Boparan Group Farm Animal Welfare Strategy 2021

Our Business

2 Sisters Food Group is the trading name for Boparan Holdings Limited, which owns directly and indirectly UK & EU companies constituting the Boparan Group of companies. The principle activity of the Group is food manufacture with diversified market positions in supermarket own-label and branded products.

The business operates in three divisions: Protein, Meal Solutions and Branded.

Protein:
This division produces both branded and own brand products from our UK Poultry, Added Value Poultry and European Poultry sites.

Meal Solutions:
This division produces pizzas, hot cross buns, ambient and frozen ready meals, soups and sauces.

Bakery:
This division produces pies and puddings and is home to household name Holland’s Pies.

We recognise that improving Farm Animal Welfare (FAW) is a continuous process and we will use industry metrics, such as the Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW), to demonstrate our on-going commitment towards promoting higher animal welfare standards.

Our FAW Standards have been developed in alignment with the ‘Five Freedoms’ as developed by the FAWC (Farm Animal Welfare Committee):

• Freedom from hunger and thirst - by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour
• Freedom from discomfort - by providing an appropriate environment, including shelter and a comfortable resting area
• Freedom from pain, injury or disease - by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment
• Freedom to express normal behaviour - by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal's own kind
• Freedom from fear and distress - by ensuring conditions and treatment, which avoid mental suffering

In addition to all UK & EU food sourcing and production legislation, we require suppliers to fully comply with UK & EU FAW legislation and adherence to the specifications of our business customers, which may include relevant country and species-specific farm assurance scheme standards, such as Bord Bia, RSPCA Assured, Red Tractor, Beter Leven, QS and IKB.

Scope

Whilst this is a Boparan Holdings Ltd Farm Animal Welfare Strategy, our protein business, comprising of UK Poultry, Added Value Poultry and European Poultry, delivers the most material impact on-farm animal welfare with UK Poultry representing more than half of The Boparan Group business by sales.

UK Poultry partners with approximately 390 chicken farms producing 6.35 million birds per week for our food business customers. 43% of the chickens are grown on company owned farms and the remaining 57% are grown by contract growers to supply farms.

100% of our UK growing farms are audited annually and this is supported by KPI reviews with Farm, Area and General Managers. We grow different standards in the UK to meet our business requirements with 83.66% grown being Red Tractor Assurance, 9.79% enhanced indoor (lower stocked), 1.92% RSPCA Assured/BCC, 3.80% Free Range and 0.83% Organic.

We have approx. 400 chicken farms based in the EU of which 100% are contract grower all of which are managed by 2 Sisters Food Group. They also grow chickens to a wide range of different standards e.g. 4.91% are grown at <30Kgsqm under the relevant farm assurance schemes.

For other animal species including finfish, we will require our suppliers to work with their farmers to ensure that all relevant UK & EU legislation, including that relating to FAW, are met. We will require them to adhere to the specifications of our business customers. By December 2021, we will work with our customers and suppliers to extend our policy scope to include species specific welfare outcome measures (WOMS).

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Our Approach to FAW

Context

The Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 has placed unprecedented challenges on food supply chains with impacts on our employees, our business customers and our suppliers. Our ability to still be able to provide safe, high quality, responsibly produced and sustainably sourced food underscores the importance of having strong and honest relationships with both our customers and suppliers.

Working closely across the Group, and in partnership with our strategic customers, has enabled us to work flexibly and adapt to new and evolving conditions including Covid-19 rules and regulations. Our approach to FAW has never been compromised during this time and this has been achieved through having:

• Dedicated Risk Management Group and clear contingency planning.
• Facilities and operations to mitigate the risks presented by Covid-19.
• Daily communications with internal cross-functional groups and our farmers.
• Strong communications with assurance brand owners.
• Training and support for all our key workers that is clear, accessible and understandable so that our workface are confident of keeping safe whilst maintaining food production.
• Constructive and positive engagement with Government MP’s, vets and industry trade bodies.
• Strong partnerships with our key customers to meet consumer demand.

