Short Summary
This nonprofit will launch corporate campaigns in Middle Eastern countries (starting in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt) to secure cage-free commitments from major food companies.
The approach uses constructive, business-focused advocacy in a region where farmed animal welfare is highly neglected.
Across the target countries, tens of millions of hens, likely around 50 million confined in cages, could benefit from stronger corporate commitments.
The Problem
Across the globe, laying hens suffer in extreme confinement—often with space smaller than an A4 sheet of paper. While cage-free reforms have gained traction in the US and Europe, most countries outside these regions—including those in the Middle East—lag far behind. For instance, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt have virtually no cage-free policies or commitments in place, despite millions of hens being affected. Battery cages cause chronic stress, muscle atrophy, and severe pain, and the suffering they inflict is extreme and prolonged. Consumers in wealthier Middle Eastern countries already pay premiums for “value-added” products like fortified eggs, suggesting latent demand for higher-welfare products. Yet no major charity currently works to convert this willingness into meaningful welfare gains. Without targeted campaigns in the region, it’s likely that millions more hens will remain trapped in harmful systems for decades to come.
The Solution
This idea recommends founding a new organization to conduct “good cop” cage-free corporate outreach in the Middle East. Rather than adversarial tactics, this strategy frames cage-free sourcing as a business opportunity for retailers and food companies. The charity would build relationships with corporate decision-makers, offer technical assistance, and highlight the branding and consumer appeal of high-welfare egg products—especially in a market with high disposable incomes and interest in product quality. The campaign would likely start in the UAE, leveraging its regional leadership status to catalyze change across the Gulf. Potential low-hanging fruits include large regional retailers like Spinney’s (operating Waitrose UAE stores) and LuLu. Over time, the charity could expand to Saudi Arabia and Egypt and pivot to broiler welfare once cage-free traction is established. With no other actors working on this issue in the region, this charity would fill a critical gap in the global animal welfare movement.
The Impact
A new charity in this space could reach tens of millions of hens across three high-priority countries. At scale, its campaigns are expected to avert between 3.2 and 25.1 million Suffering-Adjusted Days (SADs) annually. Discounting for future costs and benefits, the organization would operate at an estimated cost-effectiveness of 30 SADs per dollar spent—well above Charity Entrepreneurship’s bar for animal welfare interventions. Given the potential for precedent-setting effects across the Gulf region, the intervention could unlock broader systemic reforms beyond the initial countries targeted, driving long-term, regional impact on the lives of farmed animals.
Ideal Founder Profile
Who is best suited to do this? *
The ideal founding team will be composed of skilled generalists who are strong communicators, relationship-builders, and able to navigate business environments. No technical animal welfare experience is needed, but familiarity with the Middle Eastern business or regulatory landscape is a strong plus. Local co-founders or those with deep cultural fluency and language skills would be especially well-positioned to build trust with corporate partners. Founders should be motivated by animal welfare, adaptable to working in new and evolving contexts, and persistent in securing incremental corporate change without resorting to high-pressure tactics. While prior corporate campaigning experience is a bonus, commitment to learning and implementing evidence-based strategies is more important.
*We think candidates with the following skills will have a comparative advantage/be especially promising for founding this idea, but we would like to still encourage applicants from people who do not match this criteria who are enthusiastic about this idea and believe they may be well-suited for reasons not captured here
