Cat's nice ... being nice to animals can be good for business. Photograph: Linda Nylind.
Can being kind to animals be good for a company's bottom line? As a nation of animal lovers surely it can help. This year more than 20 organisations and individuals are recognised in the annual "Proggy" awards organised by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta). Among them are providers of vegan foods, cruelty-free personal-care products and compassionate business policies.
It is the second year of the gong -- the only one of its kind to recognise "animal-friendly progress" in 21st-century commerce and culture.
Among the winners is Pizza Express, which has been named the most vegan-friendly food chain. The restaurant's willingness to serve cheese-free pizzas - unlike so many of its competitors - earned it the accolade. The best thing about Pizza Express, according to Peta, is that animal lovers can say "forget the cheese, please" and order their pizza piled high with an array of delicious, fresh vegan toppings.
Peta named Smile Bank - part of the Co-operative group - bank of the year while the trendy Converse - favoured by Conservative party leader David Cameron - was named as offering the "best cruelty-free trainers".
Best cruelty-free cosmetic company is Urban Decay, which is singled out for setting trends for both beauty and kindness. The company not only has a strict policy against animal testing, but it also denotes which products are vegan with a little paw insignia on its website. Urban Decay has even developed its own ultra-soft, non-animal makeup brush.
He may not be a big name on the British high street, but designer Marc Bouwer has dressed Angelina Jolie, Paris Hilton, Shania Twain and Mariah Carey. He is awarded the gong for the most animal-friendly designer for his dedication to using only animal-friendly fabrics.
Peta director Poorva Joshipura says: "Consumers are increasingly demanding products that don't cost animals their lives. Proggy winners are leading the way by proving that compassion and commerce can be a winning team."
Is she right? Are your buying habits influenced by a company's animal-friendly credentials? What about the ones that got away? Any thoughts on any other deserving companies or those that should be in the frame for next year?
