Healthcare Services Group, Inc.

Healthcare Services Group, Inc. (“HCSG”) understands the issues related to the welfare of animals used in our supply chain, and together with our suppliers and the help of others in the market, our goal is to positively impact the conditions of animals. HCSG has asked or will ask our suppliers to implement additional humane conditions for the treatment of egg-laying hens, broiler chickens, and pigs.

Broiler Chickens

HCSG has asked or will ask our suppliers and/or Group Purchasing Organizations (“GPOs”) to implement additional humane conditions for the treatment of broiler chickens for 100% of our chicken products by 2024 by:

  • Transitioning to strains of birds that measurably improve welfare outcomes that meet the criteria of the RSPCA Broiler Breed Welfare Assessment Protocol or Global Animal Partnership (GAP).
  • Reducing maximum stocking density to equal to/less than 6 lbs./sq. Ft. and prohibit broiler cages.
  • Providing chickens with enriched environments including hay bales, litter, perches and lighting that meet GAP’s new standards.
  • Rendering chickens unconscious prior to shackling using a multi-step controlled atmosphere stunning system.
  • Demonstrating compliance with the above standards via third party auditing.

Cage Free Eggs

HCSG is committed to working with our dining and nutrition partners and suppliers and GPOs toward the goal of a 100% cage-free egg offering by 2025.  We are currently compliant with all state laws requiring cage free egg purchasing, and we are committed to maintaining 100% compliance with those laws.  Additionally, our GPO partner, from which we source a significant majority of our food, has already committed to work towards a 2025 target of 100% cage-free eggs globally, a target we wholeheartedly support.  With respect to all of our other partner suppliers and GPOs, if they have not already done so, we have asked or will ask them to work towards the same goal of a 100% cage-free egg offering by 2025.

Crate Free Pork

HCSG believes that a crate-free environment is more humane and that the pork industry should work toward gestation crate-free housing for pregnant sows. HCSG is encouraging its suppliers and GPOs to work toward the goal of a 100% crate-free pork supply commencing with switching to 100% “reduced crate” (group housed) pork by 2025.  HCSG is committed to working with our suppliers and GPOs toward the goal of a 100% crate-free pork supply, and we will ask them to work incrementally toward the minimum goal of increasing the amount of crate-free pork offerings each year by 20% until the goal of 100% is ultimately achieved.

Statement Regarding Reporting

As a provider of dining and nutrition services within the long-term care industry, HCSG is not engaged in the farming or raising of agricultural products.  We are, however, committed to maintaining high standards for quality across the enterprise and buy food from several vendors that support high-quality and ethical production methods.  We will endeavor to report progress annually on each of our animal welfare goals via website updates. 

Progress Updates

Since the inception of HCSG’s amended and restated policy commitments, it has asked certain of its suppliers and/or Group Purchasing Organizations (“GPOs”) to (i) Implement additional humane conditions for the treatment of broiler chickens for 100% of chicken products by 2024, (ii) Work towards the goal of a 100% cage-free egg offering by 2025, (iii) Work toward the goal of a 100% crate-free pork supply commencing with switching to 100% “reduced crate” (group housed) pork by 2025.

As noted in HCSG’s policy, as a provider of dining and nutrition services within the long-term care industry, HCSG is not engaged in the farming or raising of agricultural products but is, however, committed to maintaining high standards for quality across the enterprise and buying food from vendors that support high quality and ethical production methods. Our ongoing communications with our partners will continue to highlight our commitment to these higher standards and our expectation that those suppliers and GPOs with which we partner share congruent commitments. We hope our ongoing dialogue continues to move the ball forward on these critical social, environmental, and ethical issues.