Animal welfare

Our customers have expressed a number of concerns around the issue of animal welfare, and so we encourage the companies we invest in to take positive steps toward addressing their impacts on animal welfare; whether it be ending the sale of fur or stopping the testing of cosmetics on animals.

Our policy statement on animal welfare

We will encourage:

• a move away from intensive animal farming systems, e.g. battery cages;
• an end to the reliance on animal testing for cosmetic or household products;
• support for the development of alternatives to animal testing;
• an end to the animal testing;
• an end to blood sports, which involve the use of animals or birds to catch, fight or kill each other.

Our approach in practice

The Co-operative insurance and investments engagement - fur trade

In our Ethical Engagement Policy consultation in 2005, 82% of CIS customers called for an end to the reliance on animal testing for cosmetics and household products while 89% agreed CIS should encourage the development of alternatives to animal testing. It continues to be an issue of strong public opinion.

We have recently undertaken a review animal testing regulation with regard to household products. We have recently written to twelve companies to ascertain the extent of their related operations and to advocate an end to unnecessary animal experiments.