15 June 2021

Abstract: The RSPCA has designed responsible sourcing guides to help Australian businesses make ethical animal welfare choices throughout their supply chains. 

A suite of new resources from the RSPCA is designed to help Australian businesses make ethical choices and do their bit to improve animal welfare throughout their supply chains. 

The RSPCA has released responsible sourcing guides which are publicly available now and offer detailed guidance to organisations that source animal-based products – ensuring they’re able to make responsible decisions and promote good animal welfare. 

The suite of resources includes 16 different species-specific guides that cover animals as diverse as layer hens, crustaceans and dairy cattle, as well as guidance on how to develop an animal welfare policy and define key procurement goals.   

RSPCA Australia CEO Richard Mussell said an increasing number of Australian businesses were responding to community concern about animal welfare. 

'It’s encouraging to see so many businesses wanting to make sure they’re meeting their customers’ expectations and prioritising animal welfare when it comes to sourcing products,' said Mr Mussell. 

'We understand it can sometimes be complicated and hard to know what to look for. Our new responsible sourcing guides are there to help businesses better understand their supply chains and source animal-based products with a focus on good animal welfare. 

'We know Australian consumers care about animal welfare and want to support businesses that do. 

'For many organisations it may not always be obvious how to go about improving animal welfare in their supply chain. 

'When it comes to the responsible sourcing of animal-based products, there’s a lot that individual businesses can do. The RSPCA’s responsible sourcing guides will make it easier to review supply chains and ensure that animal welfare is at the heart of a business’ sourcing policy,' said Mr Mussell.