Monthly Spotlight: Compromiso Verde
This month, we spoke with Sandra Lopes, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Compromiso Verde, one of ACE’s latest Movement Grant recipients.
As a trained lawyer with over 15 years of experience in animal advocacy, Sandra has led impactful campaigns across Latin America focused on corporate outreach, cage-free policies, and sustainable food systems. She is passionate about driving systemic change for animals through policy, legal advocacy, and collaboration, and currently leads efforts to eliminate cruel practices in industrial farming in Peru and Latin America.
In this interview, Sandra shares the story behind Compromiso Verde, the challenges and wins they’ve faced so far, and what’s next in their mission to build a better future for animals.
Firstly, let’s talk about Paolo, who is he and why is he on your website?
Paolo was the very first rescue of our Corporate Campaigns Manager. He was found in poor condition and suffers from digestive and feeding issues, which means he’s not able to return safely to the wild. She took him in, and since then, Paolo has become a beloved presence in our daily work.
He’s present at all our team meetings, incredibly vocal, and clearly passionate about our cause, so it only felt right to give him a proper place on the team page.
Can you share the biggest challenges for animals in Peru and the landscape of the animal advocacy movement?
Farmed animal protection is still a relatively new and underrepresented issue in Peru. For many people, the realities of how animals are treated in industrial farming are not widely known. Concepts like cage-free systems or even basic knowledge about where eggs come from are not yet widely understood.
Because this topic has remained outside of public discussion for so long, the movement to protect farmed animals is still gaining visibility. Fortunately, this is beginning to change. The issue is starting to enter the public conversation, and little by little, more organizations and individuals are getting involved in efforts to change how animals are treated in the food system.
Which part of this are you looking to solve through the work at Compromiso Verde?
At Compromiso Verde, we focus on eliminating the worst practices in industrial animal agriculture in Peru and Latin America, starting with the confinement of laying hens in battery cages. Our main strategy to achieve this is through corporate pressure campaigns.
We were created to fill a gap in the region by leading targeted pressure campaigns that demand concrete improvements in animal welfare. Alongside our core campaign work, we also engage in legal advocacy and support capacity building to strengthen long-term change.
Our ultimate goal is to transform how animals are treated in the food industry by accelerating the shift away from the most inhumane systems. By pressuring companies to act, we work toward a world where no animal is exploited.
What has been your biggest challenge and biggest win(s) so far at Compromiso Verde?
One of our biggest challenges has been navigating the high level of informality in Peru. Many producers operate informally, which makes it difficult to access even the most basic data, such as the number of animals confined or cage free in factory farms. The government doesn’t collect or publish this information.
On the other hand, we’ve also had important wins. So far, we’ve secured a global cage-free commitment and three commitments from retailers. We also reached national TV and radio through interviews and media coverage, helping bring the suffering of farmed animals into the public conversation and reaching over 32 million media hits. Seeing animal advocacy enter mainstream media in Peru has been a powerful moment for us.
As a result of this visibility, Compromiso Verde has become a national reference point on the subject of farmed animal welfare. We are now regularly quoted in media coverage whenever the topic arises, helping shape public dialogue and elevate animal protection as a national issue.
What projects are you most excited about going forward?
We’re most excited about scaling our pressure campaigns with major retailers. These campaigns have proven to be a powerful tool in driving cage-free commitments and improving the lives of laying hens.
Looking ahead, our goal is to expand this model across Latin America, working with more companies to eliminate cages from their supply chains and build regional momentum for better animal welfare standards.
If you had to share a final message with the ACE audience, what would it be?
To truly make progress for animals, we need coalitions between animal protection organizations that go beyond formal partnerships. They must be strategic, with real exchange of information, alignment of actions, and shared data and goals.
The animal farming industries are coordinated and relentless; they collaborate with each other, influence public opinion, and shape the media narrative to maintain the status quo. If we really want to help the animals, we must be just as united and strategic.
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To learn more about Compromiso Verde and how they’re making vital changes for farmed animals. Visit their website.
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