Jill Tiefenthaler
destroying National Geographic’s legacy
National Geographic built its name on defending the planet, protecting wildlife, and standing for integrity. Now, under CEO Jill Tiefenthaler, it not only shields corporate cruelty but gives it a platform. By keeping David Marriott on its Board, the National Geogrpahic Society sends a clear message that Marriott International’s broken promises and animal abuse are acceptable. Tiefenthaler has the power to act but instead she protects the status quo, making National Geographic an accomplice to Marriott’s refusal to honor its global cage-free egg commitment.
AI image intended for parody.
NatGeo can’t claim
to protect animals
while David Marriott remains
on their board .
In 2013, Marriott International publicly committed to going 100% cage-free worldwide. They made this pledge knowing that battery cages are so small hens cannot even spread their wings, knowing that that cages are torture, and knowing they’ve been banned in dozens of countries.
Yet Marriott International has treated this commitment as a PR shield rather than a moral obligation. They have stalled, deflected, and continued to profit from the abuse of animals, all while basking in the reputational glow of a promise they refuse to fulfill. Every day of delay means more hens crammed into filthy metal cages, living and dying in misery.
David Marriott is Chairman of this company. Jill Tiefenthaler knows this, yet she not only shields this cruelty but gives it a platform by keeping him in a position of honor at National Geographic.
image represents typical battery cage facility
Jill Tiefenthaler is involved in a
global animal abuse scandal.
David Marriott, Board of Trustees member, profits from animal cruelty. Jill Tiefenthaler has refused to act.
As CEO of the National Geographic Society, Jill Tiefenthaler has the power to remove David Marriott from the Board of Trustees. Marriott’s company has failed to fulfill its global cage-free egg commitment. Their broken promise that means millions of hens remain trapped in cruel battery cages.
Jill’s silence is her choice, and it’s keeping National Geographic tied to animal abuse.
AI image intended for parody.
image represents typical battery cage facility
THE TRUTH ABOUT BATTERY CAGE EGGS
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Hens in cages suffer from limited space and restricted movement, which prevents them from engaging in natural behaviors and leads to high stress and frustration. Studies also indicate that caged hens have higher rates of Salmonella, a leading cause of foodborne illness and are more prone to disease than hens in systems that allow for greater mobility and expression of natural behaviors.
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Each hen in a battery cage is given only 67-86 square inches of space—less than the size of a sheet of paper—leaving them unable to spread their wings or move naturally.
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Caged hens are unable to perch, nest, dust-bathe, or forage, causing severe psychological distress and unnatural, repetitive stress behaviors.
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Wire cage floors cause painful foot disorders, overgrown claws, and open lesions, while sloped designs lead to chronic discomfort and injuries.
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Battery cages deny hens their natural behaviors, such as scratching, nesting, and foraging, leading to chronic stress, frustration, and harmful repetitive behaviors.
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To maximize egg production, caged hens undergo forced molting by withholding food and water, causing severe stress, feather loss, and long-term health issues, including paralysis and death from dehydration.
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Caged hens are subjected to constant artificial light to extend egg-laying periods, disrupting their natural cycles and contributing to bone fragility and overall poor health.
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While the EU banned battery cages in 2012, Marriott International is picking and choosing where to comply, allowing millions of hens to continue suffering. Marriott is using cage-free eggs in the EU, but not in the US. Don't Americans deserve the same? Marriott’s customers deserve better. The animals deserve better.
Jill is Ignoring animal cruelty
on factory farms.
National Geographic’s brand rests on the image of compassion for animals and a commitment to science, conservation, and ethics. Jill Tiefenthaler is entrusted with upholding that mission.
Yet under her leadership, the Society is elevating a man whose company profits from one of the most extreme forms of factory farming cruelty. You can’t promote breathtaking images of wildlife one day and keep a Board member tied to filthy battery cages the next.
Every day Jill allows David Marriott to remain on the Board, she trades away the Society’s credibility, and for what? To protect a colleague instead of animals.
AI image intended for parody.
if Jill Tiefenthaler supports animal welfare, she’ll remove David Marriott
The CEO of the National Geographic Society is not a powerless figurehead. Jill Tiefenthaler has the authority, the influence, and the moral responsibility to decide who represents the Society at the highest level.
She could take a stand and say: “If you profit from animal cruelty, you don’t belong here.”
But she hasn’t. Jill’s inaction shields David Marriott from accountability and tells the world that National Geographic will look the other way when its leaders are tied to corporate animal abuse. Her silence speaks volumes: preserving insider relationships matters more than protecting animals, or the Society’s reputation.
AI image intended for parody.