Kering establishes animal welfare standards

French luxury concern Kering has published a series of guidelines to guarantee the humane treatment of animals in its supply chains.

Moral duty

With these animal welfare norms, Kering intends to bring about a positive change in the fashion industry and beyond: “Improving the welfare of animals must be an imperative for our industry and Kering wants to amplify the focus of attention from a few species to all of the animals, including livestock, within fashion’s global supply chains,” said Marie-Claire Daveu, Chief Sustainability Officer and Head of International institutional affairs.

The standards contain detailed demands on the treatment of cows, sheep and goats throughout their lives, as well as guidelines for abattoirs. The standards have been developed over more than three years with the help of animal welfare experts, farmers, scientists and NGOs. They’re based on recent scientific research as well as regulation, comparative standards, management methods and guidelines from various industries.

“We hope for widespread adoption of the standards through collaborating with our suppliers, our peers in luxury, the fashion industry at large, and with the food sector, in these shared supply chains to ultimately shift how we, as a society, treat animals and nature,” Kering states.