BALI, Indonesia — Thai Union Group PCL, Chicken of the Sea® brand and Monterey Bay Aquarium announced the launch of SeaChange®IGNITE, a collaboration to advance new sustainability initiatives and improvements throughout the supply chain and further contribute to Thai Union's SeaChange®sustainability strategy. The combined commitment for the initiative is USD $73 million through 2025, with a focus on improvements in Southeast Asia and other key seafood producing regions.
SeaChange® IGNITE will also work with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace to engage governments, industry and stakeholders to advance comprehensive approaches for sustainable development.
The collaboration was announced at the fifth Our Ocean Conference held in Bali, Indonesia, by Thai Union's global director for sustainable development Dr. Darian McBain, Visiting Distinguished Statesmen at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, and Monterey Bay Aquarium CEO Julie Packard.
"Thai Union is very excited to work with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Monterey Bay Aquarium on this important new sustainability initiative—this is a great example of how collaboration among key stakeholders can effectively address the sustainable development challenges in modern supply chains," said Dr. McBain. "Thai Union positions sustainability at the heart of our business, and SeaChange® IGNITE represents the next step toward further ensuring the food on consumers' plates meets the highest quality and sustainability standards."
SeaChange® IGNITE aims to vertically integrate improvements throughout the supply chain while delivering sustainable products to the North American market. SeaChange® IGNITE will support advances necessary for sustainability, including direct economic incentives to producers, improvement projects and engagement throughout the supply chain.
The collaboration will focus initially on blue swimming crab and farmed shrimp, and address key challenges, such as data collection, market development, livelihoods and verified sustainability improvements toward Seafood Watch Good Alternativeand Best Choice ratings. In turn, this will provide new opportunities to supply sustainable products to the North American market.
The collaboration brings Thai Union's Chicken of the Sea Frozen Foods and Chicken of the Sea International together with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program, a leading expert on science-based sustainability ratings and advice to guide improvement strategies. In addition, SeaChange® IGNITE will engage governments, industry and other stakeholders through the Southeast Asia Fisheries and Aquaculture Initiative and other forums to enhance new, comprehensive approaches for sustainable development.
"For nearly 20 years, Monterey Bay Aquarium has worked to move global seafood production in a more sustainable direction," said Aquarium CEO Julie Packard. "This commitment is an important first step in accelerating sustainability in fisheries and aquaculture in Southeast Asia and will serve as a model for engagement for NGOs, governments and seafood producers."
In 2017, Secretary Kerry launched the Southeast Asia Fisheries and Aquaculture Initiative, a partnership between the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Monterey Bay Aquarium to advance sustainable development in the region. In March, the initiative convened major private sector leaders at the North America Seafood Expo and encouraged new collaborations to address key sustainability challenges in Southeast Asia. Today's announcement represents a major private sector commitment to engage industry and governments to advance sustainable fisheries and aquaculture.
"Private sector leadership, engagement and collaboration is critical to secure changes through the supply chain and on the water. Kerry said. "I'm pleased to support this important new commitment and bring industry, governments and stakeholders together to drive comprehensive solutions for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in Southeast Asia."
ABOUT THAI UNION GROUP
Thai Union Group PCL. is the world's seafood leader bringing high quality, healthy, tasty and innovative seafood products to customers across the world for more than 40 years.
Today, Thai Union is regarded as the world's largest producer of shelf-stable tuna products with annual sales exceeding THB 135 billion (US$ 4.03 billion) and a global workforce of over 49,000 people who are dedicated to pioneering sustainable, innovative seafood products.
The company's global brand portfolio includes market-leading international brands such as Chicken of the Sea, John West, Petit Navire, Parmentier, Mareblu, King Oscar, and Rügen Fisch and Thai-leading brands SEALECT, Fisho, Qfresh, Monori, Bellotta and Marvo.
As a company committed to innovation and globally responsible behavior, Thai Union is proud to be a member of the United Nations Global Compact, and a founding member of the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF). In 2015, Thai Union introduced its SeaChange® sustainability strategy.
Thai Union's on-going work on sustainability issues was recognized by its inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index Emerging Markets (DJSI) in 2014. In 2018, Thai Union was rated No. 1 in the Food Products Industry in the DJSI, while also being listed for the fifth straight year. Thai Union is also part of the FTSE4Good Emerging Index and the winner of many awards for its leading work on sustainability.
ABOUT THE MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM
With a mission to inspire conservation of the ocean, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is the most admired aquarium in the United States, a leader in science education and a voice for ocean conservation through comprehensive programs in marine science and public policy. The Aquarium's Seafood Watch program is part of a comprehensive initiative to improve the sustainability of global fisheries and aquaculture, through policy leadership, scientific research, industry partnerships and consumer engagement. Everything we do works in concert to protect the future of our blue planet. More information at montereybayaquarium.org and at seafoodwatch.org
ABOUT THE CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE
The Carnegie Endowment advances international peace by leveraging its global network to shape debates and provide decision makers with independent insights and innovative ideas on the most consequential global threats and opportunities. We have a global network of policy research centers in Russia, China, Europe, the Middle East, India, and the United States. For more information, visit www.carnegieendowment.org
Source: Thai Union Group PCL
