The Humane League
For The Animals
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
On today's factory farms, billions of animals live miserable lives in the most unnatural and inhumane conditions possible. Mistreatment, illness, injury, and premature death are common. Those who survive often spend their last minutes in terror and pain. But it doesn't have to be this way.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Grassroots Outreach
Our national network of grassroots organizers reach millions each year by lecturing in high schools and colleges, distributing literate to young people, and organizing events in their region.
Institutional Campaigns
Our team of institutional outreach and campaigns specialists have worked with hundreds of major institutions to implement new policies that expand plant-based options and boycott farms that intensively confine farmed animals.
Where we work
External reviews

Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The Humane League is an international farm animal protection organization working to reduce the suffering of as many animals as possible. We envision a world where humanity's treatment of animals is just.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
We focus on reforming the way farm animals are treated while inspiring people to make more compassionate food choices. We run hard-hitting corporate campaigns and wide-ranging outreach and education programs, supported by an extensive and growing network of organization, activists, and supporters around the world.
The Humane League's corporate outreach targeting major retailers, restaurants, and foodservice providers has made great strides for animals. Our cage-free campaigns have expanded globally, and our boldest and most impactful campaign yet — creating sweeping welfare improvements for the nine billion chickens raised for meat in the U.S. — is already making waves in the industry.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The Humane League's tried-and-true campaign model focuses on the major corporations that profit from cruelty, exposing the reality of how animals are treated and leveraging our activist and supporter network to apply public pressure.
Our success is fueled by a strong and growing body of supporters around the world. We actively seek to empower our movement by building local, regional, international, and virtual groups of concerned individuals who take action for animals. The Humane League has a presence in cities and on campuses across the US, as well as the UK, Mexico, and Japan.
Recognizing that we can have even greater impact through collaboration, The Humane League founded the Open Wing Alliance, a coalition composed of 28 of the most effective animal protection groups on six continents. OWA member groups receive training in The Humane League's tactics and support in driving progress for animals in their home countries.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Recent victories include corporate commitments that will end the industry practice of caging hens in the US. Through our international offices and the Open Wing Alliance, we continue to work to ban battery cages worldwide, and have secured numerous global and regional commitments.
In 2016, we won a campaign that will stop the cruel egg industry practice of grinding up male chicks. And we played a critical role in passing a law in Massachusetts to ban some of the most horrifying practices on farms such as veal crates and battery cage confinement. Thanks to the success of this initiative, we are now working to pass a similar law in California.
With our 88% Campaign, we were the driving force behind the first welfare commitment that will improve the lives of the billions of chickens raised for meat. Like our campaign to ban battery cages, the 88% Campaign will continue until the entire industry is reformed.
Finally, The Humane League continues to work to build the movement for animals by training and empowering activists, inspiring individuals to make compassionate dietary choices, and conducting actionable research through Humane League Labs.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
The Humane League
Board of directorsas of 02/22/2022
Mark Middleton
Mark Middleton
No Affiliations
Harish Sethu
No Affiliations
Denise Tremblay
No Affiliations
Lydia Chaudhry
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.
Leadership
No data
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 12/03/2020GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.