Last year WSH set out to reach 100% RSPCA Assured free-range eggs purchased across the business, achieving 92%. With the support of the RSPCA Assured team, WSH will continue to push to achieve 100% by this summer. BaxterStorey Scotland are tracking at 99.2% of all purchased eggs certified, with the remaining 0.8% still free-range.
As part of their ESG commitments, WSH launched a ‘Supplier Code of Conduct’ in which 11 targets were set in a bid to continually raise the bar on sourcing standards and transparency across the foodservice supply chain.
Employing more than 24,000 people and serving meals to more than one million workers and customers every day, WSH purchases just under 20 million eggs per year.
WSH head of procurement Tara Henry said: “We believe we can make a significant impact on sustainability credentials and animal welfare standards across foodservice by using our scale to drive positive change.
“Partnering with RSPCA Assured is just the first step on a five-year plan of continuous improvement. We pride ourselves on serving high quality, sustainably sourced products to our customers and this target gives them and our clients transparency and measurable goals that we are taking positive action.
“We can’t achieve targets like this without our amazing UK producers who have suffered a turbulent 12 months between the Avian Flu crisis and crimpling inflation. We’re passionate about supporting UK farming and agriculture with long term partnerships and fair pricing.”
Choosing RSPCA Assured free-range eggs means supporting farmers that provide hens with enrichment objects and comfortable environments. Free-range hens have daytime outdoor access, safe and spacious barns at night, and conditions that allow them to display their natural behaviour.
Cliona Duffy, head of partnerships at RSPCA Assured, said: “WSH’s supply chain is complex, with many business areas and individual sites having purchasing autonomy, to be able to implement across their whole supply chain, shows WSH’s commitment to animal welfare. WSH are leading the way, showing that it’s possible to implement sourcing commitments, without compromising the freedom of each business.
“We are entering a very exciting time for farmed animal welfare as consumers are more conscious than ever before of where their food comes from, with a. A new RSPCA Assured survey this week, showed that demand for higher welfare is on the rise, with half of Brits saying the RSPCA Assured label makes them feel more confident about where their eggs have come from and better about their choices.”
WSH are also working with RSPCA Assured on procuring 100% liquid milk directly contracted with UK dairy farmers who have Net Zero targets in place, by 2025.