Sustainability

Our commitment

Woolworths Group is committed to protecting the welfare of animals in our supply chain. We recognise that animal welfare is fundamental to our business because good animal welfare results in quality products and our customers trust us to do the right thing. The Woolworths Group Animal Welfare Policy is based on the ‘Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare’ framework. (1, 2)

We recognise that animals are sentient beings and should experience positive health and wellbeing. We are committed to continually improving our animal welfare policies and procedures. We acknowledge the ‘Five Domains model’ (3), which reflects the evolution of animal welfare from merely avoiding negative experiences, as outlined in the Five Freedoms, to recognising animals’ emotional capabilities and the need for positive experiences (4). In collaboration with our suppliers, we aim to go beyond the Five Freedoms and provide animals with a ‘life worth living’. 

The 'Five Freedoms' and 'Five Domains' are:

The Five Freedoms

The Five Domains

  1. Freedom from hunger and thirst by providing ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain health and vigour.

  2. Freedom from discomfort by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.

  3. Freedom from pain, injury or disease through prevention, rapid diagnosis, and treatment. 

  4. Freedom to express normal behaviour by providing sufficient space, proper facilities, and the company of the animals' own kind.

  5. Freedom from fear and distress by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.

  1. Nutrition - providing sufficient, balanced, varied and clean food and water. 

  2. Environment - providing comfort through temperature, substrate, space, air, odour, light, noise, environmental variability and predictability

  3. Health - enabling good health through the absence of disease, injury, impairment, poisoning, appropriate body condition and with a good fitness level

  4. Behaviour - provision of varied, novel and engaging environmental enrichment through sensory inputs, exploration, foraging, bonding, playing, retreating, sleep and others. 

  5. Mental State - the animal should benefit from predominantly positive states, while reducing negative states

 

We work in collaboration with the agricultural industry across the different protein areas we source from and align where possible. In addition to this, we consult with veterinarians, academics, government representatives, training providers, The RSPCA, World Animal Protection, and Compassion in World Farming.  We are working with FAI Farms Limited, global independent animal welfare and sustainability consultants to help us on the journey of improving our animal welfare metrics.

1. Brambell FWR, (1965), Report of the Technical Committee of Enquiry into the Welfare of Livestock kept under intensive livestock husbandry systems; HMSO: London, UK.

2. Farm Animal Welfare Council, (2009), Farm Animal Welfare in Great Britain: Past, Present and Future; FAWC: London, UK.

3. Mellor, D.J., (2016), Updating Animal Welfare Thinking: Moving beyond the 'Five Freedons' towards a 'Life Worth Living'; Animals, (Basel).

4. Mellor, D.J., (2017), Operational Details of the Five Domains Model and Its Key Applications to the Assessment and Management of Animal Welfare; Animals, (Basel). 

Woolworths Group Animal Welfare - Governance, Implementation and Management

Governance

Our animal welfare commitments are underpinned by our animal welfare policy and strategy. The Sustainability Committee of the Board of Woolworths Group Limited has a Charter which details the committee’s duties. Animal welfare is included under the Environment section.

The Sustainability Committee is responsible for reviewing the effectiveness of Woolworths Group’s Sustainability policies and initiatives, including animal welfare. Woolworths’ senior management has accountability for managing farm animal welfare as part of the governance of our sustainability program, through regular Sustainability Steering Committee meetings. We publicly report our progress on animal welfare annually in our Woolworths Group Sustainability Report. We hold regular meetings with our senior team to review our progress across animal welfare in the protein space. 

Policies

We are committed to the health and welfare of the animals within our supply chain. We are working with our suppliers and farmers to drive improvement and influence best practice. Woolworths' animal welfare standards cover all practices from animal rearing, health, welfare, feed, production systems, environment, stocking density, through to transport and slaughter. Our policies apply to all species used in our Own Brand products and are implemented through our Woolworths Supplier Excellence Audit program which covers all business units. The Supplier Excellence Audit program is a series of audits suppliers need to successfully complete based on a variety of Codes of Practice developed by Woolworths. This ensures the consistent supply of safe, ethical, quality and legally compliant products. All our Own Brand suppliers receive regular training around our standards. In addition, all abattoirs are independently audited by a third party to the relevant sector requirements detailed in our animal welfare policy. 