Management Commitment

Farm animal welfare is a top priority for the Boparan Board and the senior management team who have ultimate accountability for ensuring that our Food and FAW policy requirements are being met to the standards that our customers expect. This is done through monthly review meetings that include FAW performance against set targets and KPI’s, as well as monitoring of any welfare monitoring trends.

Within the divisions/suppliers the Agriculture Director, Compliance Managers and Agriculture/Farm Managers are responsible for overall management and delivery of these requirements.

We have been talking to our key suppliers in beef, pork, dairy and fish about their policies and the standards they adhere to which are in excess of those stated by law. Where relevant species farm assurance standards exist, our key suppliers are farm assured against these standards and in some instances bettering them depending on specific customer requirements.

To view our Livestock Procurement Policy (click here)

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Boparan Group Position on Priority Farm Animal Welfare Issues

Close Confinement and Intensive Farming

All farm assured animals including fish must be free from close confinement requirements such that they are protected from discomfort, fear and pain and are free to express their normal behaviours.

• 100% of broilers in our global supply chain are cage free.
• UK & EU poultry suppliers meet relevant legislation, farm assurance and customer requirements with respect to stocking:

	UKP 2018	UKP 2019	UKP 2020	EU 2019	EU 2020
% birds grown @ < 30g/m2	4.62%	4.82%	4.63%	4.12%	4.91%
% birds grown at 30kg/m2	4.51%	7.67%	11.08%	7.20%	5.93%
% birds grown at 34kg/m2	7.41%	2.41%	0.63%	4.82%	8.13%
% birds grown at > 34kg/m2	83.46%	85.11%	83.66%	12.25%	37.84%
% birds grown at > 39kg/m2	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	70.99%	43.20%

Suppliers must comply with all relevant food legislation including UK & EU Animal Welfare Legislation and, where relevant, they should also adhere to farm assurance standards as a minimum. They must also be able to provide information of species-specific environmental enrichment requirements to encourage natural behaviours at any given time on request from our business customers.

Our key suppliers for beef, farmed fish, pork and dairy meet the relevant farm assurance standards for their species and these generally prohibit any close confinement. Where close confinement is allowed under the farm assurance scheme for specific reasons and periods, these are adhered to rigorously.

Our key suppliers for beef, farmed fish, pork and dairy adhere to or are stocked at a lower stocking density than the stocking densities set out in the relevant farm assurance standard. The specific lower stocking density used will depend on the species and end customer.

Some farm assurance standards do not state a maximum stocking density requirement, for example, warm water prawns. However, practices are put in place to keep the stocking density low i.e. farming in semi-intensive systems.

Use of Routine Mutilations

100% of livestock and poultry procured must be protected from avoidable pain, injury and disease through prompt diagnosis and treatment. Where routine mutilations are absolutely necessary, e.g. tail docking and castration in pigs, then anaesthetic and pain relief must be applied as required by law.

• 100% of growing birds are not beak trimmed
• 100% of our UK pork is not chemically or surgically castrated
• We will work with our wider supply chain by 2022 for further data and insights

Our key suppliers for beef, farmed fish, pork and dairy meet the relevant farm assurance and legal standards for their species with respect to routine mutilation. Where it is essential that these are used to ensure good animal welfare and protect the farmers safety, the method and timing meets the requirements of the law and farm assurance scheme.

Live Transport

The Boparan Group is committed to ensuring the transport of live animals is carried out in a humane manner, which minimises fear and distress, ensuring good animal welfare and product quality and transport times are restricted to less than 8 hours.

Our poultry business requires suppliers to report on their live journey times, in accordance with UK & EU legislation and our customer/assurance requirements.

	Average % Bird Travel Times
	UK	Netherlands	Poland	UK	Netherlands	Poland
	2019	2019	2019	2020	2020	2020
0-2hrs	0.32%	52.00%	10.00%	0.59%	59.20%	10.0%
2-4hrs	41.72%	43.0%	72.0%	43.08%	38.49%	85.00%
4-6hrs	50.50%	0.50%	18.00%	47.83%	2.31%	5.00%
6-8hrs	7.47%	4.50%	0.00%	8.50%	0.00%	0.00%

Live animal transport times or stocking are not relevant in all cases e.g. warm water prawns which are killed at the pondside.

