CREATING A MORE ETHICAL AND SUSTAINABLE MEAT INDUSTRY
15, 2018
Food companies strive to produce high-quality and safe foods. These are laudable aspirations and the cornerstones of business success. Yet, there’s another element of quality in the food industry that’s becoming increasingly important to consumers: responsibility and a commitment to ethical values.
Resource-saving and sustainable production is as important as fair trade and the moral treatment of living beings. GELITA takes this obligation seriously and is since August 1, 2018 as the first ingredient producer active member of the Animal Welfare Initiative. Despite the overwhelming public discussion regarding the ethical and moral values of meat production, due consideration must also be given to animal by-products. And as a company that uses these derivatives for the production of collagen proteins, animal welfare is particularly relevant for GELITA. Ethical and fair livestock farming is a fundamental building block for the general acceptance of animal products. GELITA experts firmly believe that the Animal Welfare Initiative, with large-scale involvement from the industry, is taking the right approach by consciously tackling the topic throughout the supply chain.
By becoming members, companies that do not directly sell meat and meat products can help to improve animal welfare in livestock production. The entire food industry and the consumer will mutually benefit. Consumers are increasingly paying more and more attention to the conditions of their food sources — not only animal-based — and how their foods are produced. When choice allows, they’ll opt for the ethical, sustainable and environmentally friendly option. Animal welfare is one important part of this.
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Michael Teppner, Global Vice President Marketing & Communication, explains why the company has decided to support the Animal Welfare Initiative: "Improving animal welfare is a complex task for society as a whole. It can only succeed if all aspects of the value chain — agriculture, the meat industry, food retailing and, ultimately, the consumer — work together to initiate concrete changes. What convinced us to get involved is that the Animal Welfare Initiative sees itself as the engine of holistic change. It’s financed by participating food retailers and every link in the value chain is considered, from the animal owner to the food industry to the retail trade. We hope that more companies will follow.” |
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