The Animal Welfare League (AWL), a non-profit organisation advocating improved animal welfare standards, has honoured six hotels in Ghana for demonstrating leadership in adopting cage-free egg sourcing and promoting the ethical treatment of egg-laying hens.

The hotels, Ibis Styles Accra Airport Hotel, Accra City Hotel, Oak Plaza Hotel, African Regent Hotel, La Palm Royal Beach Hotel and Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra — emerged as “Champions of Compassion”, the highest category at the maiden Hospitality with Heart Awards, which celebrates hotels committed to responsible sourcing and higher animal welfare standards.

Speaking with The Ghanaian Times on the sidelines of the event in Accra last Friday, the Senior Communications Lead of AWL, Dr Emmanuel Nyamekye, said the awards were intended to promote transparency in the hospitality industry and encourage responsible food procurement.

He explained that the awards were based on the organisation’s 2026 hotel benchmark assessment, which evaluated 31 three-star hotels and above on their commitment to sourcing eggs from farms that upheld improved welfare standards for laying hens.

According to him, the assessment classified hotels into three categories; the Champion of Compassion, Rising Star and Heartless, based on the level of commitment demonstrated towards animal welfare.

Dr Nyamekye said the six hotels attained the highest ranking after fully committing to sourcing eggs exclusively from cage-free farms that adhered to improved animal welfare standards.

He noted that growing global consumer awareness was compelling businesses to pay greater attention to the welfare conditions under which food products were produced.

Dr Nyamekye emphasised that many international companies were increasingly integrating animal welfare policies into their supply chains, making it important for Ghana’s hospitality industry to align with global best practices.

“As the gateway to Africa, Ghana’s hospitality sector has the opportunity to demonstrate leadership in ethical food sourcing and strengthen its international reputation,” he said.

Dr Nyamekye disclosed that AWL intended to collaborate with the Ghana Standards Authority, the Ghana Tourism Authority and other stakeholders to strengthen the country’s poultry production standards and integrate animal welfare considerations into policies governing hospitality establishments.

He further urged consumers to enquire about the animal welfare policies of hotels, restaurants and other eateries before purchasing eggs or consuming poultry products.

The General Manager of Ibis Styles Accra Airport Hotel, Mr Shakti Singh, said consumers were increasingly interested in how their food was produced, making ethical sourcing an important consideration for hotels.

He said the hospitality industry had a responsibility to support farming practices that were both sustainable and humane.

“Responsible sourcing is becoming an essential part of meeting guests’ expectations, and we remain committed to ensuring high animal welfare standards,” he emphasised.