Celebrating Success – Dr Josie McLaren & Professor Tony Appleyard

Dr Josie McLaren and Prof Tony Appleyard recently had their article, “Improving accountability for farm animal welfare: the performative role of a benchmark device” accepted by Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal (AAAJ)

The purpose of this paper is to investigate accountability for farm animal welfare (FAW) in food companies. FAW is an important social issue, yet it is difficult to define and measure, meaning that it is difficult for companies to demonstrate accountability. We investigate a proposed solution, the Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW), and how it has disrupted the informal rules or culture of the market. Our research questions centre on the process of response to BBFAW and the necessary characteristics for BBFAW to play a performative role in the market.