However, where live animal transport is relevant our key beef, pork, dairy and fish suppliers meet the requirements of the relevant farm assurance standard with respect to stocking in the transport. In addition, our key beef, pork and fish suppliers have policies which ensure that all their livestock are transported for less than 8 hours.

To view our Live Transport of Animals Policy (click here)

Genetically Modified and Cloned Livestock & Poultry

The Boparan Group does not accept any animals that have been produced by, or subject to, genetic modification or cloning.

Our livestock procurement policy prohibits the procurement of animals which have been cloned. We work proactively with our producers in our UK supply chain to ensure that every effort is made to prevent meat, dairy and eggs from cloned animals or their 1^st generation offspring from entering the food chain.

To view our Clones & Genetic Modification in the Supply Chain Policy (click here)

Pre-Slaughter Stunning

The Boparan Group is committed to ensuring that all animals in its supply chain are:

• 100% either stunned prior to slaughter or killed in a humane manner (CAK)

All our business complies with the EU Welfare of Animals at Time of Killing (WATOK) Regulations and animal slaughter in our European operations is carried out by WATOK approved staff with regular internal checks and welfare audits of the stun/slaughter process carried out by approved Welfare Officers.

In line with UK & EU legislation, suppliers must have contingency plans in the event of a failure of the stunning equipment or failure to deliver an effective stun.

In 2020 100% of our poultry (UK & EU) received an effective stun/kill this being monitored.

Our key suppliers of beef, pork and fish have policies in place which ensure that all animals killed on their sites are stunned before slaughter. In addition, they have systems in place to monitor the effectiveness of the stunning process.

To view our Slaughter Policy (click here)

Governance and Policy Implementation

Poultry (Growers)

All elements of our supply chain adhere to our strict governance programme of customer specifications and codes of practice.

Given the direct relationship we have with our farmers, our compliance managers are responsible for ensuring that all our UK & EU poultry farms are regularly independently audited as part of their relevant assurance schemes. The Boparan Group also has a risk-based audit programme where audits are carried out by trained 3^rd party auditors. This programme looks at animal welfare in our factories and farms and ensures compliance with the Boparan Group and business customers’ codes of practice.

Food safety standards and HACCP principles apply across the agriculture operation and consumers can be assured of the strict provenance and traceability of our chicken.

Our growing partners also have an assigned person (Area managers/farm Managers/Compliance Manager) to ensure good welfare is maintained. Implementation of the Welfare Policy is verified by a risk-based audit programme and regular discussions with our growing partners.

All factory & farm animal welfare training (Poultec for on-farm training, Bristol University or equivalent for AWO training) is carried out by our suppliers and staff are trained to required NVQ Levels, with retraining carried out as and when required. This training includes poultry welfare, farm hygiene, biosecurity, gait scoring, heat stress management and catching & handling.

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Leadership and Innovation

2SFG are involved with industry lead initiatives such as Red Tractor, RSPCA Assured, NFU and the British Poultry Council with representation on technical, antibiotic stewardship, TAC, processing and growers committees, providing base information when requested. We have industry representation on the following:

United Kingdom:

Red Tractor TAC - Group Agriculture Director

British Poultry Council - Group Agriculture Director

Food Industry Initiative on Antimicrobials - Group Technical Director

RSPCA Assured STAG - Group Compliance Manager British Poultry Council Welfare Stewardship Committee Group Agriculture Manager

British Poultry Council Antibiotic Stewardship Committee - Group Agriculture Manager

British Poultry Council Transport and Processing Committee - Group Technical Projects Manger

NFU Poultry Board - H2S Director

Holland:

NEPLUVI (Dutch Poultry Board) - Secretary

NEPLUVI - Member

NEPLUVI– Quality Managers Committee

Poland:

