Saudi Arabia Launches “Halal Mark Track”: Aligning Halal Certification with ESG Standards

Saudi Arabia — The Saudi Halal Center, which operates under the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), has launched the Halal Mark Track system, aiming to align Halal certification with environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards. The initiative is implemented by the Saudi Halal Center in cooperation with the Halal Product Development Company (under the Kingdom's sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, PIF) and THIQAH, with the goal of building a more reliable and more sustainable Halal ecosystem. Halal Mark Track integrates approved Halal standards with ESG requirements, so that products under the supervision of the Saudi Halal Center satisfy both Halal compliance and sustainability standards. By combining Halal compliance with ESG measures, the initiative aims to enhance consumer trust in Saudi products and strengthen their competitiveness in regional and global markets. The cooperation between the Halal Product Development Company and THIQAH focuses on building a structured ecosystem for evaluating products and services and providing enterprises with recognized quality standards. Companies that obtain the certification can expand both their local and international business while following quality and sustainability benchmarks aligned with international norms. Officials say Halal Mark Track is a strategic move to improve operational efficiency in the Halal industry, and will also create market opportunities for both local and foreign enterprises. Modern livestock management: The launch of the certification system follows a July 2025 report that Saudi Arabia is piloting a digital livestock-management system using facial-recognition technology to monitor the health and productivity of small ruminants. Known as Saudi Smart Flock, the system was rolled out under the Sustainable Rural Agricultural Development program (Saudi Reef) and was deployed last year at six pilot farms to modernize small-scale livestock farming. The system identifies individual animals through their facial features, tracks production performance, monitors health status, and consolidates farm records into a single digital platform, suitable for both traditional and intensive farming. Farmers using the system can obtain real-time data on herd performance and health, aiming to reduce losses and improve livestock quality over time. Saudi Reef's goal is to raise the incomes of small-scale farmers and increase national food output through technology-driven livestock management. According to the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), livestock farming remains one of the core sectors of the rural economy, with millions of sheep, goats and camels raised across the country. GASTAT data indicate that Saudi Arabia has about 22 million sheep, 7.4 million goats and 2.2 million camels; the sheep are predominantly female, and most camels are aged four years or older.