projects

Environment & Animal Society Taiwan

China & Taiwan

Environment & Animal Society Taiwan (EAST) is an organisation which is working to establish a baseline standard for all farmed species in Taiwan and China through improving systems and sharing knowledge.

Established in 1999, and led by former monk Chu Tseng-hung (朱增宏) —also known by his Buddhist name, Wu Hung — the non-profit, non-governmental organization campaigns for improvements for animals, people and the environment in Taiwan.

EAST’s accomplishments include promoting the passage of humane livestock slaughter legislation, better management of animal breeding and marketing, and making documentaries on issues including the fur trade and the treatment of “divine pigs”.

east.org.tw @east.org.tw

Supporting EAST

Support from sankalpa in the form of advice and funding has enabled detailed research and engagement with both the RSPCA and RSPCA-Assured about the development of RSPCA Assured-style standards for farmed Taiwanese animals.

Timeline of supported activities:

2017 — A GAP analysis was carried out by RSPCA-Assured and EAST to assess the standard of production — from farm to slaughter — for barn, free-range and organic laying hens in Taiwan.

2018 — EAST assisted in redrafting the Taiwanese government’s Definition & Guidelines for Higher Welfare Alternatives for Laying Hens to cover the entire supply chain. The team also provided input and support for the development of the government’s White Paper for farmed animals — the first of its kind for Taiwan.

2018 — EAST alongside the government of Taiwan and the RSPCAhosted an international symposium in November 2018: From Nest to Plate. The two day event brought together over 200 people from across Taiwan — including farmers, producers, retailers, industry bodies, academics, the media and NGOs — to debate, exchange and progress laying hen welfare. A range of national and international speakers attended the event covering issues from global consumer trends through to the practical aspects of higher welfare farming and everything in between.

Environment Animal Society Taiwan (11) — sankalpa supported activity

Environment Animal Society Taiwan (3) — sankalpa supported activity

Environment Animal Society Taiwan (5) — sankalpa supported activity

Environment Animal Society Taiwan (8) — sankalpa supported activity

Environment Animal Society Taiwan (9) — sankalpa supported activity

Not only has sankalpa funded our work, they are always there with expert advice and support whenever we need them. The whole team is appreciative everyday for their unwavering enthusiasm, flexibility and belief in what we are trying to achieve.

Amy Firth, EAST

Amy Firth, changemaker

31.03.1978 — 01.10.2020

For well over a decade, Amy Firth worked to advance welfare standards for farm animals; authoring and editing several reports on animals in agriculture. With a BSc in Animal Welfare Science, Amy was a strong proponent for fairer food and farming systems throughout her career. As the programmes manager at World Animal Protection for over eight years, Amy moved to Benchmark plc in 2013; driving sustainability in agriculture and aquaculture.

Through her time at World Animal Protection, Amy began her work with EAST — a sankalpa supported organisation that works to improve welfare and slaughterhouse standards for pigs and chickens.

EAST director, Yu Min Chen said of Amy,

‘To us she is like an angel, the way she has uplifted animal protection in Asia. Through her support we have achieved so many things and changed the lives of so many animals in Asia.’

Amy sadly passed away in 2020, however sankalpa continues to support EAST, ensuring the animal welfare work Amy started can continue to develop throughout Asia.

‘Amy shon right from the day I met her. Her energy, her passion for the animal welfare world. I just have this overwhelming feeling of Amy as a shining light in the world. It was constant for me then and it’s constant for me now. She isn’t gone, she’s here in my heart.’

Ruth Layton, sankalpa founder