The Spanish Government is proposing a new law on great apes - chimpanzees, gorillas, bonobos and orangutans - that gives them better protection and prohibits commercial exploitation that conflicts with their dignity. A law that recognizes the dignity of a nonhuman animal is an important breakthrough.  A comment period is closing on July 31, so write now to the Spanish government to give your support to the proposed Law on Great Apes at: [email protected]

In a remarkable testament to the power of ethical advocacy and shareholder action, the Accountability Board has secured a pivotal victory against Jack in the Box. By persuasively winning a shareholder proposal that compels the company to acknowledge its greenhouse emissions and commit to meaningful reductions, this group has highlighted the urgency of addressing climate change and reinforced the importance of corporate accountability in environmental sustainability. This achievement is particularly striking given the historically low pass rate of such shareholder proposals. The U.S. lags far behind Europe in its standards for egg-laying hens. The kind of cages that most U.S. laying hens live in have been banned in the entire European Union for more than a decade. Still, according to US Dept of Agriculture figures, 40% of egg-laying hens are now cage-free, up from 3% in 2008. But remember, “cage-free” is very far from “pasture-raised” or “free range” The hens in cage-free systems get to move around a large shed, but they are still very crowded, and never get out into fresh air and sunlight. Despite the inadequacies of cage-free systems, I extend my congratulations to the Accountability Board and @joshbalk, for their unwavering commitment and success. This victory not only sets a precedent for future engagements with corporations on environmental and ethical issues but also serves as a beacon of hope and motivation for all of us committed to fostering a more ethical, sustainable world.