The Ocean Disclosure Project – the leading corporate transparency platform for sustainable wild seafood – has launched as an interactive website that presents seafood sourcing data from 9 companies, including US and UK retailers, suppliers and aquaculture feed manufacturers. The data includes locations where wild seafood is caught, gear types, fisheries management information, environmental impacts, certifications and fishery improvement projects. The ODP allows companies to demonstrate their commitment to sustainable fish and shellfish sourcing through complete transparency around the condition of their seafood sources and improvement efforts.
New ODP participants in 2017 include aquaculture feed manufacturer Cargill/EWOS and French food service company Davigel, the first French company to participate.
Other ODP participants include UK retailers Asda, Co-op Food and Morrisons along with UK seafood supplier Joseph Robertson, aquaculture feed manufacturers Biomar and Skretting as well as US retailer Publix Supermarkets. The new website is operated by Sustainable Fisheries Partnership but it is intended that the website will become independent by the end of 2020. The project has been generously funded by the John Ellerman Foundation.
The Ocean Disclosure Project is intended to provide a valuable information resource for responsible investors, seafood consumers and others interested in sustainable seafood and corporate responsibility. The new website has been welcomed by NGOs such as Greenpeace and other retailers, such as Marks & Spencer, that provide similar levels of transparency.
The new ODP website can be accessed at the following link:
http://www.oceandisclosureproject.org
The Marks & Spencer report can be accessed at:
Commenting on the launch of the website, Jim Cannon, CEO of Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, said:
“The companies that have participated in the Ocean Disclosure Project should be highly commended for demonstrating real leadership in corporate reporting. The seafood sector as a whole has poor transparency and this kind of comprehensive reporting shows a very high level of responsibility by these companies along with a real confidence in their business model.“
Will McCallum, Head of Oceans, Greenpeace UK, commented:
“Transparency is the first step towards ensuring sustainable sourcing and ethical supply chains. With the launch of its new website, the Ocean Disclosure Project is making it ever easier for companies and their customers to be confident that the fish they’re buying is sustainable. It’s a great resource and we’d encourage companies to use it and to critically engage with improving their sustainability.”
Chris Brown, Senior Director of Sustainable Business with Asda, said:
“Asda is committed to the sustainable sourcing of seafood. We see the Ocean Disclosure Project as an important mechanism for stakeholders to judge our progress. We believe in transparency in how we source our fish and shellfish to enable consumers to make informed purchasing decisions.”
Hannah Macintyre from Marks & Spencer said:
"We already publish this information on our website and therefore share the aims of this initiative in bringing complete transparency to sustainable seafood sourcing. Together, major retailers and brands can make a difference and help transform the whole industry.”
Jim Cannon, CEO at Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, added:
“The companies that have reported this year have shown that there are no issues with commercial confidentiality in such disclosure and sharing the information only improves trust and confidence in the seafood industry. We sincerely hope that other companies will take note of this important project and report their own seafood procurement in a similar manner. Today’s consumers are eager and interested to learn more about the origins of their food and efforts like the ODP or Marks & Spencer are a great way to provide this information for seafood products.”
Source: Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP)
