12/09/2016
Thai Union’s SeaChange® sustainability strategy successfully drove the score for Materiality to an industry best-in-class 100th percentile. With strong performances from Business Codes of Conduct, and Labor and Human Rights contributed to the improvements that ranked in the 96th and 91st percentile, respectively.
The increase in Thai Union’s score indicates the company’s efforts and discipline in applying sustainable practices and accountability across its business and supply chain are achieving results.
“We are honored to be recognized for our ongoing implementation of our sustainability roadmap, proving that we are on the right track,” said Thiraphong Chansiri, Thai Union’s CEO. “Sustainability is critical to the future of our industry and our world. We will continue to make transparency and ethical conduct an integral part of how we do business, to the benefit of our environment, economy and society,” he added.
DJSI is among the most highly-regarded metrics that evaluate global companies on their sustainability performance. Each year, over 3,000 companies are invited to participate in RobecoSAM’s Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA). Companies are selected for the indices based on a comprehensive assessment of long-term economic, environmental and social criteria that account for general as well as industry-specific sustainability trends. Only firms that lead their industries based on this assessment are included in the indices.
Thai Union became the first Thai company to be included in the DJSI food category in 2014.
“Sustainability is a global need that requires a global commitment. With our SeaChange® sustainability strategy, stringent application of Business Ethics and Labor Code of Conduct and other sustainability best practices, we seek to encourage the entire seafood industry to work together towards sustainability. To have an internationally recognized, independent third party institution endorse our efforts and implementations in operational excellence is an encouraging reward,” added Darian McBain, Ph.D., Thai Union’s global director of sustainable development.
Underscoring its commitment to transparency, Thai Union recently opened its SeaChange® sustainability strategy goals and commitments to public consultation. Earlier this year, stakeholders were invited to provide comment on the content and nature of the goals for each of the four key programs: safe and legal labor; marine conservation; responsible sourcing; and caring for our communities. The feedback was collated, and revisions are being made to reflect stakeholder viewpoints. The new SeaChange® website will be launched soon , along with further updates on progress. SeaChange® will also be used as a platform for conversation and dialogue across the global industry, looking at how Thai Union can change seafood for good.