KRD - Krajowa Rada DrobiarstwaIzba Gospodarcza (Polish Poultry Board) - Member Working Group Beter Leven – Member

Poultry Welfare Code – Member

IKB – Member

We are part of the initiative to support the responsible use of antibiotics in the UK food chain which has the stated vision of ‘retailers, manufacturers and processors coming together to promote and support responsible antibiotic use and tackle antimicrobial resistance’. The intention of this initiative is to support and engage with existing industry groups working in this area, ensuring work is aligned, avoiding duplication of effort and it has 3 key working groups on Responsible Use, Data and Research & Development.

Our poultry business strives to improve standards of production through research and innovative technology, UK Poultry has an extensive research programme with investments currently made in the following areas:

• 1.92% Better Chicken Commitment reared birds as a result of a published trial on Hubbard birds in Southern England. (Click here for FAI Press Statement & Project Report)
• Co-op poultry training video to be used at industry level
  
  

  • Click here for Positive Bird Welfare Behaviours

• UK Poultry and Hook 2 Sisters Business Innovation:
  
  • AssureLink is a newly created farm approval system which provides a platform for all departments across the business to visualise our supply chain in complete transparency.
  • It provides a secure central location to store farm information and the ability to search, store and display regulatory approvals and certificates against each approved farm.
  • The system will allow us to monitor, map and maintain farm approvals.
  • The system provides the ability to effectively manage incidents such as disease outbreaks ie. AI, by using geographical analytics to view the impact across our farming estate.
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  • FarmLink is an on farm data capture system to improve management at farm level (Click Here for FarmLink video)
  • It will free time from the management of paperwork on farm, so more time can be devoted on growing chicken and driving the businesses forward.
  • It can track, review and analyse of real time health and welfare data throughout the growing period. On average 90 data points recorded each day on farm.
  • It also validates inputs and automates calculations to generate automated reports and identify risks/warnings when data is outside expected ranges.
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  • DataLink will replace our manual reporting methods by automating reports from data captured from farm on FarmLink and our Live bird intake system which holds data captured from the weigh bridge and all through processing.
  • The system has validation and sense checks built in to minimise the chance of human error and increase the accuracy and reliability of the data set.
  • The process of extracting data will be much quicker; resources can be better invested into analysing the data and highlighting risks which could improve welfare, quality, and profitability.
  • DataLink will provide us the tools to utilise our latest Agriculture partnership with Leeds University who will carry out predictive analysis modelling to help the business understand and visualise the correlations between farm processing, optimal welfare, sustainability and value opportunities.
  
  
• Farm Innovation:
  

  • FLOX uses advanced machine vision technology to bring better visibility and performance to the broiler industry.

  • The system applies algorithms to the images coming out of the poultry house to help track performance and carry out qualitative behavioural analysis (QBA) to understand possible cause and effects of bird behaviour.

  • Notifications can be sent directly to the farmer to raise awareness of a possible risks or disruptions in the environment i.e. ventilation failure or water leak.

  • The technology gives the farmer and others across the supply the opportunity to see real time vision day and night of the flock without disturbing the birds, monitor clustering and activity, track weights and understand the environmental aspects of the shed by looking at shed temperatures, ventilation and use of environmental enrichment.

  • This technology is currently being trialled on a 7-house broiler farm in Northern England.

  
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  • We have invested in Greengage technology on two indoor broiler farms in East Anglia. Greengage technology uses innovative lighting and welfare sensor technology that delivers outcome based measures for animal welfare. The system is linked to a data app which once calibrated will provide the farmer with real -time alerts to aid the farmer to respond to a change in bird behaviour effectively, to improve productivity and animal welfare.
  
