REWE GROUP MISSION STATEMENT ANIMAL HUSBANDRY OF THE FUTURE FOR MORE SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION OF ANIMAL SOURCE FOODS
TABLE OF CONTENTS I Preamble 3 II Fundamental values 4 III Objectives 5
I PREAMBLE REWE Group does business in 12 European countries with a far-reaching sales network that comprises nearly 15,000 stores. Animal source foods play a key role in all aspects of the company s product range. Eggs, milk and meat are not just sold as fresh foods. They are also used as the basic raw materials for processed foods and convenience products. For this reason, we need a canon of values regarding the production of these critically important assortment groups that will apply to all store brands of REWE Group. For centuries now, animal husbandry, and thus the production of animal source foods, has been a fundamental part of farming. Issues like the resilience 1 of agricultural production and consumer expectations are becoming increasingly important. As we move forward, animal husbandry must also create opportunities for farming operations in rural areas. This is the only way to ensure that cultural landscapes and communities will continue to exist places that, in addition to their role in food production, serve as popular locations for leisure-time and recreational activities. Against this backdrop, the mission statement titled Animal Husbandry of the Future serves as a guide that informs both direct and indirect business partners, stakeholders and customers of REWE Group about the wide-ranging requirements that the company places on the more sustainable production of animal source foods. Particularly in livestock management, a large number of requirements related to animal welfare, environmental and climate protection, efficient use of resources, food safety and profitability must be considered before one can speak of a more sustainable form of animal-management practices. Some of these requirements move in different directions, and the processing industry (livestock management and downstream areas) has a negative external impact as a result. In response to this, society has engaged in a critical debate about these issues as time has gone by. In particular, this debate has centred on highly controversial questions about animal welfare, animal health and animal protection. 1) The ability to adapt to changing conditions will be, more than ever before, a fundamental requirement for maintaining agricultural production in future. In this regard, the term resilience refers to the ability of farms to adapt to rapid and possibly far-reaching changes and global challenges. 4
II FUNDAMENTAL VALUES Against the backdrop of these developments, the Farm Animal Welfare Council of the British Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has developed five freedoms that serve as the fundamental principles of responsible animal welfare and livestock management: Freedom from hunger or thirst by providing ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour Freedom from discomfort by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area Freedom from fear and distress by ensuring conditions and treatment that avoid mental suffering Freedom from pain, injury or disease by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment Freedom to express normal behaviour by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal s own kind REWE Group stands behind these five freedoms. These freedoms also form the foundation for the requirements the company places on the welfare and management systems of the suppliers and agricultural operations with which the company does business. They create a framework that each livestock-management system must apply in terms of animal welfare, animal health and animal protection. In addition, Germany and all other countries that serve as potential suppliers for animal source raw materials have developed regulations governing livestock-management practices. REWE Group only accepts to the company s supply chain those partners who completely fulfil their home country s regulations. 5
III OBJECTIVES REWE Group is determined to draw from this mission statement for the canon of values on Animal Husbandry of the Future to ensure that: Future animal-husbandry practices meet the rights of livestock to animal justice. This practice should take a holistic approach to husbandry practices, focusing on such aspects as the biology and ethology of the particular type of animal. Livestock farming and management practices extending from birth to slaughter are designed in the best possible way to meet the needs of the animals and to satisfy the (behavioural) physiological requirements of each type of animal. Improved animal healthcare and hygienic standards are applied to help to minimise the use of veterinary drugs and to ensure product safety and quality. No painful procedures (including the docking of tails, the trimming of beaks, the dehorning of calves) are performed on animals. This practice will serve as an indication that the livestock farming and management systems have been modified to meet animal-welfare requirements. Livestock management, as an expression of applied sustainability and a functioning circular flow economy (animal management, feed, operation management), becomes more land focused. Through the wider distribution of livestock farms in rural areas (as opposed to a concentration based in a few intense livestock regions), the negative nutrient balance and its adverse impact can be reduced by using a disproportionate amount of organic residual materials. Livestock management should guarantee species-appropriate feed on a broad regional supply basis. This will involve several measures, including modifications to the form and composition of feed to meet the nutritional physiological needs of the particular species as well as the avoidance of food-based competition with human beings. Furthermore, it implies the use of protein feed from alternative sources in place of genetically modified soya from overseas. The principles and objectives of this mission statement will be pursued, monitored and continuously updated in work jointly carried out with all relevant business partners of REWE Group, the related farming operations and other stakeholders. Given that production-technical aspects of livestock management vary widely according to animal species and occasionally by region, supplementary and more detailed guidelines must be developed to complement this mission statement. Within the framework of a precisely identified area of application, these guidelines will define the specific management systems that REWE Group views as a standard for future-focused and more sustainable livestock management practices. 6
Imprint Publisher: REWE Group Corporate Communications 50603 Cologne, Germany Telephone: +49 (0) 221 149-1050 Fax: +49 (0) 221 138-898 The dialog about animal husbandry and livestock management is one of our top priorities. Please contact us at the following address if you have any suggestions or questions: nachhaltigkeit@rewe-group.com Most recent revision: April 2015