Our valuesThe biowest commitments

Ethical production - Animal welfare

The commitment to quality, efficiency and transparency has made Biowest a European leader for over 30 years.  Combined with a fully integrated supply chain and a network of confident distributors around the world, Biowest has gained confidence in the field of life sciences. 

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OUR COMMITMENTS

Fully aware of our responsibilities, we committed to providing quality products while actively contributing to a sustainable and ethical future. To achieve this, we have structured our activities around the three pillars of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR):

  • Environment
  • Economic
  • Social

Find more about our commitments in the announcement below.

Biowest commitment letter

The production process of animal sera complies with Animal Welfare principles established by OIE – The World Organization for Animal Health: Terrestrial Animal Health Code 2012, Volume I, section 7
Biowest is aware of the ethical responsibility concerning the use of animals and their welfare.
We ensure valuable animal welfare by applying the International Five Freedoms Guidelines of basic animal needs freeing them from :

  • Hunger
  • Thirst
  • Fear
  • Pain
  • Faim.
  • Disease

We aim to comply with the International Three “R”s:

  • Reduction in numbers of animals
  • Refinement of experimental methods
  • Replacement of animals with alternative technologies avoiding experiments on live animals.

Biowest only works with fetal bovine blood collected as a by-product from cows slaughtered for reasons unrelated to their pregnant condition.

To ensure the ethical production of Fetal Bovine Serum : 

We implement procedures in the bleeding process that eliminate the risk of the fetus feeling any pain.
Blood from unborn calves is collected only after they are certified dead, and the absence of vital signs is confirmed.

European FBS benefits from Welfare Guidelines – for animal treatment on farms, during transportation, and in slaughterhouses – laid out by EU regulations.
European FBS certifies BSE testing and complies with EU standards regarding the use of GMOs and hormones.
Ear tagging and farm labelling enable serum traceability back to the individual animal assuring a reliable product with an “ID” or “Passport”.

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) experts have completed a study which examined the animal welfare issues relating to the slaughter of pregnant farm animals in the European Union. This study gives a scientific opinion which increases the knowledge and understanding of these issues and ultimately, contributes to the improvement of animal welfare in Europe.

The purpose of European Serum Products Association (ESPA) is to promote the safe use of serum, connect companies of the serum processing industry in the EU and Non-EU countries, and to represent their interests.

medaille biowest ecovadisWe have undertaken a responsible approach aiming to continuously improve the economic development of Biowest while respecting the environment, promoting social progress, the ethical aspect of our activities, and a responsible supply chain.

This process is certified by Ecovadis, a platform for the evaluation of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Throughout 2023, our actions and efforts enabled us to obtain the Silver medal, with an overall score of 66/100, thereby positioning BioWest in the top 15% of the most efficient companies in terms of CSR.

This is a reflection of our work and commitments to integrating these values into our activities.