• Feed and Sustainable Innovation:
  
  UK Poultry and Hook 2 Sisters commercial sustainable feed trial
  • A dedicated commercial broiler farm is undergoing feed trials to Investigate the broiler chickens performance on a no Soya diet and understand how the broiler responds to an Increase in the inclusion of ExtruPro. ExtruPro is a blend of full fat rapeseed and field beans produced by an extrusion process.
  • The welfare of these birds is monitored and measured daily. The farms KPI’s are analysed daily to ensure bird welfare remains top priority throughout the trial.
  • Each time a new diet formulation is trialled a carbon footprint will be calculated to understand how a change in diet can influence their overall carbon footprint.
• 
  UK Poultry and Hook 2 Sisters commercial sustainable feed trial
  • UK Poultry and Hook 2 Sisters has completed a carbon footprint across our whole farming Estate for each bird specification to help reduce our GHG (Green House Gas) emissions and help aid long term business decisions.
  • Calculating a carbon footprint will help take our business and our customers on a journey to improve the sustainability of our supply chain whilst we maintain high animal welfare standards.

The Boparan Group also promotes higher farm animal welfare to consumers through education and/or awareness-raising activities.

Below illustrates all the events and activities UK Poultry have supported or actively been involved in since early 2020. Despite the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic we as a business have managed to overcome and adapt to the circumstances to continue promoting the great work our farmers do and raise awareness on British Poultry production.

Performance Reporting

The Boparan Group FAW policy requirements are integrated into livestock and poultry suppliers’ contracts as part of the obligations to supply. Our terms and conditions of supply require full compliance with these policies. Any repeat incidents of non-compliance to our FAW requirements may result in a supplier and a specific production site being delisted.

Requirements for the approval of new suppliers and their specific sites include the completion of a satisfactory supplier questionnaire.

We continue to monitor the performance of our suppliers through supplier FAW self-assessment questionnaires, third party accreditations, site visits and audits.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to monitor FAW performance were not monitored in 2019, but we have started to collect data on compliance on an annual basis from our key beef, pork, dairy and fish suppliers. This will be further rolled out to more suppliers in the coming years.

We require that our own suppliers have formal FAW policies in line with the requirements of the relevant legislation, farm assurance standard and customer requirements. These must include:

• Provision of the five freedoms
• Minimising close confinement
• To prohibit slaughter without pre-stunning
• To minimise live journey times (relevant to supplier species specific)
• To prohibit the use of cloned animals
• To prohibit the use of growth promoters
• To prohibit the routine prophylactic use of antibiotics
• Where mutilations are undertaken, these are only to be done under veterinary supervision with analgesia pain relief.

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Current Species -Specific Welfare Performance

Poultry (Growers)

We grow a number of different types of chicken to meet our customer requirements, from indoor to organic standards. Irrespective of the standard required, all poultry are reared in conditions which comply with EU and source country FAW legislation as a minimum.

The Boparan Group is proud of our animal welfare programmes and the journey we are on to improve animal welfare. Over the last few months a number of our customers have made commitments to work towards standards set out in the Better Chicken Commitment or European Broiler Ask and implement them by 2026. To-date, we are growing 1.92% of our BCC chicken in Southern England. However, in the 2022 we intend to increase the number grown and expand to grow them in 3 of our areas.

Consistent with our history of listening to our consumers, customers and animal advocacy organisations, and in addition to our own initiatives, the Boparan Group is committed to working alongside existing and future new customers to provide products that meet the standards set out in the Better Chicken Commitment/European Broiler Ask. These standards of welfare are:

1. Comply with all EU animal welfare laws and regulations, regardless of the country of production.
2. Implement a maximum stocking density of 30kg/m² or less. Thinning is discouraged and if practiced must be limited to one thin per flock.
3. Adopt breeds that demonstrate higher welfare outcomes: either the following breeds, Hubbard JA757 and JA787 or others that meet the criteria of the RSPCA Assured Broiler Breed Welfare Assessment Protocol.
4. Meet improved environmental standards including:
   - At least 50 lux of light, including natural light.
   - At least 2m of usable perch space, and two pecking substrates, per 1,000 birds.
   - On air quality, at least the requirements of Annex 2.3 of the EU broiler directive, regardless of stocking density.
   - No cages or multi-tier systems.
5. Adopt controlled atmospheric stunning using inert gas or multi-phase systems, or effective electrical stunning without live inversion.
6. Demonstrate compliance with the above standards via third-party auditing and annual public reporting on progress towards this commitment.

