Cage-Free Eggs Campaign
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
After 43 days of campaigning, Best Western published a strong global cage-free commitment online stating that they are committed to sourcing 100 percent of their eggs (shell, liquid, and egg products) globally from cage-free sources for Best Western Hotels & Resorts’ entire portfolio by the end of 2025.
On 9th May, SAFCEI joined 62 major animal protection organisations from around the world to celebrate the overnight success of a global campaign calling on hospitality group, Hilton Worldwide (Hilton) to follow the industry standard and commit to sourcing 100% cage-free eggs worldwide. The campaign – which launched on Wednesday 8 May – also targeted Best Western International Inc. (Best Western) simultaneously, in a bid to end the abuse of chickens worldwide. However, only Hilton has responded to the campaign thus far.
Read about the campaign here.
In less than 48 hours of the Open Wing Alliance campaign launch, Marriott Hotels, the worlds *largest* hotel group, has committed to dropping battery cages for egg-laying hens WORLDWIDE!
See Marriott International’s public commitment here.
Read the press release here.
Listen to The Money Show clip below to hear Darren Hele’s interview with Bruce Whitfield.
Look out on Famous Brands website and social media platforms to track their commitment.
ABOUT THE CAGE-FREE EGGS CAMPAIGN
Making cages a thing of the past
Activists join SAFCEI’s call to ban battery cages at the Cape Town Unites for Animals March, March 2017.
Why should hens be cage-free?
Battery cages cause suffering by depriving hens of their most basic needs: nests, perches, and enough space to move around.
The Humane Society reports that, on average, each caged laying hen is afforded less space than a single sheet of A4-sized paper on which to live her entire life. Unable even to spread their wings, caged laying hens are among the most intensively confined animals in agriculture. Numerous scientists and other experts have spoken clearly about these problems with battery cages.
Our campaign calls for the end the use of cages for egg-laying hens. Cage-free systems improve the lives of hens significantly and cause less harm to them and the environment.
SAFCEI is working towards the total eradication of battery cages for laying hens in Southern Africa. We are requesting all in the food industry to commit to transitioning to cage-free eggs as soon as possible but by no later than 2025.
Activists join SAFCEI’s call to ban battery cages at the Cape Town Unites for Animals March, March 2017.
The road we’ve travelled so far
In 2016, the South African Poultry Association reported that 80 million hens produced eggs – 96.4% in cages and 3.6% in barns and free-range systems.
On 14th November 2016, McDonald’s South Africa announced that it would implement a cage-free policy when it came to sourcing their eggs, and transition to a 100% cage-free supply chain by 2025. This comes after continued efforts of SAFCEI and other animal welfare organisations to engage McDonald’s South Africa on this.
Frank Molteno SAFCEI chairperson and volunteer said:
“SAFCEI welcomes McDonald’s announcement with thankfulness. We congratulate McDonald’s on realising that this is the way of the future as more and more people of faith grasp that compassion can know no bounds because we all – all creatures – have the same source.”
At the same time, we are mindful of the terror, pain and suffering of the hens who will continue to lay McDonald’s’ eggs over the next 8 or 9 years as per McDonald’s’ timeline. Having ‘under-promised’ on the pace at which they can make the transition to cage-free eggs, we encourage McDonald’s to ‘over-deliver’ and beat their target of 2025 by as many years as possible.”
Globally, cage-free pledges from around 100 companies are going to spare about 60 million hens annually from battery cage confinement, and we are committed to saving more.
We wouldn’t be able to help build this movement for animals without the help of dedicated activists like our Fast Action Network (FAN). The FAN is a group of dedicated online activists who spend only a few minutes of their time each week, to help SAFCEI campaign for the welfare of animals.
Activists join SAFCEI’s call to ban battery cages at the Cape Town Unites for Animals March, March 2017
LATEST NEWS
Best Western commits to going cage-free by 2025
Update on the global cage-free campaign against Best Western: On 8th May, SAFCEI joined 62 major animal protection organisations from around the world in launching a campaign against Best Western International Inc. (Best Western) and Hilton Worldwide (Hilton)...
Groundbreaking international cage-free campaign scores overnight success with leading hospitality company
MEDIA RELEASE 10 MAY 2019 GROUNDBREAKING INTERNATIONAL CAGE-FREE CAMPAIGN SCORES OVERNIGHT SUCCESS WITH LEADING HOSPITALITY COMPANY Yesterday (9 May), the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI) joined 62 major animal protection...
Open Wing Alliance relaunches Global Cage-Free campaign against Starbucks
After a 9 month moratorium, SAFCEI and the Open Wing Alliance (OWA) are re-launching our global campaign against animal cruelty in Starbucks’ global egg supply chain. We paused the campaign when Starbucks promised to work with its international offices on a...
Marriott International to go Cage-Free by 2025
In less than 48 hours of the Open Wing Alliance campaign launch, Marriott Hotels, the world's *largest* hotel group, has committed to dropping battery cages for egg-laying hens WORLDWIDE! See Marriott International's public commitment here. Read more about our...
SAFCEI’s Cage-Free Campaign – A big step closer to ethical egg farming
MEDIA RELEASE 5 NOVEMBER 2018 SAFCEI’S CAGE-FREE CAMPAIGN – A BIG STEP CLOSER TO ETHICAL EGG FARMING Just two months after the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI) launched a campaign aimed at popular restaurant...
MEDIA RELEASE: “FAMOUS BRANDS, UNCAGE YOUR EGGS!” – SAFCEI
MEDIA RELEASE 18 SEPTEMBER 2018 "FAMOUS BRANDS, UNCAGE YOUR EGGS!" In an effort to eradicate inhumane battery cage farms for hens, the Southern African Faith Communities' Environment Institute (SAFCEI) – a multi-faith environmental NGO – has launched a public campaign...
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