Ensuring horse welfare across all brands
As the parent company of many equestrian brands, we ensure that all subsidiaries adhere to the same standards for horse welfare. Therefore, all employees are required to follow our Code of Conduct and animal welfare guidelines described in our employee handbook.The guidelines are based on both the International Equestrian Federation's regulations and the Danish Equestrian Federation's ethical guidelines.
Ambition
Our goal is to set new standards for horse welfare in the equestrian industry by taking the lead and establishing welfare practices that exceed legal requirements.
Targets
- Strengthening leadership and accountability in all aspects of horse care across our subsidiaries.
- Increase training sessions on horse welfare for all staff.
- Increase the frequency of horse health checks and reporting to gather more detailed and systematic data.
- Enhance surveillance and oversight to ensure continuous improvement in horse welfare.
- Ensure all staff know where to report any concerns.
Progress
In 2023, we:
- Installed cameras in all riding arenas to continuously monitor the welfare of our horses when training.
- Began conducting 14-day welfare checks on all horses and collecting data systematically.
- Introduced a new whistleblower system to ensure employees are aware of how to report welfare concerns.
- Started developing a new online platform to ensure all employees know our Code of Conduct, horse welfare guidelines, and GDPR requirements.
Responsibility and Oversight
The responsibility to uphold the horse welfare segment of our Code of Conduct lies with the management team at GEG. Daily operations and implementation is controlled by our Group HR Director, Kasper Vork Steffensen and General Manager, Thomas Sigtenbjergaard. Each branded stable - Beerbaum Stables, Helgstrand Dressage, and Outstanding Stables - has one or two employee representatives to ensure all animal welfare data is reported to GEG and that their daily operations align with group horse welfare guidelines.
