Animal welfare

Animal welfare matters to us at Orkla, and we have adopted special guidelines to ensure animals’ welfare before, during and after their productive life. We aim to purchase all animal-derived raw materials and products according to this policy by 2025.

A fundamental element of Orkla’s animal welfare policy is the internationally recognised principle of the Five Animal Freedoms: freedom from hunger and thirst, freedom from discomfort, freedom from pain, injury or disease, freedom to express normal behaviour and freedom from fear and (chronic) distress.

We want animal freedoms to be respected in every part of our global value chain. The purpose of our animal welfare policy is to increase awareness of animal welfare, provide guidance for our suppliers and promote more responsible business practices.

Our animal welfare guidelines apply to all animal raw materials across the geographical areas in which we operate. Moreover, we have formulated detailed animal welfare standards that are adapted to each type of raw material in the largest categories, including beef, pork, dairy products and eggs. We are in the process of drawing up separate standards for poultry (such as chickens and turkeys), but some of the companies that purchase the biggest volumes in this category have already introduced their own requirements.