Global Animal Partnership uses a 6-tier welfare rating system, allowing consumers and producers to understand and improve welfare incrementally. Understanding the tier system guides purchasing choices.
Global Animal Partnership's tiered system is valuable for communicating welfare improvements to consumers and providing farmers with a clear improvement pathway. The six-step progression makes it possible to reward incremental welfare improvements rather than requiring the jump from conventional to maximum welfare at once. This matters practically: the welfare difference between Step 1 and Step 3 is significant and deserves recognition, even if Step 5+ represents the ideal. Consumers who understand the tier system can track their purchasing up the welfare ladder as budget and availability allow, and can recognize genuine improvement in corporate commitments that specify tier levels rather than just a generic welfare label.