Aquaculture Corporate Responsibility Not Just Sustainability
July 25th, 2008 by PaulLet me be very clear - sustainability is an imperative feature for the future of seafood (aquaculture and wild catch). However, the future is about more than just sustainability, its about corporate responsibility.
What do I mean by corporate responsiblity? Check out the corporate responsibility reports of all the world’s leading retailers and food manufacturers and you’ll find slightly different definitions and practices (its well worth doing this, you’ll have your eyes opened).
The basics are pretty much the same though, its about trying to minimise your negative actions and maximise your positive actions. Create a positive impact from your business activities.
Examples of corporate responsibility might include product positioning, environmental impact of business activities, integrity of sourcing practices, impact on local communities etc.
Will this help your business? From my experiences working in the UK with Young’s Seafood and Sainsbury’s, and contact I have had with Wholefoods in the US. The answer is YES YES YES. See these examples:
To capitalise on the market opportunity you have to give the customer what the consumer wants. Corporate responsibilty can give you a point of difference as you develop your aquaculture business.
Can anyone share any other examples of exemplary corporate responsibility amongst producers / suppliers or retailers inside or outside the seafood industry?
Tags: Add new tag, corporate responsibility, marketing, retail
Posted in Challenges, End Users, Environment, Market, Value-add. Permalink for this post: permalink.
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July 28th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
I think Paul has raised a very interesting and worthwhile concept. Today’s consumer is far more informed and concerned with a wider range of issues (including environmental impacts, animal welfare, human health issues etc) than ever before. Many consumers go to lengths to research the companies that they purchase products from to ensure these companies are not in conflict with the consumers values.
Companies are responding to this by advertising their ideals and attempts to minimise any negative impacts their business may have (be it environmental, social or other) and promote positive contributions. For example, companies may advertise that they are planting x amount of trees to offset their carbon emissions from production of their particular product.
Many industries are also looking at chain of custody certification schemes and sustainability certifications. Perhaps the Aquaculture Industry could think about some sort of “Sustainable Inputs” certifications or “Fish Welfare” certification schemes??
August 1st, 2008 at 10:07 am
Those interested in this article might also like to see this - practical examples of current corporate responsibility.
http://www.foodnavigator.com/Financial-Industry/Strategic-focus-directs-corporate-responsibility/?c=m%2BDaSw4vALfbmG101BWN%2Bw%3D%3D
Paul
September 4th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability concepts are quite new in many areas. I am glad to see companies like Youngs Seafood establishing its own principles for corporate responsibility to deal with sustainability and procurement, however it is often easier to say than do especially for aquaculture operators. Many companies have Corporate Social Responsibility polocies in their Corporate Governance Charter these days however only a handful of them is willing to go the extra length to conduct Stakeholder Impact Report such as those prepared by Westpact Banking Corp.
Aquaculture polution do exist but not frequently mentioned, let alone a detailed report prepared by fish farm operator assessing environmental impact. Open net cage fish farms can discharge significant amounts of wastewater containing nutrients and chemicals that impact the surrounding environment. For example, the nutrients in unused fish feed and fish faeces can cause local algal blooms. These blooms lead to reduced oxygen in the water, which in turn can lead to the production of ammonia, methane, and hydrogen sulphide, which are toxic to many aquatic species. Reduced oxygen can also directly kill marine life.
There should be more investments in environmental protection hence sustainability in this industry.