Farm Animal Welfare

Cattle Welfare ESG Investment Welfare

Environmental, social and governance investing is increasingly incorporating animal welfare as a material factor in livestock company assessment.

Key Facts

Farm animal welfare is recognised by some ESG frameworks as a social and governance risk factor
Investor pressure on food companies has driven welfare commitments from major brands
Supply chain welfare risks create financial exposure for food companies facing consumer campaigns
ESG rating agencies are developing more sophisticated animal welfare assessment criteria
Institutional investor engagement on animal welfare has increased significantly since 2020

Welfare Considerations

ESG investment integration of animal welfare creates financial accountability for poor welfare performance. Investor pressure on food companies has proven effective at driving corporate welfare commitments. Developing better ESG animal welfare metrics is a priority for the field.

What You Can Do

Support development of robust animal welfare ESG metrics through engagement with rating agencies
Engage with socially responsible investment funds about their animal welfare assessment approaches
Advocate for animal welfare material risk disclosure requirements for listed food companies