June 7, 2024
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The five freedoms for animals
The core tenets of the EF Animal Welfare Programs are:
1. Freedom from hunger and thirst
2. Freedom from discomfort
3. Freedom from pain, injury, or disease
4. Freedom from fear and distress
5. Freedom to express normal behavior
In 2018 EF became the first international education company to collaborate with the nonprofit organization World Animal Protection. Guided by our shared belief that exploring a new destination shouldn’t mean harming the animals that call it home, we implemented industry-leading animal welfare guidelines throughout our business. These guidelines have defined how we design travel experiences across EF ever since.
As part of the EF Animal Welfare Program we stopped offering activities like horse carriage rides, shows that involve animals, and excursions that involve unnatural interactions with wild animals (such as riding, feeding, or swimming). We also signed World Animal Protection’s elephant-friendly travel pledge, publicly committing to no longer selling or promoting attractions offering elephant rides and shows. And in 2021, we eliminated all trips to aquariums.
In addition to these measures, we decided to lean on our core strength – education – to cultivate wildlife–savvy travelers all over the world. As part of the program, we provide EF staff and tour directors with specialized training on the importance of animal welfare, common misconceptions, and simple ways to have a positive impact. We also offer experiential learning opportunities to EF customers, like tours featuring service-learning projects at animal sanctuaries handpicked by non-profit partners.
“EF is proud to take a leading role in enhancing animal welfare throughout the travel industry. We deliver life-changing educational experiences to our travelers every day – we have the power to change the lives of wild animals around the world by making animal welfare a priority, eliminating cruel activities from our tours and by educating our travelers about animal-friendly travel.”
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Putting our Animal Welfare Policy into action continues to be a critical part of the work. We evaluate future partners and activities continuously, asking: Is this experience truly eye-opening for our travelers? Is the welfare of the animals the top priority of the host or attraction? Does the experience give our travelers unique insights into an important part of the local culture and community?
“We’re focused on what we can add to our experiences and what kind of educational opportunities we can provide,” says Kerryann Driscoll, President at EF Educational Tours, which offers international, teacher-led tours for American middle and high school students. “We’re bringing ethical sanctuaries onboard and partnering with NGOs who can bring a different lens to animal welfare and conservation around the world.”
As the world leader in international education, we’re proud to do the right thing and act with the best interests of our four-legged (and winged and finned) friends in mind. As we continue to promote animal welfare across our global business, we are pivoting to an approach that includes guidance from several respected animal welfare organizations. And this is only the beginning. By continuing to innovate, educate, and take a stand for animals everywhere, we’re doing our part to protect the well-being of wildlife while empowering EF students, travelers, and staff to become more responsible, ethical citizens of the world.
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