Good Egg Award Criteria

How to apply for a Good Egg Award

To apply for a Good Egg Award you will need to be a well-known or notable food company that can satisfy the criteria below.

Applying in Europe and North America

Companies applying for a Good Egg Award in Europe and North America must meet the following criteria:

1. An overarching regional commitment to adopt a cage-free sourcing policy* within 5 years, which applies to all shell eggs, egg products and egg ingredients
2. No use of combination and limited access systems**
3. A publicly available policy and annual progress report

EU-based companies: the public cage-free commitment should include a statement of support for an EU-wide cage ban.

*An overarching regional commitment applies at group level and for all of the company’s operations in a given region (i.e. Europe, North America).

**Combination (or ‘combi’) and limited access systems refer to compact multi-tier systems where hens can be permanently enclosed in a tier via the closure of external doors and movement within tiers is restricted via internal partitions. Access to the floor is restricted in limited access systems, from the first tier only. These systems, if present in your current supply chain, must be modified or excluded within a maximum of 5 years.

Retailers: The cage-free shell egg policy must apply to all eggs sold in store (own label and branded). The egg product/ingredient policy need only apply to own label products.

Applying outside Europe and North America

Companies applying for a Good Egg Award in other regions of the world (i.e. outside Europe and North America) must meet the following criteria:

1. A commitment to adopt a cage-free sourcing policy by within 5 years, which applies to all shell eggs and/or egg products and ingredients*
2. No use of combination and limited access systems**
3. A publicly available policy and annual progress report

*Companies outside Europe and North America have the possibility to apply in one or both of the following categories:

• Whole and shell eggs
• Egg products and egg ingredients.

**Combination (or ‘combi’) and limited access systems refer to compact multi-tier systems where hens can be permanently enclosed in a tier via the closure of external doors and movement within tiers is restricted via internal partitions. Access to the floor is restricted in limited access systems, from the first tier only. These systems, if present in your current supply chain, must be modified or excluded within a maximum of 5 years.

Note: Applications outside Europe and North America can be accepted at company or significant brand level and at a regional or national level.

Retailers outside Europe and North America can apply for a Good Egg Commendation if they have a cage-free commitment covering their own label shell eggs only.

We award three types of cage-free eggs:

1. Barn*
2. Free-range
3. Organic

*Please note that we will not award barn systems that feature combination cages (‘combi-cages’) or limited access systems where hens could be permanently enclosed and/or it restricts their movement within the tiers via internal partitions.

How to apply

Companies can apply via their engagement with the Food Business team and on completion of an application form signed at Director level. 

Where an application is made on a commitment basis, Compassion will remain in contact with award winners over the commitment period, to assess progress made and provide continued support.  

If you would like to apply for an award please contact the Food Business team.

Find out more about laying hen welfare

• Read more about laying hen welfare and cage-free egg production here.
• Explore all our laying hen resources here