Animal welfare is about how well an animal is coping with the life it’s living in terms of how it’s treated, how it’s housed and whether it’s healthy and comfortable. It isn’t abstract, it’s practical, everyday stuff that makes a huge difference to the animals we depend on. In real terms, good welfare means making sure animals:
- Stay healthy - not sick or injured and properly cared for if something does go wrong
- Live comfortably - clean housing at the right temperature and enough space to move without bumping into each other
- Have proper food and water - always available and suited to their needs
- Feel safe - protected from pain, fear and unnecessary stress
- Can behave like themselves - walking around, resting, exploring, interacting, pecking, rooting… whatever’s natural for that animal
And that’s exactly what we expect for every animal in our supply chain - from the chickens we use to the dairy herds behind the cheese on our burgers.
How do we make sure this actually happens?
We don’t just take people’s word for it. Our supply chains are checked and verified through independent schemes like Red Tractor, Bord Bia and other trusted third-parties. These give us the visibility and traceability we need to know how animals are raised, handled and transported at every step.
From our side, we visit suppliers on a regular basis, as well as a number of farms in our supply chain to make sure we’re all working towards the same goals and on the same journey of continuous improvement. We measure and monitor welfare metrics monthly, meaning we’ll know from start to finish how the chickens have lived and how the environment has met their needs. It’s never a one-and-done, though. Animal welfare is always evolving.
New research, new tech, new farming practices and new expectations mean the goalposts keep moving. That’s why we focus on understanding our entire supply chain. So that we know where our products come from, what’s gotten better along the way and what needs to improve next.
Working together to raise the bar
We don’t do this alone. Welfare improvements happen when we work together with farmers, suppliers and industry bodies to all pull in the same direction. Through things like shared policies, clear standards and open conversations, we make sure everyone understands what success looks like. It’s about doing the right thing for the animals, the people who raise them and our environment. When all three move forward together, everyone wins.