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 years 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, Sainsburys 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.

For more information and to enter log onto www.rspcagoodbusinessawards.com or to find out more ethical food and fashion go to www.goodthings.org.uk

The RSPCA will only accept applications from fashion companies that:

• Do not use fur
• Do not use Karakul lambskin pelts
• Do not use exotic skins
• Have a policy on sourcing merino wool.

The RSPCA will only accept applications from retailers, restaurants pubs and caterers that:

• Do not sell or serve foie gras.
• Do not sell or serve white veal.
• Only sell or serve meat from animals that have been pre-stunned before slaughter.

Winners will be promoted on the RSPCA Good Business Awards website and achievements will be detailed in a consumer guide to choosing higher welfare companies.

Judges for the fashion category are 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.

Judges for the food category are presenter of BBCs Full On food Richard Johnson, food policy director at the British Retail Consortium Andrew Opie, independent food consultant Dr Geoff Spriegel and Prof John Webster, Professor Emeritus at Bristol University.

Awards open for entry to food retailers:

Independent Retailer

Supermarket Innovation Award

Most Progress Award

Peoples Choice Supermarket

Restaurant awards

Restaurant and Pub Chain

Independent Restaurant and Pub

Caterer awards

Event Caterers

Businesses that contract-in catering services

Awards open for entry to fashion retailers:

Best Newcomer

Small Company (249 employees or less)

Large Company (250 employees or more)

Innovation Award