Last call for entries to animal welfare awards

Food and fashion companies have just days left to be in the running for a prestigious award which would highlight their commitment to animal welfare.

The closing date for this year’s RSPCA Good Business Awards, which are free to enter, has been extended until Friday, 24 June and a panel of industry judges are preparing to make their decisions.

The awards, which have been running since 2005, celebrate companies of all sizes who put animal welfare at the heart of their business practices.

Good Business Awards manager Jane Aslett said: "Over the last 10 years, animal welfare has remained a priority among consumers and spending on ethical goods and services has increased three-fold. Retailers would be foolish to ignore this.

"By entering the RSPCA Good Business Awards, they have the perfect opportunity to receive public and industry recognition for their commitment to animal welfare.

"We want to reward companies that are exploring new ideas and developing interesting and innovative solutions to the promotion of animal welfare in food and fashion."

Previous winners include New Look, Marks and Spencer and George at Asda in the fashion category. They have consistently considered animal welfare in their procurement of raw materials and provide customers with information about the origins of their collections.

The Co-operative, Sainsbury’s and Virgin Trains won awards in the food category for sourcing their products in an ethical way and paying close attention to the supply chain of their animal-derived items.

The Good Business Awards culminate with a glitzy ceremony in London on October 5 when the winning companies are given a chance to mark their achievements and contribution to raising animal welfare standards in key industries.