The Animal Welfare League (AWL), a non-governmental organisation, has called on hotel operators to commit to 100 per cent cage-free egg sourcing to help improve animal welfare standards across the country.
Cage-free egg production refers to a system in which laying hens are not confined in wire cages but are allowed to move freely inside barns or designated spaces where they can walk, spread their wings, perch and lay eggs naturally.
The Corporate Campaigns Coordinator for AWL, Mr Selorm Sikanku, made the call during a peaceful demonstration in Accra yesterday ahead of the release of the 2026 Hospitality with Heart Awards Benchmark.
He said many laying hens supplying eggs to the hospitality industry remained confined in battery cages, where they were unable to walk, spread their wings, perch or nest, unlike cage-free systems that provide birds with enough space to move freely and exhibit their natural behaviours.
According to Mr Sikanku, the hospitality industry had a unique opportunity to influence better animal welfare practices through its procurement decisions.
Although hotels do not produce eggs directly, he said, they are among the largest buyers of eggs and can help drive demand for eggs produced under more humane conditions.
He explained that by committing to cage-free egg sourcing, hotels could encourage more farmers to transition from battery cages to production systems that improve the welfare of laying hens.
“Millions of eggs are served by Ghana’s hospitality sector every year. Hotels have a real opportunity to lead on animal welfare, and we are giving them a final chance to show it before this year’s benchmark goes live,” he said.
The demonstration, which brought together volunteers and animal welfare advocates, was aimed at raising awareness of the hospitality industry’s role in reducing animal suffering within its supply chain by sourcing eggs from farms that adopt improved animal welfare standards.
Last year, the AWL launched Ghana’s first hotel cage-free ranking platform, which assesses hotels rated three stars and above based on their public commitments to cage-free egg sourcing and broader animal welfare practices within their supply chains.
The annual Hospitality with Heart Awards Benchmark recognises hotels that demonstrate leadership through public commitments, transparent reporting and measurable progress towards cage-free egg sourcing.
The 2026 benchmark will recognise hotels that publicly commit to responsible sourcing, transparently report their progress and take measurable steps towards eliminating eggs sourced from battery cage systems.
BY ABIGAIL ANNOH
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