Implementation

Woolworths’ Own Brand suppliers must adhere to our policies and procedures. Our Animal Welfare requirements are included in our product briefs and brand guidelines and form part of our contractual obligations with suppliers. In addition to this, all suppliers must be part of a third-party assurance scheme as well as being audited against Woolworths Codes of Practice within the Supplier Excellence Program.  These measures are reported through our internal audit programs to the Sustainability Team and the relevant commercial and technical teams. More details can be found below about the sector-specific requirements.

Management

Day to day, animal welfare is managed by our Planet Team withing Group Sustainability. Woolworths teams regularly assess and analyse to ensure compliance and track progress against our commitments. It is the responsibility of the Planet Team and relevant category team members to investigate and resolve any non-compliances and ensure these are closed out correctly and promptly. Appropriate action will be taken on suppliers who are not complying to our standards and expectations.  Actions taken could include enhanced auditing for consistent poor performers, or additional technical support or training.  In serious cases suppliers will be excluded from supply.

Additional Animal Welfare Requirements for Suppliers

Data Recording of Welfare Metrics

Our suppliers must record progress against Welfare Outcome Measures (WOMs) and supply data as required (the frequency of data collection has been defined for each species). These outcomes help us identify animal welfare issues concerning physical, mental and behavioural wellbeing. This data is used to allow us to quantify our performance and measure continual improvement within our supply chains. Some of the data metrics captured include injured animals, transport time, slips, trips, falls and vocalisation and dead-on arrival (DOA’s). The data metrics collected are species specific. In addition to this, we also collect data about our supply chains through supplier audits, on-site visits and regular supplier animal welfare questionnaires. 

Processing Site and Abattoirs Requirements 

All our processing plants for beef, lamb and pork must be independently certified annually by the Australian Livestock Processing Industry Animal Welfare Certification System (AAWCS) as well as meeting our own Woolworths standards for our abattoirs which covers animal welfare across transport, lairage and slaughter. Both audits are conducted by an independent 3rd party certification body, results are reported to the Woolworths team including the Planet Team and Greenstock Processing Team and any non-conformances are actioned immediately by the supplier.

The AAWCS best practice standards cover all aspects of animal welfare, from receival of livestock at the establishment to the point of processing. The standard covers planning, procedures, facilities, equipment, training and livestock handling; including minimising stress and injuries all helping to prevent or mitigate risks to animal welfare.

All our poultry sites are audited annually to the RSPCA Approved standards.

In New Zealand all abattoirs are licensed and independently audited by the Ministry for Primary Industries.  

Animal Welfare Training

Woolworths Team Members

We see training our people as a crucial part of helping deliver our animal welfare commitments and requirements.  All those involved in handling live animals must be appropriately trained, including Woolworths staff.  Our suppliers and farmers must meet the training requirements within industry standards and meet any additional requirements within any independent standards which are applicable. 

The Planet Team provides training to team members in the animal welfare space. We hold regular training sessions around animal welfare for our team members concerning the overview of policy and commitments, changes in policy, and updating of standards.  In addition to this, job changers or new starters who are going to be working in the protein area will also have training in the requirements for that area. 

We provide content for our store team members who are involved in the selling of protein products around the sourcing criteria which includes the animal welfare standards so that they can communicate our progress and ambitions in improving farm animal welfare.

Supplier Support

We believe collaboration with our suppliers will help achieve the best outcomes. We actively engage with our supply base through on-site visits, training on our standards and training through our supplier platforms. Our Planet and sourcing teams, including the Greenstock Livestock Sourcing Team, make regular visits to our farmers and suppliers. These visits support them on the implementation of our sourcing requirements including our animal welfare policy and procedures. Any issues on these visits regarding animal welfare will be raised to the Woolworths Planet Team as well as the senior team at the supplier. We regularly meet with suppliers to discuss and ensure they are either maintaining or working towards our prescribed standards and identifying opportunities where further support from Woolworths or its partners may be required. Woolworths also hosts a variety of supplier updates across the year where Quality, Commercial, and Sustainability teams update on progress and any new requirements. 

Commitments and Target Setting Woolworths Australia

The following sections refer to animal welfare in Australia. For more information on animal welfare operations in New Zealand, refer to Woolworths New Zealand's website.

