FAIRR Initiative is a non-profit organisation that was established by the Jeremy Coller Foundation in 2015 and is based in London, United Kingdom. FAIRR initiative believes that intensive animal production poses material risks to the global financial system and hinders sustainable development. The big picture aim for FAIRR is to educate capital markets through collaborative engagements on the ESG risks of factory farming and benefits of alternative means of food production. FAIRR works with over 200 institutional investors managing $23 trillion of assets (2021) to use their influence to build a sustainable global food system.

Through innovative research and best practice tools, FAIRR helps investors integrate risks and opportunities into their investing decisions and stewardship processes. FAIRR also runs collaborative investor engagements with global food companies to improve performance on selected ESG issues in the sector. A few tools include their ‘Investor Knowledge Hub’ and ‘Coller FAIRR Protein Producer Index’. This index analyses global meat, dairy and aquaculture producers by collating nine ESG risk factors with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The benchmark will largely be a resource for institutional investors and other actors interested in the livestock sector. The nine risk factors:

• Greenhouse gas emissions
• Deforestation and biodiversity loss
• Water use and water scarcity
• Waste and water pollution
• Antibiotics
• Working conditions
• Animal welfare
• Food safety and sustainable proteins

FAIRR is particularly concerned about the deforestation risks inherent in protein supply chains and the general lack of progress and disclosure from global producers. FAIRR is eager to drive greater engagement and stewardship from institutional investors and consider initiatives such as the Statement of Support as valuable and necessary tools to build sustainable food systems. FAIRR believe it is critical that investors join market-facing companies to demonstrate to agricultural producers that there is market and capital support for zero-deforestation food production.

To build a global network of investors who are focused and engaged on the risks linked to intensive animal production within the broader food system. FAIRR helps investors to exercise their influence as responsible stewards of capital to engage and safeguard the long-term value of their investment portfolios.