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Wednesday 7 October 2009

ANIMAL WELFARE IS HIGHLY PRIZED
The RSPCA reveals the winners of the Good Business Awards 2009

Ethically minded companies are celebrating this evening after being selected as winners of this year`s RSPCA Good Business Awards for animal welfare.

High street stalwarts rubbed shoulders with small companies and retailers alongside publicans and restaurateurs - all vying for a coveted prize.

The biggest accolades of the night went to:

  • The Co-operative (RSPCA People`s Choice award)
  • George at Asda (Large Fashion company)
  • Neon Collective (Small Fashion company)
  • Lush (Large Cosmetics Company)
  • The Gamrie Goat (Small Cosmetics Company)
  • Restaurant Alimentum (Independent Restaurant)
  • The Duke of Cambridge (Pub)
  • Edge & Son (Independent Food Retailer)

In addition, McDonald`s, Abel & Cole, Sainsbury`s, The Feathers Inn, Bulldog, Marks and Spencer, New Look and Finisterre were also recognised either for innovation in their respective categories or for their ongoing commitment. The Body Shop was presented with a special lifetime achievement award for its longstanding commitment in campaigning for animal welfare, and for the work of Dame Anita Roddick in being instrumental in driving legislative change, which has seen an EU wide ban on animal testing come into force this year. For the first time, the large retail category was put to a public vote, run in conjunction with The Independent newspaper.

David Bowles, RSPCA Head of External Affairs, said: "More than 11,500 people voted in the RSPCA People`s Choice supermarket award, showing that a supermarket with good animal welfare practices does impact on consumer spending. The Co-operative beat stiff competition from Marks and Spencer and Sainsbury`s to be presented with this award."

"All our winners deserve high praise for being leaders in raising awareness of animal welfare issues. We are particularly pleased with the winners of the cosmetics category, through their tireless campaigning and of other companies in this field, we have seen legislative change which means there will be no cosmetics award in future years.

"The RSPCA now wants to see similar change happen in other industries in the UK - there`s a definite desire from UK consumers to know the provenance of their food and proven desire to ensure a good lifestyle for all animals."

Gerard Duvé, cosmetics category judge, said "It has been a real honour to be involved with these awards this year - the entries were outstanding and all entrants showed real commitment to campaign for animal welfare. The Body Shop is the perfect example of a small company growing into a large multi-national whilst sticking with its principles whilst The Gamrie Goat offers a great product which is made by hand. We are particularly delighted that due to EU legislation we can be sure that animal testing will no longer take place in the cosmetics industry."

"The food categories` entrants were inspirational to us," said Richard Johnson, food category judge. "It showed us how integral animal welfare is to many large and small restaurants and pubs across the whole of the UK. The introduction of the pub category this year showed that providing ethically sourced food is not just the preserve of expensive restaurants and placing animal welfare at the core of the business is popular with customers."

For the first time this year, the winning large fashion company category was voted for unanimously by the judges.

"From a standing start at the beginning of 2009, George at ASDA has worked hard to improve their animal welfare and traceability of products by working closely with their suppliers to ensure a collaborative effort," said Wayne Hemmingway, fashion category judge.

"George at ASDA`s activities in this field has made it an innovator within the Wal-Mart group, which may lead to global policy change. Neon Collective with its high fashion range shows that ethical fashion does not mean style has to be compromised."

More information about the RSPCA Good Business Awards can be found at www.rspcagoodbusinessawards.com

For media enquiries, please contact Vaneetha Balasubramaniam or Nicki Akers at 77PR on 0207 492 0977. Email vaneetha.b@77pr.co.uk or nicki.akers@77pr.co.uk or the RSPCA press office on 0300 123 0244 or press@rspca.org.uk.



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Find out more about this year's winners.

Find out how your company can be part of the RSPCA Good Business Awards 20010



Notes to editors:

1. The fashion category is in association with Drapers, restaurants and pubs category is in conjunction with Caterersearch.com, the RSPCA People`s choice Supermarket award is in conjunction with The Independent and the cosmetics category is in association with Soap, Perfumery and Cosmetics magazine.

2. Industry judges, by award category

  • Food: Andrew Opie, Director of food and consumer policy at the British Retail Consortium; Richard Johnson, journalist and TV presenter; Dr Geoff Spriegel, food industry consultant and former technical director at Sainsbury`s; and John Webster, Professor Emeritus at the University of Bristol where he established a unit for the study of animal behaviour and welfare.
  • Fashion: Lisa Armstrong, Fashion Editor of the Times; Wayne Hemingway, designer and co-founder of Red or Dead; and Shelly Vella, Fashion Director of Cosmopolitan magazine.
  • Cosmetics: consultant Gerard DuvĂ© MSc who is secretary to the trustees for the Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments (FRAME), and former head of technical services at Superdrug;

3. Entrants were judged on the basis of their practices in the following areas:

Cosmetics
  • Testing of cosmetics products on animals
  • Testing of cosmetics product ingredients on animals
  • Providing clear and informative product labelling
  • Commitment to replacing animal testing with alternative testing methods
  • Company aspirations regarding animal welfare
Fashion
  • Commitment to not using or selling Karakul lambskin pelts
  • Fur-free policies
  • Policies on the sale of exotic skins
  • Policies on the sourcing of merino wool
  • Sourcing and traceability of leather including cow, sheep or pig hide
  • Innovation over the past 12 months in relation to animal welfare
  • Company aspirations regarding animal welfare
  • Labelling and communicating policies to customers
Food
  • Welfare of beef cattle, dairy cattle, poultry, pigs, sheep and farmed fish
  • Live transport of animals
  • Welfare at slaughter / killing
  • Labelling
  • Import of meat and eggs from other countries
  • Farm inspection

4. To contact the winners::

Cosmetics: Fashion: Restaurants: Pubs: Independent Retailers: Supermarkets:

About the Good Business Awards

The RSPCA Good Business Awards were set up in recognition of the achievements of companies in the cosmetics, fashion and food industries to attain higher standards of animal welfare by implementing sustainable policies and practices.

The RSPCA is pleased to announce The Independent as the official media partner for the Supermarket of the Year People's Choice award of the 2009 Good Business Awards.

Press release

Pubs and restaurants compete to be named the UK's most ethical eateries

Cosmetic giants battle it out to be named the UK's most animal-friendly cosmetics company

High street giants battle it out to be named the UK's most animal-friendly fashion retailer