The RSPCA has today welcomed the release of National Australia Bank’s (NAB) comprehensive suite of Animal Welfare Principles that will guide their lending practices for businesses involving animals.
Good animal welfare practices are core to business sustainability and corporate social responsibility, as community expectations around the treatment of animals continue to increase.
NAB has today responded to those growing concerns by recognising that “investing in higher welfare standards is an investment in sustainable and ethical business.”
By including the ‘Five Domains’ of animal welfare in their lending policy, NAB is showing it is serious about its commitment to contemporary science-based animal welfare standards.
As one of the largest financial institutions in the country, responsible for one third of all lending to agribusiness in Australia, NAB’s announcement will send a strong signal to the market and to all animal-based businesses around the country that animal welfare is on the financial agenda.
The RSPCA congratulates NAB on this achievement and hopes the announcement will encourage other major banks to make animal welfare a core part of their business and lending practices.