Thai Union Ingredients

Caption: A school of tuna are pictured swimming in the ocean. Photo credit: Shutterstock/Rich Carey

22 MAY 2018, BANGKOK - Thai Union Group PCL has released its first annual Tuna Commitment Progress Report to provide a public update on its ambitious strategy to ensure 100 percent of the company’s branded tuna is sustainably sourced, with a target of achieving a minimum of 75 percent by 2020, in line with the company’s SeaChange® sustainability strategy.

Thai Union’s Tuna Commitment also comprises an investment of USD $90 million in initiatives that will increase the supply of sustainable tuna, including the establishment of 11 new fishery improvement projects (FIPs) around the world to guarantee sustainable fish stocks, minimized environmental impacts and improved management in those fisheries.

Thai Union defines sustainably sourced tuna as tuna from fisheries either already certified according to the standards of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) or involved in FIPs working toward achieving standards required for MSC certification—widely recognized by global experts as the best mark of seafood sustainability.

To promote transparency, Thai Union announced it would provide a progress report annually for its commitment to 100 percent sustainable tuna when it was introduced in December 2016.

The Tuna Commitment Progress Report highlighted key successes for Thai Union in 2017, including:

• The activation of six tuna FIPs publicly trackable, once formalized, on fisheryprogress.org;
• A close working relationship with retailers to help advance and achieve their sustainability commitments;
• Engagement with governments, civil society and Regional Fishery Management Organizations (RFMOs) to ensure correct regulation and legislation is in place to effectively regulate fisheries;
• A commitment to the World Economic Forum’s Tuna 2020 Traceability Declaration supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);
• A reaffirmation of the Tuna Commitment at the Our Ocean conference in Malta;
• And, the announcement of a landmark agreement with Greenpeace.

Since the beginning of 2018, more than 90 percent of branded tuna sold by Thai Union Europe has been sourced from a fishery already certified to the standards of the MSC or a FIP working to achieve MSC standards.

Furthermore, 14.2 percent of Thai Union’s branded tuna worldwide is currently sourced from MSC-certified fisheries, while two of Thai Union’s international brands (Hawesta in Germany and Genova in North America) have been launched with a fully MSC-certified supply.

Tuna is the most readily available source of protein for millions of people around the world, and at least one billion depend on seafood for nourishment or employment. Thai Union has a responsibility to protect tuna stocks for the good of the world as a leader in the seafood industry, according to Dr. Darian McBain, global director of sustainable development at Thai Union.

“Today, more than ever, Thai Union has fully embraced our role at the forefront of driving positive change. Our substantial investment aims to transform tuna sourcing for the entire industry and demonstrates our strong commitment to the sustainability of our oceans,” said Dr. McBain. “We are proud of the progress we have made on our commitment to source 100 percent sustainable tuna and look forward to continuing our work with civil society, business and governments to support sustainable fishing practices.”

For the entire Thai Union Tuna Commitment Progress Report, please click here to download.

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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 2017, Thai Union was named to the DJSI for the fourth consecutive year. Thai Union is also part of the FTSE4Good Emerging Index.