We are committed to supporting our customers to bring these practices to fruition and will deliver quality welfare standards to which these companies have committed to by their respective deadlines. In our EU business around 25% of the Dutch production chain is of slower growing breeds.

The Boparan Group ran a slower growing trial with key customers to assess consumer demand via limited volumes over 12-18 months. On the back of this and in line with customer demand, the Boparan Group is committed to increase volumes to meet full retailer & food service customer requirements by 2026 and provide the necessary agriculture, processing and packing facilities to meet this demand for those retailers and food service customer who wish to commit to delivering this in the future. By autumn 2022, we have ordered the breeding stock and committed to increase our slower growing breeds by 400% for a strategic customer.

Pork

Sourcing Standards

• Pigs are reared in conditions which comply with EU and source country FAW legislation
• 100% pork supplied to us must be accredited to at least one of the following standards: Global Red Meat Standard (GRMS), Danish Crown Standard, RSPCA Assured, Soil Association, British Quality Assured Pork (BQAP) and BMPA standard, Red Tractor Farm Assurance (or equivalent)
• 100% of our pork is sourced from the UK and Europe
• 100% of the pigs providing meat are pre-slaughter stunned
• 100% of pigs in the UK & EU supply chain neither use growth promoters nor routine prophylactic antibiotics for disease prevention
• No genetically modified or cloned pigs are permitted
• 100% of prime pigs transported comply with EU (within 12 hours) and UK (within 8 hours) legislation

Close Confinement

• 100% of pigs have environmental enrichment, for example straw manipulative/ malleable material, for the proper expression of pig behaviours.
• 100% of UK & EU pork products and ingredients in our supply chain are sourced from pigs for meat that are free from sow stalls, and where farrowing crates are deemed essential, these are only used for limited periods and meet very strict and specific requirements as set out in legislation and farm assurance standards.

Routine Mutilations

• 100% of male pigs reared to supply UK sourced pork shoulder are not castrated. The majority of male piglets in EU sourced pork are castrated to better ensure animal welfare, with this being done in line with legislation and farm assurance standards. Tail docking and teeth reduction is only done as a last resort and on veterinary advice and in line with legislation and farm assurance standards. Tusk trimming, nose ringing and ear tagging can only be done by competent staff following farm assurance and legislative requirements.

Welfare Outcome Measures

• Monitoring for UK and EU sourced pigs includes some welfare outcome measures including lameness which is monitored regularly by suppliers.

Laying Hens

Sourcing Standards

• Laying hens are reared in conditions which comply with EU and source country FAW legislation as a minimum
• 100% of the whole/shell eggs and liquid egg are from a UK RSPCA Assured and/or BEIC Lion Code assured source
• No genetically modified or cloned laying hens are permitted
• 100% of UK & EU laying hens neither use growth promoters nor routine prophylactic antibiotics for disease prevention

Close Confinement

• 100% of the laying hens are cage free
• 100% of the laying hens are provided with enrichment, such as perches, litter for scratching and pecking objects

Routine Mutilations

• 100% beak trimming is permitted, but only if absolutely necessary for overall better bird welfare, and should only be carried out as a one-off trim at the hatchery by a trained operator using infra-red technology
• The risk of feather pecking must be mitigated using good management and environmental provisions.

