WELFARE

Animal welfare is always at the forefront of what we do here at HG Blake.

Every effort is made to ensure that animals are comfortable and free from stress throughout the procurement process. All our staff who deal directly with the animals are highly trained in welfare and handling techniques, with our housing and handling facilities designed to maximise animal comfort and reduce stress.

Our Assurances

HG Blake are BRC accredited and members of the British Quality Assured Pork Standards, Red Tractor Assurance Scheme for beef and lamb; Organic Soil Association; RSPCA Welfare Standards; AHDB Beef & Lamb; LRQA, and the MLCSL. So HG Blake can guarantee you confidence and trust in our product, procedures and service.

MLCSL is the only independent provider of abattoir authentication/classification services to the British processing industry, linked to the deadweight sale of cattle, sheep, and pigs.

www.mlcsl.co.uk

HG Blake is a member of the Red Tractor Processing scheme. Assured Meat & Poultry covers welfare and traceability and allows us to offer Beef & Lamb under the EBLEX banner.

assurance.redtractor.org.uk

HG Blake is proud to be an approved abattoir for the Organic Soil Association, and therefore is able to offer Organic Farmers slaughter services.
As the UK’s leading food and farming charity and organic certification body, OSA work to save our soils and make good food the easy choice for everyone.

soilassociation.org
RSPCA-Assurance

HG Blake is proud to be approved by RSPCA Assured.
As part of the RSPCA Welfare Standards, HG Blake is continually assessed to the RSPCA’s farm animal welfare standards.
The RSPCA welfare standards cover beef cattle, pigs, sheep, and veal calves.

www.rspcaassured.org.uk

AHDB Beef & Lamb is the organisation for beef and lamb levy payers in England. We exist to enhance the profitability and sustainability of the English beef and lamb sector. Our aims are to help the beef and sheep meat supply chain become more efficient and to add value to the beef and sheep meat industry.

beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk

LRQA offer specialist services and solutions aimed at protecting businesses who operate across the food and drink supply chain. Whether you’re a farmer, fisherman, food processor or publican we can reduce your compliance burden, protect your brand and help your business grow.

www.lr.org

The Five Freedoms

As part of our welfare protocol HG Blake subscribes to the ‘Five Freedoms’ – a set of ideals laid out in a 1965 UK government report, which has since been adopted by animal rights organisations worldwide.

1. Freedom from Hunger and Thirst

By ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour.

2. Freedom from Discomfort

By providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.

3. Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease

By prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment.

4. Freedom to Express Normal Behavior

by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal’s own kind.

5. Freedom from Fear or Distress

by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.

Our Core Values

HG Blake was founded on integrity and ethical principles, and takes pride in supplying the highest quality British beef, lamb and pork to retail butchers and wholesale meat retailers.

1. Champion Quality

We will champion the highest quality produce and be the trusted supplier of British beef, lamb, and pork.

2. Strong Partnerships

We will work in partnership with our farmers to deliver the highest standards of animal health, welfare, and husbandry, with the aim of securing for them a commercially secure and environmentally sustainable future.

3. Share Knowledge

We will encourage our farmers to visit our facility to educate and advise to keep standards as high as possible and to help them achieve the best yields and together produce the best meat for our suppliers.

4. Best Pricing

We will continue to pay the best price, to our producers, and promptly.

5. Positive Workplace

We will provide a workplace that first and foremost is safe, but that also offers the best possible working environment.

6. Dignity and Respect

We will treat everyone, customers, colleagues, suppliers and visitors with dignity and respect.

7. Local Community

We will support the local community so that HG Blake Ltd is a positive contributor to its locality.

8. Training and Education

We will actively encourage partnerships with training and education facilities.

9. Environmentally Friendly

We will pursue environmental policies that reduce waste, make energy more efficient and will invest in technologies that assist in lessening our impact on the wider environment.

10. Dedication and Innovation

We will strive to improve and excite our customer’s meat buying experience, through dedication to continuous product innovation.