Investing in our animal welfare commitments

Innovation

To ensure we are continually improving we work with our suppliers and industry in research and development in animal welfare within our supply chains.  Including focusing on areas such as new production methods and technologies.

We regularly provide input into national standards and guideline reviews across the protein species through contributing to national policy reviews and inputting to government consultations to help improve animal welfare across Australia.  Our own Woolworths sourcing policies, standards and requirements in relation to animal welfare go through independent review.

Partnerships and Collaboration

We are working with FAI Farms Limited to ensure we continue to improve the lives of animals within our supply chains. FAI provides independent review, input and support to our animal welfare policies and procedures. 

We believe strong collaboration is the most effective approach in addressing the sustainability concerns surrounding beef production, and we are an active member of the Australian Beef Sustainability Framework (ABSF) Consultative Committee. The framework defines sustainable beef production, and animal welfare forms part of their six key priorities. The ABSF allows Woolworths to engage with a variety of stakeholders to identify and protect high conservation value areas within our supply chains and work with suppliers, governments, producers and other corporate and NGO partners to achieve this.

Fresh Poultry 

Poultry and eggs are an important component of many of our customers' daily diets and the welfare of these birds need to be met at all times. 100% of the fresh poultry and eggs used in our Australian products are produced from farms regionally across Australia.  

Our suppliers are all trained in relevant sector-specific requirements e.g., RSPCA Approved or FREPA as well as meeting Woolworths’ Supplier Excellence Programme standards.


RSPCA Approved Chicken

100% of Woolworths Own Brand fresh chicken and ingredient chicken (where chicken is a defined ingredient) in Woolworths Own Brand products comes from higher welfare RSPCA Approved farms (1). The RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme focuses on improving farm animal welfare. Farms that participate in the scheme are regularly assessed independently by the RSPCA and raise their animals to detailed animal welfare standards. These assessments ensure that Woolworths Chickens are farmed according to the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme Standard.  Birds are provided with environmental enrichment, such as perches and pecking objects, good quality litter for dustbathing and are given more space to encourage them to be active and exhibit natural behaviours.  Any non-conformances with the Standard raised at an assessment will be closed out as soon as possible. Audit performance is discussed at regular meetings between RSPCA Australia, Woolworths and the supplier. This helps to identify any areas that require improvements in the next year.

1. Excludes chicken in pet food, derivatives in cooking products as ingredients or products (e.g. gravy, stock, fat, gelatine and extracts). Our small number of imported canned and boxed chicken products are certified by independent foreign accreditation

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Chicken

RSPCA Approved chicken farms focus on providing for the bird’s behavioural and physical needs. Meat chickens have good lighting which encourages them to be active during the day, whilst also having sufficient dark periods for rest. They have more space to move about, flap their wings, forage, and scratch. Perches are given so birds can perch to rest and keep their bones and muscles strong. Good quality litter is provided and managed so that birds can dustbathe and keep their feathers clean. These provisions, along with a combination of factors, provide meat chickens with a better quality of life.

RSPCA Standards are publicly available to download here.

Our Woolworths Own Brand RSPCA Approved chicken is grown to:

  • 28kg per m2 stocking density for non-mechanically ventilated systems. 

  • 34kg per m2 stocking density for tunnel, extractive or other mechanically ventilated systems.

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All our products that contain RSPCA Approved chicken carry the RSPCA Approved certification.

“The RSPCA has been proud to work with Woolworths and their suppliers to ensure all their own brand fresh chicken is sourced from RSPCA Approved farms since 2014. Now all of Woolworths branded fresh chicken and the Australian chicken used as an ingredient in Woolworths branded products is 100% RSPCA Approved. A significant achievement that demonstrates the company’s recognition that improving animal welfare applies to products across their ranges, and not just the fresh produce category. RSPCA Australia looks forward to continuing our work with Woolworths, to improve the welfare of farm animals across their supply chains.” RSPCA Australia

We continue to work closely with the RSPCA and have generated a series of educational videos which are used as part of our Animal Welfare training but also used as part of our marketing of the RSPCA Approved products. Read the RSPCA’s blog RSPCA Approved chicken in Woolworths – and what’s it all about?

