TRUSTEES' REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2022 5
We made advances towards our aim to have more than half of
all farm animals reared under RSPCA welfare standards by 2030.
Our farm assurance and food-labelling scheme RSPCA Assured
strengthened its partnership with M&S, for example. In an industry
first, this national retailer has become the first to commit to
selling only slower-reared, higher-welfare fresh chicken.
Another challenge that continued throughout 2022 was the
terrible avian influenza outbreak. We took a cross-organisational
approach to tackle it through our branches and through our field
operations, external affairs, advice and RSPCA Assured teams.
Meanwhile, discussions advanced with the Government and
the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) about transferring our
prosecution function to it, so we can focus on building evidence
to support animal welfare prosecutions. We continued to
bring the perpetrators of animal cruelty to book though -
400 of them in 2022, including all the members of an organised
puppy-trading ring.
As always, we faced huge demand for our services in 2022,
particularly over our busiest spring and summer season. Our
inspectors and rescue officers were under enormous pressure.
I would particularly like to give my heartfelt thanks to all those
frontline teams, who worked so hard through such challenging
circumstances, providing vital care for animals. We are now
reviewing the way we prioritise our frontline work to ensure
that we focus our specialist officers where they can make the
most difference, doing the job no other organisation does and
helping the animals who need us the most.
Being a great place to work and volunteer is an essential part of
our strategy. The better we support our people, the more they
can achieve for animals. In 2022, we appointed a new head of
equality, diversity and inclusion, took the age-positive pledge,
embraced hybrid working and became a Disability Committed
employer. To bring about our ambitions for animal welfare, it's
vital that we attract the best talent and make sure our people
truly reflect the diverse communities in which we work.
We are prioritising environmental sustainability too. Climate
change, biodiversity loss and environmental degradation are
already impacting animal welfare and we must be part of
positive solutions. We also recognise our own impact on the
environment and began work in 2022 to address this.
We have been a strong voice for animals in 2022 through
our exciting thought-leadership programme, which explores
some of the really important issues facing animal welfare.
We kicked off with our fascinating essay collection, What have
animals ever done for us? Our first annual Animal Kindness
Index, in partnership with the SSPCA, outlined attitudes
towards animals in the UK today. We held our inaugural
annual Wilberforce Lecture, with speaker Henry Dimbleby.
We launched a commission on the future of animal welfare.
And, because the needs of animals, people and the environment
are inextricably linked, we began exploring how animal welfare
interacts with social and climate justice.
As our bicentenary year approaches in 2024, next year will be
an incredibly exciting time. Plans are well underway to create
a year of events and activities that showcase our history and
our future at the forefront of animal welfare. We'll use the
opportunity to engage a whole new generation of supporters.
They - and all our supporters - will help us write the next
chapter of our fantastic organisation's history. As we move
into our third century, we'll continue to be a positive disruptor
so that we can achieve a kinder world for all animals.
Chris Sherwood
RSPCA Chief Executive
Working together with all our
partners - including our branches,
other charities, communities and
individuals - we were able to achieve
so much.