Company is among the best assessed Brazilian companies in the segment of animal protein, according to ranking revealed by the international organization BBFAW
Sao Paulo, April 6th, 2020 – The main indicator of animal welfare in the world, developed annually by Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW), has positioned JBS among the best assessed Brazilian companies in the segment of animal protein. “This result reflects the company’s commitment with the theme, through making increasing investments to enhance activities conducted in the field and the industry,” highlights Márcio Nappo, Sustainability Director for JBS.
In 2019, JBS invested nearly BRL 500 million to advance in this agenda. This represents an increase of more than 400% in relation to the sum invested in 2018. In addition to promoting improvements in the production chain, part of this value was also targeted at training the Company’s team members worldwide. Two of JBS’ main businesses in Brazil, Friboi and Seara, have strongly bet on improving and enhancing animal welfare practices executed in the field, industry and transportation of animals.
Among the most recent measures adopted by JBS in Brazil, there are the acquisition of a new fleet of trucks designed to ensure more comfort to animals during livestock transportation from farms to the processing units; improvements in industrial equipment and facilities; partnership with universities to broaden and deepen studies related to the topic; and sponsorship to the production of educational materials to make livestock breeders even more aware of the importance of good animal welfare practices.
Another highlight was the evolution of Seara in its commitment to using collective gestation pens for swine breeding stocks, which offer more comfort when compared with individual bays, achieving 58% of the company’s production in 2019. Its goal is to achieve 100% of the production in this system by 2025, as established on a public commitment signed in 2015. “The best animal welfare practices are closely related to the success of our operations. JBS handles this topic with the highest strictness. For us, it is gratifying to see the work by JBS reflected on BBFAW,” concludes Nappo.
Management
The good animal welfare practices from JBS integrate the Company’s sustainability strategy, which goal is to achieve production with increasingly better quality, respecting the environment, consciously using natural resources, and reducing the generation of residues. The company has animal welfare procedures in all its units, compliant with national and international standards, and based on the respect to the five fundamental freedoms of animals (free from hunger and thirst; free from discomfort; free from pain, injury and disease; free to express their normal behaviors; and free from fear and distress).
To manage the topic, the company has teams specialized in each type of protein they work with (poultry, pork and beef) and adopts techniques that are constantly enhanced according to the best practices in the market. Additionally, JBS also maintains an Animal Welfare Committee, established in 2017, with the responsibility of establishing guidelines that can make the theme constantly evolve in the Company.