Fishing: Thai Union Group enforces strict ethics for supplies

[webfact]

TU enforces strict ethics for supplies
JINTANA PANYAARVUDH,
PICHAYA CHANGSORN
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THAI UNION GROUP, the world's largest tuna canner, has stopped receiving supplies from about 1,200 fishing boats in Thailand over the past one to two years as part of its strictly-enforced code for responsible sourcing and conduct.

"Our mission is not to be the largest or the No 1 company, but |to be the most trusted seafood |leader because we see our stakeholders need a trusted company," Thiraphong Chansiri, president and chief executive officer, said recently.

As part of its global rebranding launched on September 18, the group has unveiled its new corporate vision to be the world's most trusted seafood leader.

Over the last few years, it has developed its business ethics and conduct codes and started implementing the rules not only for its operations but its entire supply chain with no tolerance of violators.

In Thailand, the group has already reduced the number of boats from which it sources fish - from over 2,000 to about 800 - while for shrimp, boats providing fish for fish meal have been cut from over 200 to 57.

"Since 2014, we have terminated business relationships with more than 15 suppliers for this reason," he said.

The group has also ceased all purchases from mothership and transshipper vessels and launched a global sourcing policy on transhipment bans in April.

"As one of the founding members of the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation, we are committed to following Resolution 14-03, which calls upon the industry to refrain from transactions with purse-seine-caught tuna that are transshipped at sea," he said.

Darian McBain, director of sustainable development, said the group has set a target to achieve 100 per cent "from catch-to-consumption" tractability in all of its seafood products by 2020.

"Thai Union acknowledges the ever-increasing pressure from stakeholders on environment and labour issues in our supply chain.

"We have played a proactive role in working with government, community and research organisations, as well as customers and industry peers to jointly develop and implement important initiatives to improve the sustainability of our seafood supply chain," she said.

In April, the European Commission issued a "yellow card" warning to Thailand, saying the country had six months to demonstrate it was making an effort to control illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in its waters, or face seafood-related trade sanctions from the EU.

As the EU-set deadline approaches, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha restated the government's readiness to address the EU's assessment of the Thai government's crackdown on IUU fishing, during his weekly talk programme last week.

He said he believes the EU would notice positive changes in the country's fishing industry as a result of the ongoing efforts to stem illegal fishing.

EU vetting

EU representatives began vetting fishing activities in Thailand from October 13 and will conclude today.

Thiraphong said he has seen real progress from the many law enforcement measures that the Thai government has put in place during the past six months and hopes the EU would consider these efforts.

As a global leader in the industry, Thai Union will be an agent of change that will fight to eradicate IUU fishing and will not tolerate human rights violations of any kind, he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/TU-enforces-strict-ethics-for-supplies-30271359.html


-- The Nation 2015-10-22

[ChrisY1]

From slaves to raves.........I'm not one bit convinced!!!

[soalbundy]

Even Thai firms don't believe the government, what hope does the government have of convincing the EU.

[waldroj]

Strict ethics, but the smell remains.

I suggest anyone interested in this forum read the article from Greenpeace Canada (including two links from the word ‘scandal’ in paragraph 5).

http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/blog/Blogentry/notjusttuna-supplied-by-thai-union-group-to-t/blog/54372/

Perhaps they should have enlisted help from the TAT spinsters on this one!

Incidental, TUF share price on the Stock Exchange of Thailand is down 20% from its all-time peak (back in February this year, just before the EU waved the yellow card), maybe investors think there is something fishy too.

[AGareth2]

i wish I could believe this

but

the timing makes me sceptical

[tuanku]

This all sounds good and if true, could have a more profound effect on the industry than any action by the Government, but it is difficult to take the company's word at face value given its track record.

Also are they also speaking for their subsidiary companies?

If International bodies such as Greenpeace or the EU inspectorate were invited to verify these positive statements then we could applaud a positive step forward.

On another issue, it would be interesting to know what action, if any, has been taken against Thai Union Food executives who knowingly bought fish from sources which used slave labour and illegal fishing methods in the past. Have they been disciplined? sacked? fined? prosecuted?

[brommers]

It is all a smoke screen behind which they will still continue to devastate tuna stocks. And in a few years there will be no tuna left to catch and their business will be in terminal decline.

It is a classic example of the cynical behaviour of rapacious Thai businesses that are laying waste to the environment in a never ending chase for sales.

And hiding behind the Thai smile and the wai is getting increasingly threadbare. The world can see past this and it does not like what is behind that PR stunt.

Thai Union will get not one satang of sales from me and I urge others to boycott their brands.

[Thai at Heart]

Well, I would say that they have probably made some progress. A bit too little too late.

Of course and obvious solution would be for this gigantic organisation to buy it's own boats and staff them itself.....

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

"Our mission is not to be the largest or the No 1 company, but |to be the most trusted seafood |leader because we see our stakeholders need a trusted company," Thiraphong Chansiri, president and chief executive officer, said recently.

I think we have a winner for biggest lie told so far this year. The day will never come when their greed is overshadowed by their morals.

​Save your breath, no one believes you.

[casindonet]

[slapout]

when you hire / pay the help /monitors they will agree to conservation restrictions as proposed, and mandatedby watchdog groups, while in sight. Look at Thailands past and present attitude toward cheating ,business motals, criminal activity, etc punishment of those caught and this company mouthpiece expect educateded, informed people to believe him.??????

The Thai have gained a reputation much like the chinese and their massive copy knock off sector. We get/got our s up front the consumer is a source to fill our and our sons and grandchildrens desires. By then I and those conservationests will be only be mentioned as ansesters of the old who also benifited from our rape of planet earth and her oceans.