Changed by the Voices of Citizens! Corporate Animal Welfare Today

In 2018, it was unimaginable for a company to prioritize animal welfare in its procurement policies. No such policies existed at the time, and the idea of a company publicly acknowledging it as a key issue seemed far-fetched.

Fast forward to today, and many major food-related companies have adopted some form of animal welfare procurement policy. When we engage with companies that have yet to make public statements on this issue, we often highlight that they are falling behind their peers in Japan. The significant progress we’ve witnessed is a testament to our efforts in collaborating with businesses, financial institutions, and government entities, as well as the growing advocacy from concerned citizens.

While Japan still lags behind global standards for livestock welfare, the changes within the country over the past few years have been remarkable. Companies that barely acknowledged the importance of animal welfare in 2016 or 2018 have now integrated it into their policies.

The next step is to ensure that these policies are translated into concrete actions and measurable goals that genuinely benefit animals. Currently, only general policies exist, and we have not yet reached the stage where practices like cage-free systems or improved chicken farming methods are actively reducing animal suffering.

The days of making vague requests like “We want you to work on animal welfare” are over, as companies now respond with “We’re already doing it!” As citizens, we must be more informed than the companies themselves and make specific demands, such as “When will you transition to cage-free systems?”, “What percentage of your eggs are currently cage-free?”, “What is the maximum stocking density allowed for broiler chickens?”, or “Stop using meat from slaughterhouses where chickens are not properly stunned before slaughter.”

Most importantly, it is crucial to emphasize that these actions are “for the animals.” While many assume that companies are more responsive to environmental concerns, we have often heard companies downplay the significance of animal welfare, claiming, “Nobody talks to us about animals.” Above all, please educate companies that you are changing your consumption habits, voicing your opinions, and taking action specifically for the well-being of animals.

Companies that have included animal welfare as a key issue (materiality):

– Nippon Ham

– Prima Meat Packers

– Starzen

– S Foods Co., Ltd.

– Itoham Yonekyu Holdings (included in sustainable procurement)

– Meiji Holdings (included in sustainable procurement)

– Maruha Nichiro (included in sustainable procurement)

– Nissui (included in sustainable procurement)

– Kewpie (included in sustainable procurement)

– Mitsui & Co. (included in “creating a foundation for stable supply”)

– Japan Farm