Seafood consortium release report into responsible recruitment in the global tuna processing sector

/

Download this statement as pdf.

Labour issues and human rights violations have become the subject of rising concern in seafood supply chains. Where migrant labour is utilised, these risks are often heightened.

A consortium* of seafood groups across the tuna processing supply chain funded a study that seeks to provide insights on how to enhance responsible recruitment practices, and operationalise the Employer Pays Principle, by using examples from the global tuna processing sector.

The study focuses on five key countries in the global tuna processing sector. Impactt, commissioned by the consortium to conduct this study, used interviews, surveys, and a regulatory review of those regions, to better understand the challenges, and identify opportunities for action. The activities focused on migrant labour used in tuna processing plants and included inputs from external stakeholders as well as industry members. These inputs were used to tailor recommendations for future actions from a buyer, supplier, and industry association perspective.

The consortium represents multiple layers within the supply chains and will use the report to develop or refine their individual approaches and action plans to further promote responsible recruitment in their processing operations.

At the same time, the group recognises the value of making these findings accessible to others working to ensure the responsible recruitment of migrant labour. A public webinar outlining the findings will be hosted by Impactt at 9 am BST on Tuesday 13th May – register to join the webinar here.

Key findings from the report included:

  • Lack of sufficient commercial or regulatory pressure or incentives for actors to commit sufficient resources for full implementation
  • Challenges for industry associations to establish enforceable standards or commitments around responsible recruitment
  • Complexities in seafood supply chains increase the risks, as well as hindering buyers from achieving sufficient oversight and leverage to encourage suppliers to adopt responsible recruitment practices.
  • Challenges in understanding the “true” cost of recruitment, which is critical to ensuring that responsible recruitment is embedded as a cost of doing business.
  • Opportunities for:

– industry associations to act as convenors to facilitate dialogue, foster collaboration, and collective engagement to address responsible recruitment

– buyers can provide incentives for suppliers to implement employer pays principles, support capacity building and embed responsible recruitment principles into their procurement practices

– suppliers can collaborate with buyers to estimate fair recruitment costs, streamline supply chains, partner with zero-fee recruitment agencies, enforce contractual safeguards, and actively monitor recruitment practices

– All groups to increase information sharing to increase transparency into supplier recruitment practices.

The full report can be accessed here: A study into the implementation of responsible recruitment practices and the Employer Pays Principle in the global tuna onshore processing sector.


* The consortium included the British Retail Consortium, Food Network for Ethical Trade, Global Tuna Alliance, Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship, Seafood Ethics Action Alliance and members.

More information on the organisations in the consortium and their response can be found as follows:

British Retail Consortium
https://brc.org.uk
media@brc.org.uk

Food Network for Ethical Trade
https://foodnetworkforethicaltrade.com
technicallead@foodnetworkforethicaltrade.com

Global Tuna Alliance
https://www.globaltunaalliance.com/
daniel@globaltunaalliance.com

Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship
martin.exel@seabos.org

Seafood Ethics Action Alliance
https://seaa.org
seaa@seafish.co.uk

MORE NEWS

Update on future work on biodiversity and ecosystems

January 1, 2025

Our Future Work on Biodiversity and Endangered Species Biodiversity is crucial for the functioning of the ecosystems on which seafood production depends. No biodiversity, no sea...

READ MORE

SeaBOS Strides in 2024

January 1, 2025

Following the October Dialogue at Lake Annecy, members finalised a comprehensive package of measures in 2024. • Keystone Projects remain a core mechanism to deliver on...

READ MORE

SeaBOS Keystone Project on Antimicrobial Resistance puts science-business collaboration into action

April 30, 2024

The threat of antimicrobial resistance looms large over global health. At the Busan Keystone Dialogue in October 2023, CEOs agreed to implement the Keystone Project on Antimicro...

READ MORE

SeaBOS provides opportunities for new members

April 19, 2024

SeaBOS consists of eight member companies worldwide working together with scientists to deliver on ten commitments for ocean stewardship. A science-industry initiative, SeaBOS i...

READ MORE

SeaBOS Launches Impact Report 2022-2023: Driving ocean stewardship in the seafood industry

October 17, 2023

The Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship (SeaBOS) initiative announces the release of its first impact report demonstrating joint action for ocean stewardship and reaffirming ...

READ MORE

SeaBOS CEOs call on APEC to end IUU fishing in the Pacific

October 16, 2023

Busan 12 October 2023 SeaBOS represents nine of the largest seafood producers in the world. As the CEOs of those member companies, we have reaffirmed our pledge to work diligent...

