ANIMAL WELFARE

Animal health and wellbeing is an important issue to CKE Restaurants, our stakeholders, franchisees, investors, and guests. We believe that our policies should be developed based on current scientific opinions, industry regulations, and advice from the industry experts and our suppliers. Our suppliers are expected to meet or exceed government regulations and established industry standards. 

Beef

- All facilities that handle live animals must adhere to good animal husbandry practices and operate in accordance with Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) directives. FSIS is the public health agency in the U.S. Department of Agriculture responsible for ensuring that the nation's commercial supply of meat, poultry and egg products is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged. 

- All facilities must provide an annual Animal Welfare Audit performed by auditors certified by the Professional Animal Auditing Certification Class Organization (PAACO), which promotes the humane treatment of animals. 

Pork 

- CKE began our commitment to group housing for pregnant sows in 2016. We’ve continued to work directly with our pork suppliers to increase the percentage of sows that are sourced from group housing environments. Today we are exceeding an average of 65% of sows sourced from group housing, and we are continuing to work with animal welfare experts and farmers to meet our commitments based on supply and availability. 

- All facilities that handle live animals must: adhere to good animal husbandry practices, operate in accordance with FSIS directives, and provide an annual Animal Welfare Audit performed by a PAACO certified auditor. 

Poultry 

- CKE continues to reduce antibiotic use in our poultry supply with the addition of NAIHM (No Antibiotics Important to Human Medicine per FDA) chicken tenderloins by partnering with suppliers who exceed current government regulations. 

- Facilities that handle live poultry must follow the FSIS Poultry Products Inspection Act and provide annually Animal Welfare Audits performed by a PAACO certified auditor. 

Eggs

- We have committed to transitioning our egg supply to 100% cage-free eggs in our restaurants globally by the end of 2025.

-We are pleased to report that in all domestic Carl’s Jr. restaurants we have met our commitment and are 100% cage free. As of September 2024, all domestic Hardee’s locations, more than 40% of our egg volume is cage-free and for all international Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s locations, 5% of our total egg volume is cage-free.

- All facilities that provide cage-free egg products for US restaurants must comply with standards and practices for laying hens in providing certification from the American Humane Certified Program, the Certified Humane Program, or the United Egg Producers Certified Program.

- All facilities that provide egg products (excluding cage-free) must demonstrate compliance with U.S. generally accepted animal welfare guidelines.

Dairy 

- All facilities that handle live animals must comply with USDA Regulations, good animal husbandry practices and the National Dairy FARM Program, which is an on-farm animal wellbeing program that includes an annual third-party verification system that demonstrates a commitment to safe, wholesome and nutritious dairy products, and ensuring that animals receive the highest level of care. 

* Our Animal health and well-being commitments are subject to the availability of supply that have not been reduced or disrupted due to unforeseen, catastrophic events such as COVID-19 pandemic, Avian Influenza and other factors that may affect supply.