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RSPCA Approved Good Food Series - Setting the standards

RSPCA Approved Good Food Series - Raising the standards

RSPCA Approved Good Food Series - Embracing the standards

Turkey

All Woolworths Own Brand fresh whole turkey comes from higher welfare RSPCA Approved farms.

In 2020, we transitioned to source all our Woolworths brand fresh whole turkeys to RSPCA Approved farms in time for Christmas.

Turkeys on RSPCA Approved farms are encouraged to be active. They have good lighting, perches, dry litter floor covering to scratch and dust bathe, interesting objects to peck and space to move.  These provisions, along with a combination of factors, provide turkeys with a better quality of life.

“Woolworths' participation in the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme means farms supplying the supermarket undergo a robust certification process and millions of birds are reared with a focus on animal welfare every year. Because of this commitment by Woolworths and their suppliers, it's easier than ever for customers to support better farming by choosing certified higher welfare RSPCA Approved chicken and turkey when they shop.” Richard Mussell, RSPCA Australia CEO.

Eggs

At Woolworths, eggs are an important component of many of our customers’ shopping baskets. To ensure quality and food safety, all Woolworths own brand eggs must be produced to the Woolworths Supplier Excellence Audit program, which includes complying with the egg industry’s own Quality Assurance program, Egg Standards of Australia (ESA). All Woolworths brand eggs must meet ESA Level 3 for Rearing and Layer Farms or equivalent, or higher. 

ESA for Rearing and Layer Farms covers all aspects of production including hen welfare, egg quality, biosecurity, worker health and safety, and environmental management. The aspects of animal welfare which must be complied with are:

  • ensuring employees handling the hens receive adequate training to do so

  • provision of ideal lighting and air quality

  • provision of adequate food and water to the hens in a safe environment

  • provision of environmental enrichments such as perches and nesting boxes

  • maintenance of a healthy stocking density

  • daily monitoring of hen health and production. 

All Woolworths own brand suppliers are assessed annually to ensure their compliance with ESA Level 3 for Rearing and Layer Farms.

We are also committed to offering customers a range of eggs that support animal welfare outcomes. Selected stores in South Australia offer Rohde's Free Range Eggs, which have been a part of the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme for well over a decade. 

At Woolworths, the own brand products we sell, which are 100% cage free, are split between:

  •  barn raised (maximum 30kg hens/ m2 stocking density)
  • free range (maximum 10,000 birds per hectare stocking density)
  • organic (maximum 1,500 birds per hectare stocking density)

In addition to ESA Level 3, our organic eggs are also produced to the Australian Certified Organic standard.

It is important to ensure that egg laying hens have access to environmental enrichment so that they can express their natural behaviours. 100% of our egg layer hens for Woolworths own brand have access to enrichment, including a range of perches, pecking projects, hay/straw bales, trees and dust bathing boxes.

In 2015 we stopped selling caged shell eggs under the Woolworths brand.  This means 100% of Woolworths brand whole eggs are cage free, laid by hens free from close confinement. We are continuing our work towards using only cage free eggs as an ingredient in our own brand products by the end of 2025. We have also committed to all vendor branded whole shell eggs we sell, being cage free by the end of 2025.

In 2019 we achieved the Compassion In World Farming Good Egg award for our commitment to moving to 100% cage free egg in our Woolworths own brand ingredient egg and vendor branded shell egg by 2025.  

We continue to make progress towards our commitment to source eggs products that are cage free. 

As of July 2024 (FY24) Woolworths Group (including Woolworths Australia and New Zealand) has achieved:

  • vendor brand whole shell eggs: 77% (+11% vs FY23) Cage Free (by weight sold)
  • Woolworths own brand whole shell eggs: 100% cage free
  • Woolworths own brand ingredient egg: 34% [1] (+13% vs FY23) cage free (ingredient egg volume)

[5] Ingredient egg processing aids or where egg is less than 1% of total formulation, unless where used as a characterising ingredient, are not currently included in the scope.

1. Ingredient egg processing aids or where egg is less than 1% of total formulation, unless where used as a characterising ingredient, are not currently included in scope

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Manning Valley

Beef, Lamb and Pork

All our beef, lamb and pork are sourced by our dedicated Woolworths Greenstock expert Livestock Team across Australia. Our livestock team are based regionally across Australia and spend most of their time out on farms with our producers. Many of our farmers have supplied Woolworths for many generations and are focused on good animal welfare as well as providing a consistent, high quality product. Our Woolworths Greenstock Livestock procurement team are all highly experienced in livestock production, animal handling and animal welfare and hold the relevant independent training requirements in animal welfare.

