Using animal-centric indicators with a leading UK retailer

Major UK-based retailer, M&S recognises the integral role of animal health & welfare in sustainable food production and strives to lead in this area. Through its flagship Select Farm programme, our strategic partnership with M&S has contributed to its achievement of this goal.

We provide regular horizon scanning and benchmarking of competitors and standards. We developed the M&S policies on animal health & welfare and antibiotic use and regularly review and update their Select Farm standards. Alongside this, we are supporting due diligence through the FAI Assessment app and supply chain surveys. We produce reports both to support their internal supplier governance process and for their public reporting on welfare commitments and performance.

M&S publicly reports on animal welfare performance and outcome measures for fresh meat, farmed fin fish, poultry, fresh milk and laying hens from its Select Farms. 

To support M&S in doing this, we collect welfare outcome measures linked to significant parts of the production chain from the farm through to the slaughterhouse for livestock, poultry and aquaculture species, reporting internally and externally. This data provides M&S with insight into the performance of its suppliers in relation to important welfare issues and highlights the outcomes linked to their farming standards.

It has allowed M&S to quantify impact, understand challenges, benchmark performance and track progress over time, as well as make evidence-based decisions to shape production and sourcing standards across its supply base.

M&S is rated highly in the Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW) year after year. The M&S team works with us continually to progress the Select Farm Standards and maintain that position.