Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Millions of animals are annually affected by human activities; in the food industry, zoos and animal shows, clothes and shoes production, furniture and pharmaceutical industry, research, as well as pet and sports animal industry. Companies working with Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, have become more common and within this area there are great possibilities for companies to work with animal welfare.

In this study five companies were interviewed and 27 companies participated in a survey regarding CSR and animal welfare. The aim of this study was to investigate opinion and approach among companies towards implementing animal welfare as a part of their work with CSR. Furthermore the aim of the study was to investigate how companies may implement animal welfare.

The result showed that the vast majority of the companies participating in the study works with CSR and the main part of the companies also answered that they have implemented animal welfare. The way of working with animal welfare varied among the participants; e.g. avoiding some or all material of animal origin, contributing to developing control systems for animal material, only eat animal products manufactured in Sweden, have control- and animal welfare programs and sponsor relevant projects and research within the area.

Many of the companies experienced difficulties with implementing animal welfare in their work with CSR but they were at the same time aware of great values. The result of the study indicates that animal welfare is important to many companies and may not only be in focus for a few particular businesses. Animal welfare can be implemented in different ways and may contribute to both the company itself and the stakeholders.