Animal Welfare: investor/company theory of change | FAIRR as organisation working in this area, jobs

By Ben Yeoh @ 2022-04-22T14:27 (+11)

Summary

If investors/shareholders —-> influence companies —-> improve animal welfare (and co-benefit clusters eg climate, supply chain) is your potential theory of change then I have an organisation / jobs to let you know about. 

Short background

Animal welfare is not my area of primary concern or expertise but I appreciate that it is an EA concern and at the recent EAG I did meet convincing EAs in this area. Though my investing work, I am aware of FAIRR and some success here. 

Theory of change 

Certain companies are uniquely placed in the animal - food supply chain to improve animal welfare sometime at relatively low or no cost but do not believe their owners (shareholders) care about these issues.  Making or proving shareholders care by advocacy and data led analytics can positively impact the industry and overall animal welfare.  Ultimately shareholders are the owners of companies and strongly influence management practices and policies.  

Also see Carl Icahn and McDonalds for a more extreme version here of this idea (shareholder activism) about how to impact change - link to his 2022 letter here.

FAIRR

FAIRR do research, policy and advocacy in this area (supported by Jeremy Coller). There is also a foundation side.  

There are several roles that FAIRR are looking for and if you think you might want to work in this area / theory of change, I can introduce you or let you know what the roles are about or how this theory of change is meant to work.  (Jobs link here)

Counterarguments 

The same ESG / greenwash counter arguments that apply generally also apply in this area. As in, investor action is weak, stronger impact might be achieved via regulation or elsewhere, and that influence on management is over-stated. 

Personal view 

I do think FAIRR have changed the minds of some investors and have influenced management teams.  There are low cost / high return things to do at companies such that I think FAIRR has value as does this theory of change. 

Conclusion 

If animal welfare is an important topic for you, consider the investor/company theory of change and if interested check out FAIRR.

Other notes:

An aside, I am giving 1K microgrants for people looking to make positive impact.