06/11/2019
• Impactt evaluation says Thai Union’s Ethical Migrant Recruitment Policy is “significant landmark in improving migrant recruitment practices”
• Thai Union’s policy is an example to follow for companies implementing a fair and transparent recruitment process
• Evaluation funded by Humanity United and Freedom Fund, as part of their ongoing work to end slavery and human trafficking
6 November 2019, BANGKOK – Thai Union Group PCL has welcomed an independent evaluation from ethical trade consultancy Impactt which found the company’s efforts to transform its recruitment policy were a “significant landmark in improving migrant recruitment practices.”
Thai Union’s strategy to implement change with the introduction of its Ethical Migrant Recruitment Policy in 2016 was an example for other companies to follow in achieving similar outcomes, according to the report.
The report, “Ethical Recruitment and the Employer Pays Principle: Translating Policy Into Practice,” was published following a six-month evaluation of the policy commissioned by Humanity United and The Freedom Fund.
Impactt’s evaluation of Thai Union’s Ethical Migrant Recruitment Policy found it had resulted in:
• A large reduction in recruitment-related costs paid by workers;
• Workers feeling safer during their recrutiment journey and experiencing higher levels of job satisfaction;
• An increase in job applicants and reduced labor turnover;
• The recruitment agent becoming more professional and being recognized for its ethical credentials.
“When we introduced our Ethical Migrant Recruitment Policy, we made a very firm commitment that all our employees should have access to safe and freely-chosen employment,” said Dr. Darian McBain, Thai Union Group’s Global Director of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability. “I’m incredibly proud of the transformation we have witnessed across all of our operations. Participating in this independent evaluation is part of Thai Union’s strategy to take a leadership position in promoting greater transparency, because without transparency modern slavery will remain hidden in the dark.”
McBain welcomed the feedback from the Impactt evaluation, which also identified areas for improvement. She noted that while Thai Union’s systems are not perfect, it had acted quickly to introduce the Ethical Migrant Recruitment Policy because it wanted improve the lives of workers immediately, adding that the company is always looking for continuous improvement.
In the evaluation, Impactt also developed guidelines for an ethical recruitment roadmap for companies to follow when working towards a fair and transparent recruitment process, based on the outcomes of its Thai Union evaluation along with its experience with other companies attempting to improve their recruitment of migrant workers.
You can read Humanity United’s blog about the report here.
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 133.3 billion (US$ 4.1 billion) and a global workforce of over 47,000 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. Find out more at seachangesustainability.org. Thai Union’s on-going work on sustainability issues was recognized in 2018 and 2019 by being ranked number one in the world in the Food Products Industry in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, achieving a 100th percentile ranking for total sustainability score. Thai Union has now been named to the DJSI for six consecutive years. Thai Union was also named to the FTSE4Good Emerging Index for the third straight year in 2018.
Media contacts
Thai Union Group PCL.
Leigh Murray
Strategic Communications
M: +61.473.658.807
E: leigh.murray@thaiunion.com