made that apply to 100% of operations by 2028. 

Aquatic Animal Welfare 

Suppliers,

Direct Operations

We assess whether the company discusses animal welfare issues specific to aquaculture, its disclosure of welfare monitoring metrics, the company’s progress on welfare metrics, and measures to improve welfare. 

• Welfare Policy. 

• Reporting on animal welfare metrics. 

• Reporting on measures to improve welfare. 

Best practice is awarded when a company provides a nuanced discussion on aquatic animal welfare (which goes beyond health), uses higher welfare stunning techniques, discloses welfare-related metrics and updates on their progress, and discloses measures for implementing further welfare improvements. 

Disease management – all fish 

Feed,

Hatcheries,

Farm,

Slaughter,

Processing

We assess disclosure of disease outbreaks (including sea lice), non-chemical approaches to prevent outbreaks, disclosure of mortality rates, and disclosure of a management plan of algal blooms. 

• Disease outbreaks. 

• Mortality rates. 

• Algal blooms. 

All – cumulative KPI. 

Disease management – shrimp aquaculture 

Feed,

Hatcheries,

Farm,

Slaughter,

Processing

We assess disclosure of disease outbreaks, disclosure of mortality rates, and preventative measures (water filtration and pond liners). 

• Disease outbreaks and biosecurity. 

• Mortality rates. 

All – cumulative KPI. 

Aquatic animal welfare 

• Split questions which assessed matters for both shrimp and fish into individual questions. 

Disease management – all fish 

• Moved from deforestation and biodiversity.

• Removed questions regarding algal blooms. 

Disease management – shrimp aquaculture 

• Moved from deforestation and biodiversity.