READ MORE

SeaBOS featured in the Financial Times

July 6, 2023

Henrik Österblom, professor at Stockholm University and director of The Anthropocene Laboratory, and co-author of the publication Transnational Corporations as ‘Keystone A...

READ MORE

Seafood sector leaders urge government action to close the net on illegal fishing in the Pacific

May 15, 2023

Groups working with over 150 companies call for collective efforts in advance of the G7 Hiroshima Summit. 15 May 2023 – Each year, illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IU...

READ MORE

SeaBOS companies reaffirm their common purpose

April 18, 2023

SeaBOS companies have reaffirmed their commitment to work together towards ocean stewardship, and to demonstrate the positive and proactive role of seafood business leaders. All...

READ MORE

Thai Union CEO appointed Chair of the Board of Directors of SeaBOS

October 6, 2022

Thiraphong Chansiri succeeds Skretting CEO Therese Log Bergjord as Chair Thai Union Group PCL CEO Thiraphong Chansiri has been appointed Chair of the Board of Directors of the S...

READ MORE

SeaBOS launches first progress report – collaboration starting to generate results

June 29, 2022

On 29 June 2022, at the UN Ocean Conference in Portugal, SeaBOS launched its first progress report, following commitments made at the 2017 UN Ocean Conference Setting out to tac...

READ MORE

Report launch and where to find us during the 2022 UN Ocean Conference

June 25, 2022

All you need to know about the official launch and other SeaBOS engagements during the conference in Lisbon SeaBOS staff and colleagues from the member companies and science par...

READ MORE

SeaBOS members call for end to harmful subsidies

May 27, 2022

Initiative releases statement urging governments to “take all possible” steps to phase out subsidies that remain a barrier to sustainable industry transformation In a joint stat...

READ MORE

SeaBOS welcomes new approaches to deal with risk of labour abuse and illegal fishing

April 5, 2022

New study demonstrates extent of labour abuse and illegal fishing risks among fishing fleets. Of more than 750 ports assessed around the world, nearly half are associated&n...

READ MORE

Wenche Grønbrekk joins SeaBOS as Director of Strategy, Partnerships, and External Relations

January 17, 2022

After 7 years in Cermaq, Wenche Grønbrekk is now taking on a larger responsibility for ocean stewardship, joining SeaBOS as Director of Strategy, Partnerships, and External Rela...

READ MORE

Sustainable seafood and SeaBOS on the agenda at COP26

November 9, 2021

In a panel organised by UN Global Compact’s Ocean Stewardship Coalition, SeaBOS members Cermaq and Mowi highlighted the importance of sustainable seafood production and science-...

READ MORE

SeaBOS members ramp up efforts to transform the seafood sector

October 26, 2021

SeaBOS members agreed during its annual CEO meeting to continue activities designed to eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing and forced labour throughout t...

READ MORE

Global seafood coalition applauds Japanese government on actions to eliminate IUU fishing; calls for further collaboration between industry and governments

April 14, 2021

Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship (SeaBOS), the Global Tuna Alliance (GTA), and the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF), a coalition consisting of more t...

READ MORE

“Nowhere to land, nowhere to sell” Seafood sector giants focus action on closing ports and supply chains to illegal fishing

February 16, 2021

Five of the most influential industry and multi-stakeholder platforms in the seafood sector have released a joint statement calling for action to combat the scourge of illegal, ...

READ MORE

CEOs of world’s leading seafood companies commit to time-bound goals for a healthy ocean

December 8, 2020

For the first time in the history of seafood production, ten of the largest seafood companies in the world have committed to a set of time-bound and measurable goals that will e...

READ MORE

SeaBOS calls on governments to support boat crews and ocean workers

September 23, 2020

SeaBOS, comprising CEOs from ten of the world’s largest seafood businesses, calls on governments to urgently address the critical humanitarian, safety and economic crisis in the...

READ MORE

SeaBOS to support the UN Global Compact’s work on ocean health

January 7, 2020

The Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship (SeaBOS) will support the UN Global Compact Action Platform for Sustainable Ocean Business to accelerate progress on ocean health and ...

READ MORE

Fourth meeting between world’s largest seafood companies towards ocean stewardship

September 10, 2019

The Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship concluded their meeting last week in Phuket, Thailand. This was the fourth keystone dialogue since the start of SeaBOS in 2016 at the ...

READ MORE

Global initiative on ocean sustainability appoints Martin Exel as new managing director

July 1, 2019

Announcement part of next phase of the Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship (SeaBOS), a joint initiative between the world’s largest commercial seafood companies and science t...

READ MORE