Global Coalition for Animal Welfare appoints Dr Birte Nielsen as Independent Chair
MEDIA RELEASE
GLOBAL COALITION FOR ANIMAL WELFARE APPOINTS DR BIRTE NIELSEN AS INDEPENDENT CHAIR
30 September 2020: The Global Coalition for Animal Welfare (GCAW), the world’s first industry-led collaboration aimed at advancing animal welfare throughout the global food supply chain, has appointed Dr Birte Nielsen as Independent Chair.
Dr Nielsen is an internationally recognised expert in animal behaviour science and welfare, with more than three decades’ experience of leading research, advising governments and informing global advancements in this field. She is currently the Assistant Scientific Director of the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare – and the Humane Slaughter Association, and will fulfil the role of GCAW Chair independently of this position.
As Independent Chair for GCAW, Dr Nielsen will work closely with the Coalition’s members and Secretariat, acting as an arbiter to help GCAW realise its objectives.
Nicky Amos, Executive Director of GCAW said: “Since its launch in 2018, GCAW has made progress in defining its focus areas and laid firm foundations for realising its ambitions for future change. Today, animal welfare and its relationship with food safety, quality and supply chain resilience is high on the agenda for companies, investors and consumers. There is a very real opportunity to make significant advancements through the kind of steadfast collaboration, leadership and action that GCAW is committed to. Birte’s deep scientific knowledge and global vision, combined with her natural leadership qualities leaves me in no doubt that she will play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between science and industry and ensuring the Coalition’s success. We are delighted to welcome her as Chair”.
Dr Birte Nielsen said: “The shadow cast by the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the social, environmental and ethical consequences of global food supply chains, in which animal welfare is a significant factor. Linked to this, collaboration is the key to realising a future food system that is more resilient, safer, fairer and healthier both for humans and for the billions of animals farmed for food every year.
I am proud to join GCAW at a time when momentum and member commitment is strong and look forward to the contribution I can make in helping this impressive global platform realise animal welfare improvements that are important, concrete and considerable.”
GCAW was founded in 2018 by seven global food business leaders: Aramark, Compass Group, Elior Group, IKEA Food Services, Nestlé, Sodexo and Unilever who together account for combined revenues of approximately US$245bn[1]. Its members are committed to collectively addressing systemic barriers to improving animal welfare, accelerating the development of standards and driving progress on key welfare issues.
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For further information
Amanda Williams, Director of Communications, Chronos Sustainability
amanda@chronossustainabilty.com
+44 7534 702797
Dr Nathan Rhys Williams MRCVS, Senior Programme Manager, Chronos Sustainability
Nathan@chronossustainability.com
+44 7958 024782
Notes to Editors
About GCAW
The Global Coalition for Animal Welfare (GCAW) is the world’s first food industry-led initiative aimed at advancing animal welfare globally. Launched in October 2018, the global platform unites major companies and animal welfare experts in improving animal welfare standards at scale and in meeting consumer demand for food products from animals reared in systems that promote good welfare.
It’s seven founding member companies are among the largest names in global food production and food service: Aramark, Compass Group, Elior Group, IKEA Food Services, Nestlé, Sodexo and Unilever.
GCAW’s principle objectives are to:
- Provide a platform for food companies to work more closely with farm animal welfare experts to identify common objectives and drive improvements.
- Prioritize welfare issues and developing roadmaps for industry change while supporting producers in implementing strong animal welfare practices.
- Advance animal welfare knowledge globally through industry insights, bespoke research and partnerships for action.
About Dr Birte L Neilsen
Dr Birte L Nielsen is the Assistant Scientific Director of UFAW –the International Animal Welfare Science Society –and the Humane Slaughter Association and Chair of the Global Coalition for Animal Welfare.
For nearly three decades, she has carried out work in farm animal welfare through research in basic and applied ethology, the latter also including laboratory animals. Birte has worked with and published on a variety of species, including pigs, cows, chickens, horses, and rats.
She has a Master’s degree in agricultural science from Copenhagen, and a PhD in ethology from The University of Edinburgh.
Birte has participated in numerous expert panels and working groups, including chairing the Danish Animal Welfare Council, and as member of an FAO expert panel as well as the Animal Welfare working group at the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (Anses). She has also served as President of the International Society for Applied Ethology (ISAE), and as President of the Ethics Committee for the use of Animals in Research (Comethea) for INRAE-Jouy and AgroParisTech.
Birte has published over 60 international, refereed articles with more than 2700 citations, and written one book as well as eight book chapters.
About Chronos Sustainability
Chronos Sustainability is an international team of professionals with a track record of delivering transformative, systemic change in the social and environmental performance of key industry sectors. Chronos works in partnership with institutional investors, industry networks, companies, governments, regulators and civil society organisations on issues as diverse as climate change, responsible investment, oceans management, animal welfare and human rights.
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[1] As at 31 December 2019. Source: GCAW member company annual reports.