12 September 2018: The World Egg Organisation (WEO) announced a pledge from the global egg industry to work in partnership with the UN to help fulfill the SDGs. It has launched the Global Initiative for Sustainable Eggs, and identified areas of impact through sustainability initiatives in line with several SDGs.

For example, through charitable work, the International Egg Foundation (IEF) is tackling food poverty in developing countries, such as Swaziland and Uganda, through a range of community-based programmes. The Foundation is also providing resources for communities in Mozambique, Swaziland and Zimbabwe to become successful egg producers.

WEO reports that the egg industry has published biosecurity recommendations to address Avian Influenza, and a commitment to animal welfare is driving the operations of international egg industry producers and country associations, as evidenced in helping to establish a framework of Global Standards for Laying Hens. On climate change, the industry emphasizes its efforts to use resources more efficiently and share sustainable best practices with member organizations.

The WEO reports that it is developing relationships with the World Organisation for Animal Health, the Consumer Goods Forum and major egg associations, and has ongoing communications with the World Health Organizations (WHO), the UN and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to address a range of sustainability issues.

To support these efforts, the egg industry has launched the Global Initiative for Sustainable Eggs (GISE) to help: prevent animal diseases from becoming human diseases; improve nutrition; eliminate forced labor; prevent deforestation through the sustainable sourcing of soy; ensure the responsible use of antimicrobials; and improve animal welfare.

The WEO is the only global organization dedicated exclusively to representing the “humble egg and the international link for all things related to the egg.” It promotes the egg and its benefits and uses, working with NGOs in both developing and developed countries. [WEO press release] [GISE website]