Investigations: our code of conduct

Investigations are projects to tell a story in a compelling manner which contribute to campaign goals. Compassion in World Farming has a long track record of using its award-winning investigations to improve the welfare of farm animals.

Compassion often carries out investigations overtly, using investigative journalists to document issues of relevance to our campaigns. Sometimes, Compassion will undertake undercover assignments, but only when all other overt avenues have been exhausted.

Compassion’s investigators only work to expose the inherent costs (to animals, people and planet) of factory farming and its related practices. We do not focus on the individual farmer – instead we use information gained across a system or an industry to campaign for change.

Primarily, investigations are undertaken to show specific practices that cause animal suffering, specific issues where welfare is compromised and specific farming systems that although legal, cause welfare issues.

All our investigators respect the law and adhere to it, as does Compassion in World Farming in its day-to-day campaigning.

Specifically, we will NOT:

• ‘Break and enter’ premises.
• Cause suffering or stress to animals by the presence of investigators.
• Take avoidable risks that jeopardise the safety of our investigators, the animals we are documenting or the respected reputation of Compassion in World Farming.

We take biosecurity very seriously and follow industry guidelines in respect of this.