Ethical Consumer provides the most in depth research into corporate ethics available to the public.
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Animals
Our research on animal rights is divided into three main areas:
- animal testing
- factory farming
- animal rights
Animal rights
In the 1980s, animal experimentation became a 'hot topic' as cosmetics companies testing their products on animals suddenly became a big 'no no'. Even nowadays, the testing of products and ingredients on animals continues, despite the fact that it's outlawed (for cosmetics and cosmetic ingredients) in this country.
Companies that test products on animals, or have an inadequate policy on animal testing, are criticised here. Other products that also get tested on animals are household products and pet food. We also include animal testing for medical products in this area.
Animal testing sub-categories
- Banking, investment or other financial services relationship with a company criticised in this category
- Company supplies equipment for use in animal experiments
- Company supplies animals for experimental purposes
- Positive policy on animal testing
- Company did not respond to a written request for an animal testing policy and operates in a sector where this is prevalent
- Company's ATP contains vague promises or company claims that it needs to test by law
- Company has a five year rolling rule, or a moratoriumon animal testing without a fixed cut off date
- The company does not appear to have an ATP on its website and operates in a sector where animal tests are prevalent
- The company has a fixed cut off date for products and ingredients
- Company conducts or commissions tests on animals for medical products
- Company conducts or commissions tests on animals for non-medical products
- Retailer with FCD for all own brand products but sells other AT brands company has been involved in cloning animals
- Company is reducing its tests on animals
- Company retails animal-tested cosmetics, toiletries or household products
- Company retails medical products and medicines that have been tested on animals
- The company's product uses ingredients that have been tested on animals
- Transportation of animals for animal testing
Much of modern farming is industrialised and intensive and can often be termed 'factory farming' because of the philosophy of mass production. With this type of farming, many animals are crammed together in the smallest possible space and their health and wellbeing suffers as a result.
Animal rights campaigners argue that if we have to farm animals, then we should be treating with them with compassion and respect and that these values are incompatible with factory farming methods. Companies which sell factory farmed meat, or products with battery eggs, will be criticised in this category.
Soil Association certified organic farming in general is much better for animals and so companies with organic certified meat and dairy products are not criticised in this area.
Factory farming sub-categories
- Banking, investment or other financial services relationship with a company criticised in this category
- Company manufactures or supplies intensive farming equipment
- Company factory farms fish
- Company factory farms fur
- Company factory farms meat
- Company factory farms poultry (broilers or eggs)
- Company supplies breeding stock
- Company sells fur that is not labelled as free range
- Company sells or processes meat or poultry (broilers/eggs) not labelled as organic or free range
- Positive policy addressing a factory farming issue
- Company involved in genetic modification for factory farming
Companies that have been accused or prosecuted for cruelty to animals are criticised here. Also found here are activities that might lead to animal suffering - such as zoos and circuses, using animals to advertise products or livestock farming.
It also includes the use of slaughterhouse by-products - such as leather or gelatine.
Animal rights sub-categories
- Banking, investment or other financial services relationship with a company criticised in this category
- Company is supporting animal abuse through advertising
- Companies for which dairy products are a core part of business
- Company or employee has been accused of cruelty to animals
- Company involved in the production, supply or retail of fur products
- Company or employee has received a conviction for cruelty to animals
- Company is a dairy farmer
- company self-disclosure of an incident in this category
- Company is a farmer of non-intensive or free range meat
- Company sells or processes factory farmed meat, poultry or fish
- Company is a free range egg producer
- Company sells or processes free range meat, poultry or fish
- Company is a slaughterhouse owner
- Company sells products containing slaughterhouse byproducts (including leather)
- Company is crticised for involvement in transport of animals eg live exports
- Company supplies animal feedstuffs
- Company is involved in circuses
- Company uses musk, civet or ambergris
- Company is involved in support for bloodsports
- Company uses/produces silk
- Company is involved in the sale of exotic pets
- company is involved in the whaling industry
- Company is involved in zoos
- Positive policy addressing an other animal rights issue
Also of interest
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Our research into impacts on people is divided into five main areas: human rights workers' rights supply chain management irresponsible marketing arms & military supplyRead more
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Our research into a company's politics is divided into 5 main areas: controversial technologies anti-social finance boycott calls political activity tax conductRead more
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Because the 'environment' is a very broad area, when we look at company activities we split up the criticisms into five different categories: environmental reporting climate change pollution & toxics habitats & resources palm oilRead more
We always check the ethics of our advertisers