The Asian Development Bank (ADB), one of the largest development banks in the world, released an update to its Environmental and Social Policy (ESP) on September 26, 2024. HSI provided feedback on the ESP during ADB’s public consultation earlier this year. The prior ESP was last updated in 2009 and did not include animal welfare. The September 2024 release included animals raised for food in the definition of “living natural resources,” a topic that is mentioned throughout the entire policy.
Under ESS6, “biodiversity conservation and sustainable natural resources management,” animal welfare is included in the requirements of “sustainable management of living natural resources.” The policy states:
“The borrower/client will adhere to the requirements in ESS6 where a project involves industrial agriculture or livestock activities, including animal feed production, the primary production of living natural resources, or where such resources are essential for a specific project activity and without which a project cannot continue.
Where practices of sustainable management of living natural resources have been codified in standards that are globally, regionally, or nationally recognized, the borrower/client and ADB will agree on the applicable standard. Where no such standards exist for particular living natural resources that are affected by a project, the borrower/client will apply appropriate ‘good international practice’ (GIP) for sustainable management of living natural resources.
Where a project involves industrial livestock activities, the borrower/client will identify potential risks and address impacts to animal welfare as necessary. While respecting the host country’s applicable laws, the borrower/client will take all reasonable steps to minimize risks to animal welfare and promote animal welfare standards that are consistent with GIP including the prevention of antimicrobial resistance.
Where a project involving livestock production has the potential to interface with wild animals, the borrower/client will undertake additional specific assessments to identify potential risks for the spread of diseases of animals and zoonotic diseases, including the effects of livestock production on wild species.”
Good international practice is defined as “The exercise of professional skill, diligence, prudence, and foresight that would reasonably be expected from skilled and experienced professionals engaged in the same type of undertaking under the same or similar circumstances globally or regionally.”
While there are many adjustments that the FARMS Initiative team would prefer were added, we are pleased to see that ADB has made public-facing progress toward improving animal welfare within its projects.