Cage-Free Greece recently met with the management team of the Marriott Athens Hotel, resulting in a significant commitment: the hotel has officially adopted a Cage-Free egg policy, pledging to source only eggs from cage-free farming systems.
By embracing this policy, Marriott Athens acknowledges the growing consumer demand for higher animal welfare standards and takes a meaningful step toward more ethical sourcing. This decision reflects the hotel’s dedication to incorporating humane and responsible practices into its broader corporate social responsibility strategy.
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Cage-Free: The international experience
In 2013, Marriott International, headquartered in Maryland, USA, pledged to eliminate some of the most inhumane practices in its supply chains -specifically, cages for egg-laying hens and gestation crates for pigs- within two years. However, the company failed to meet this timeline and did not initially provide an explanation.
This lack of accountability sparked widespread silent protests and online advocacy campaigns, ultimately pressuring Marriott to renew its commitment. The company publicly reaffirmed its pledge to source only cage-free eggs across all its properties -whether owned, managed, or franchised- in every country where it operates.
As part of its renewed commitment, Marriott also agreed to publish specific targets in multiple languages and release annual progress reports to ensure full transparency. The agreement was symbolically marked by the company distributing vegan sandwiches to the peaceful protesters gathered outside its headquarters.
This case highlights the powerful momentum of the Cage-Free movement, which no company can afford to ignore. The demand for ethical and transparent sourcing is not only justified and well-supported, but also resonates strongly with consumers around the world.