IFAW Named to Fast Company’s Annual List of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2023

Global animal welfare and conservation not-for-profit organization joins the ranks of OpenAI, Disney, Tiffany & Co., and more 

(Washington DC, March 2, 2023) — IFAW has been named to Fast Company’s prestigious annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2023.

This year’s list highlights the businesses at the forefront of their respective industries, paving the way for the innovations of tomorrow. These companies are setting the standard with some of the greatest accomplishments of the modern world. In addition to the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies, 540 organizations are recognized across 54 sectors and regions.

According to Azzedine Downes, IFAW’s President & CEO, “We are deeply honored to be recognized by Fast Company as one of the Most Innovative Companies of 2023 in the not-for-profit sector. A testament to the fundamental need of innovation throughout all sectors, this recognition by Fast Company validates IFAW’s long-term, science-based approach to solving some of the most pressing conservation challenges of our time. From the rescue of individual animals to broader overall efforts of wildlife conservation, to mitigating the effects of global climate change, committed stewardship of the natural environment is the cornerstone upon which we ultimately save ourselves.”

Embracing the highest tenets of animal welfare and robust science, IFAW has forged new ground and pushed boundaries, developing innovative techniques to address the multi-faceted challenges of marine mammal rescue, creating the most comprehensive cetacean (whales, dolphins, porpoises) stranding response program in the world. Through its Marine Mammal Rescue and Research program (MMRR), IFAW has focused its efforts on a 700-mile stretch of coastline along Massachusetts, with a 12-mile stretch along ‎the coast of Cape Cod recognized as a global stranding hotspot. Innovations by the team have included the use of single pin temporary satellite tags on rescued and released cetaceans, advances in cetacean field and blood diagnostics revolutionizing how stranded dolphins are evaluated and treated in the field, as well as the implementation of tools that include ultrasound, capnography (CO2 monitoring) and the use of EKGs. Marrying innovation, ingenuity and the pursuit of scientific data in the field, there is now greater hope for stranded marine mammals all across the globe due to the advances made by the organization. A nearly 62% release rate of ‎stranded marine mammals back into the wild has been achieved as measured in 2022, up from 14% when the program initially began years ago, demonstrating that stranded marine ‎mammals can indeed be released back into the wild and reincorporated with their fellow species.

Fast Company’s editors and writers sought out the companies making the biggest strides around the globe. They also judged nominations received through their application process.

The World’s Most Innovative Companies is Fast Company’s signature franchise and one of its most highly anticipated editorial efforts of the year. It provides a firsthand look at the inspiring and innovative efforts of companies across all sectors of the economy.

“What a strange and thrilling year it has been to honor this year’s Most Innovative Companies. This year’s list compiles some of the most cutting-edge groundbreakers who are changing our world every single day, from legacy organizations like McDonald’s to upstarts like MrBeast and institutions such as NASA. Everyone on this list does something completely, uniquely different, yet, they all have one thing in common: innovation,” said Fast Company editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan.

Fast Company will host its third annual Most Innovative Companies Summit on April 19 and 20. The virtual summit celebrates the Most Innovative Companies in business, and provides an inside look at cutting-edge business trends and what it takes to innovate in 2023. Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies issue (March/April 2023) is available online here, as well as in-app form via iTunes, and on newsstands beginning March 14. The hashtag is #FCMostInnovative.

ENDS

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR ANIMAL WELFARE (IFAW)

The International Fund for Animal Welfare is a global non-profit helping animals and people thrive ‎together. We are experts and everyday people, working across seas, oceans and in more than 40 ‎countries around the world. We rescue, rehabilitate and release animals, and we restore and ‎protect their natural habitats. The problems we’re up against are urgent and complicated. To solve ‎them, we match fresh thinking with bold action. We partner with local communities, governments, ‎non-governmental organizations and businesses. Together, we pioneer new and innovative ways to ‎help all species flourish. See how at ifaw.org.‎

ABOUT FAST COMPANY

Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at www.fastcompany.com.