2025 Year in Review: A Year of Momentum, Collaboration and Impact

2025 was a dynamic year for Sentience, full of challenges and important progress for animals. Whilst advancing key projects, we also restructured much internally. This year in review highlights what we achieved together – and what we, as a team, will build on in the coming year.

A Year of Impactful Projects

Thanks to your support, in 2025 we were able to advance projects that sparked political change, made animal suffering visible, and brought the interests of non-human animals more prominently into societal discourse.

Key highlights of the year:

Pre-campaign for the Outdoor Access Initiative

The pre-campaign laid the foundation for a strong start to the signature collection next year. Our goal: mobilise as many people as possible early on and raise broad awareness of the initiative. We have already secured over 75,000 pledged signatures – a strong sign of societal support.

Through the pre-campaign, we inform about the initiative’s key demands, debunk common myths, as well as prepare materials, content and mobilization structures that will be crucial for a dynamic launch.

The Chicken Check – Examining Major Retailers

Sentience investigated how much the most powerful Swiss retailers really care about chicken welfare. The results were summarised in four reports. One thing is clear: more can be done. That’s why we called on consumers to email retailers and demand higher standards for broiler chickens.

In previous campaigns, we collected 23,000 signatures to demand better conditions for chickens. Together, we built pressure and opened a dialogue. Sentience was able to hold discussions with retailers, but despite promises and some steps, progress stalled. We therefore escalated pressure and involved consumers directly.

Invisible Animals

With four petitions and around 35,000 signatures, we brought pigeons, rats, bees and fish back into the political debate. We presented our demands to parliamentarians, at both the city and national levels. Some issues have already been taken up in parliament, whilst for others we are waiting for a suitable political window – and remain persistent.

A Busy Year – Behind the Scenes

2025 was not only decisive for our projects, but also for our team. We said goodbye to Philipp Ryf as Executive Director, who guided and shaped Sentience for many years.

Since October 1st, Naomi Rey and Bettina Huber have been leading the organisation as Co-Executive Directors. As both previously managed their respective areas, the transition was at once familiar and challenging – especially as it coincided with a period of high demands for Sentience.

A Small Team with Great Responsibility

We are currently one of the smallest teams Sentience has had in recent years. Not by design, but due to several personnel changes happening simultaneously. This presented organisational challenges and sometimes pushed us to our limits.

At the same time, this period revealed something crucial: the core team supporting Sentience today is strong, experienced and exceptionally committed. Collaboration is closer, clearer and more motivating than ever. The support from our community – at events, in conversations and in responses to our newsletters – has strengthened us further.

We will continue to build on this foundation in 2026.

Looking Ahead: Continued Growth

To implement the Outdoor Access Initiative and our political priorities in the coming year with full force, our campaign team will be expanded starting in January. We also plan to grow in Operations and Fundraising to strengthen our structures and secure our impact sustainably.

Lessons from 2025

This year has made one thing clear: we are strongest when we keep moving. We can achieve great things – even with limited resources. And: we are never alone. People like you carry this movement forward.

Despite changes, our focus remains clear: the interests of non-human animals belong at the centre of political attention.

Thank you for standing with us in 2025. For the animals. And for a society where their well-being is no longer overlooked.

Together, we can make 2026 a year in which animals become even more politically visible and better heard.