Philadelphia, PA – Hana Group North America is honored to announce that CEO Josh Onishi has been named the winner of two international environmental awards for his commitment to developing a sustainable company and food products. As a sustainability thought leader, Onishi has been setting a green example for employees and customers since he joined the company in 2011 by prioritizing renewable resources, innovative ideas, and a clear strategy for transforming their supply chain that also made Hana Group the first North American sushi company to earn ISO 14001:2015 certification.
“Growing up in Japan, we learned to respect the ocean and the life within it, which has put sustainability on my mind from as far back as I can remember,” explains Onishi. “What we do in our office, at our sushi locations, and with our vendors, is ensure everyone is on board with this important cause, and the strict parameters we need to meet to be successful. The awards are a nice reminder that our conservation initiatives are making an impact beyond our sushi.”
The first honor for Onishi, the Green Apple Award for Environmental Best Practice (https://thegreenorganisation.info/awards-home/) given by The Green Organization, acknowledges the international environmental efforts of those who promote sustainable development. Since 1994, the organization has also selected winners for the Green World Awards, Green Apple Awards for Beautiful Buildings, Green Apple Awards for the Built Environment and Architectural heritage, and the Green Apple Award for environmental best practice in Scotland.
Onishi was also awarded the International Association of Fish Inspectors Special Recognition Award, given at the World Seafood Congress (https://wsc2019.com/) in Penang, Malaysia for his career contributions to the seafood industry.
With his guidance, Hana Group North America continues to strengthen the sustainable initiatives in place throughout their supply chain that have defined the company’s Environmental Management System, including:
· Achieving the target of sourcing 100% sustainable seafood, which was accomplished at the end of 2016.
· Purchasing only seafood that is ranked either green or yellow by Seafood Watch or certified with third party ecolabel.
· Reducing fleet emissions, waste diversion and water reduction targets.
· Completing a systematic greenhouse gas inventory to set science-based reduction targets.
· Selecting suppliers who improve Hana Group’s sustainable supply chain through traceability, safety and quality.
Notes Onishi, “sustainability takes planning and persistent follow-through, but we bear a responsibility to help and not harm the environment. Monitoring every step of the supply chain helps us uphold our commitment to employees and customers, not to mention the oceans.”
About Josh Onishi & Hana Group North America
Hana Group North America is the largest sustainable sushi retailer on the continent, energizing the world through high quality, Asian cuisine sold under its Genji and Mai brands at hundreds of retail locations across North America. Products ranging from sushi to ramen are made fresh daily, often onsite, by highly trained master chefs, using 100% sustainable seafood. The company is led by President and CEO Josh Onishi, a respected thought leader who has been asked to speak at various conferences, including the Seafood Sustainability Summit. In 2018, the Business Intelligence Group honored Onishi with its highest honor, naming him a Sustainability Hero.