Welfare Outcome Measures

• Feather wear should be monitored as an indication of pecking with the AssureWel criteria where 1.0 is ‘slight feather loss’ and 2.0 is ‘moderate/severe feather loss’ being adopted. We look to include this as part of the data and insights collection for 2022
• In 2019 the overall proportion of laying hens providing eggs or egg ingredients that are cage free was 100%

Beef

Sourcing Standards

• The beef meat supplied to us is 100% sourced from the UK and Europe
• Beef cattle are reared in conditions which comply with EU and source country FAW legislation as a minimum
• 100% of our UK and Irish beef cattle are from 3^rd party farm assured sources, such as Red Tractor and Bord Bia.
• No genetically modified or cloned beef cattle are permitted, and our suppliers have policies to ensure this.
• 100% of our UK & EU beef supply neither uses growth promoters nor routine prophylactic antibiotics for disease prevention
• 100% of beef cattle are transported in 8 hours or less with average live journey times for UK and Irish sourced beef cattle are 3-5 hours
• 100% of the beef cattle are pre-slaughter stunned. There are contingency plans for equipment breakdown or a failure to deliver an effective stun.

Close Confinement

• 100% of our beef cattle is not tethered
• 100% of beef cattle supplied to us are reared in conditions where they are free from close confinement

Routine Mutilations

• 100% of our beef cattle is not tail docked
• Where routine de-budding is absolutely necessary, then an analgesic pain relief must be applied, as required by legislation and farm assurance standards.

Welfare Outcome Measures

• WOMs for beef cattle include the lameness rate are collected by suppliers on a regular basis and any issues that are identified are fed back to the farmers.

Dairy

Sourcing Standards

• Dairy cattle are reared in conditions which comply with UK & EU source country FAW legislation
• All dairy cattle providing liquid milk and cream to us are reared under the 3rd party Red Tractor Farm Assurance Dairy Scheme
• No genetically modified or cloned dairy cattle are permitted
• 100% of diary supply neither uses growth promoters nor routine prophylactic antibiotics for disease prevention

Close Confinement

• 100% of the milk/milk products and ingredients in our supply chain are sourced from cows which meet legislative and farm assurance standards with respect to tethering.
• 100% of the dairy cattle are reared in conditions where they are free from close confinement with the space proscribed by farm assurance standards.

Routine Mutilations

• Where routine de-budding and castration is absolutely necessary, then an analgesic pain relief must be applied, as required by law and farm assurance standards.

Welfare Outcome Measures

• WOMs, including the lameness and mastitis rates (including the somatic cell count), are monitored for all dairy cattle as part of the basic requirements under farm assurance schemes. The somatic cell count must be reported by dairy suppliers as an indicator of herd mastitis and will be included in the data and insights collection in 2022.

Farmed Fish

Sourcing Standards

• 100% of our farmed fish including warm water prawns, is certified to the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) standard or equivalent relevant for the species and comply with our customer’s specific farm sourcing standards that are standards developed in partnership with 2SFG, industry experts and NGOs. They cover criteria such as site selection, environmental management, rearing of fish, fish health and welfare (including slaughter), the use of chemicals and waste disposal.
• 100% of farmed fish is stunned before slaughter.
• No genetically modified or cloned fish are permitted

Welfare Outcome Measures

We will work with our customers to deliver the following welfare outcome measures and report on this in 2022:

• % of fish with fin, skin and eye conditions
• Average condition factor
• Maximum stocking density in cage
• Transport time
• % total mortality at the end of production stage
• % mortality during transport
• % of finfish clipped

Measures are recorded on all harvests within the supply and WOMs are captured at the time of depopulation and reported monthly.

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Next Steps for 2022

• Further development of our supplier FAW questionnaires to include a greater number of our suppliers.
• Through our supplier questionnaires and auditing we will confirm that our suppliers are adhering to our policies relating to welfare outcome measures (WOMs) for all poultry and livestock.
• Welfare outcome measures will be progressed for all poultry suppliers.
• Year on year report to be published on progress towards Better Chicken Commitment 2026 pledge.
• Year on year progress report to be published on following commitment:
  • Approx. 68% of 2 Sisters UK Poultry farm base currently has 3% windows. The remaining 32% all have at least 1% windows. An investment programme has been implemented to convert all farms to 3% by October 2023 to meet the new Red Tractor Standard requirement.
• Our soymeal in poultry feed is 100% deforestation free basis Area Mass Balance now, with the plan to move to 100% deforestation free basis Mass Balance by 2025. To view our policy on soy (click here)