Staff at the Morrisons’ abattoirs in Colne and Spalding, both of which handle British pork, have achieved the Welfare of Animals at the Time Of Killing (WATOK) qualification.
Acknowledged by the awards body, Food Industry Skills (FDQ), as the first food retailer in England to secure WATOK accreditation, Morrisons were applauded for their approach to the qualification process.
FDQ Standards and Quality Director, Derek Williams, said Morrisons had established “good practice arrangements for training” and had provided “good levels of support to learners” to ensure high standards in assessment were maintained.
Senior Animal Welfare Manager at Morrisons, Tony Higginson, commented: “The welfare of animals is incredibly important to us and our customers and we are continuing to lead the way in ensuring every animal that passes through our abattoirs is treated with the highest standard of care.”
The company’s plant in Turriff also gained WATOK accreditation.