Beef

It is important to us that cattle in our supply chains are raised in a way that promotes responsible production to benefit people, communities, and the planet.

All our Woolworths cattle are sourced directly from Australian farms by one of our experienced livestock team. Our Woolworths cattle spend the beginning of their lives on farms out at grass, ensuring that all of our Woolworths cattle have access to pasture-based enrichment during their lives. Any cattle destined for grain-fed systems will be on grass until the last couple of months.  All the beef we source needs to meet the requirements of our animal welfare policy as well as meeting all national regulations, legislation and the Livestock Production Assurance (LPA) farm requirements.  Our feedlot beef is accredited by the National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme (NFAS). The NFAS incorporates a strict animal welfare component, which ensures the cattle in an accredited feedlot are well cared for and monitored daily. Feed, water and air quality, temperature and heat levels are constantly checked. If an animal displays any signs of illness, it is treated by livestock team members trained by a veterinarian.

Our Woolworths Grass fed beef range is free from artificially added growth promotants or enhancers.  Our organic beef range is free from artificially added growth promotants and free from antibiotics, the cattle are all organically fed.

Pork

All our Woolworths fresh pork is Australian and independently audited to the Australian Pork Industry Quality (APIQ) standard, which means that our Woolworths fresh pork comes from systems that meet the APIQ Gestation Stall Free standards.

We have worked with our suppliers to ensure all our fresh pork is free from any artificially added hormones, growth enhancers or promotants.  Surgical castration is prohibited within our Woolworths pigs. 100% of pigs requiring castration have been immuno-castrated in line with veterinarian approval. 

Free Range Pork

Our free range pork is certified to the APIQ Free Range standard. The pigs have access to the outdoors year-round where they are free to forage, are provided with access to soil, pasture, bedding, and shelter from the elements. This enables them to exhibit natural social and physical behaviour.

Lamb

Woolworths fresh lamb is 100% Australian. All Woolworths lamb abattoirs are certified by the Australian Livestock Processing Industry Animal Welfare Certification System (AAWCS) administered by the Australian Meat Industry Council.

Dairy Cows 

Farmers’ Own

Our Farmers’ Own fresh milk comes from farms regionally across Australia. The Farmers Own initiative was started in 2013 with Farmers from the Manning Valley in NSW. The brand began with a trial of just eight local stores within the Manning Valley and 12 Sydney stores in NSW. Its success saw the brand expand into VIC, QLD, WA, SA and NT, all the while building direct relationships with Farmers from key provincial areas within these states (Margaret River WA, Otways Regions VIC, Sunshine Coast Hinterland QLD and Barossa Mid North Region SA).  We have direct relationships with our Farmers and not via a processor or a Co-op to ensure they are getting a good deal every time. Our goal is to pay our Farmers a good price that allows them to continue to produce quality milk. Milk is collected from their farms and transported directly to be processed so we know exactly where the milk comes from that goes into Farmers' Own milk. Our Farmers are engaged in the branding and feel a sense of belonging to the brand because it is their milk that goes into each bottle. We work with our farmers on sustainable and good animal husbandry practices and our farmers and families are proudly active in promoting Farmers' Own branded milk in their communities.

More information on The Farmers Own Dairy Milk can be found here. 

Farmed Fish and other Aquaculture

For more information on our Woolworths Seafood and our seafood sourcing policy please visit Woolworths Ecologically Responsible Seafood.

 

Responsible Usage of Antimicrobials

At Woolworths, we support and encourage industry best practice, guidelines and initiatives around antimicrobial stewardship within our supply chains. Responsible antimicrobial usage plays a vital role in maintaining good animal health and welfare when required, in conjunction with a clearly defined and informed veterinary health strategy. 

For more information please see our Woolworths Australia Antimicrobial Stewardship policy.

If you have any further questions or concerns around Woolworths Animal Welfare policies, procedures and principles please contact: sustainability@woolworths.com.au

 

For our progress against this goal, see our 2024 Sustainability Report. For more information on our metrics, see our 2024 Sustainability Data Pack.