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Nestlé and Thai Union inaugurate demonstration boat to promote human and labour rights in fishing industry


Bangkok – WEBWIRE

Nestlé S.A. and Thai Union Group PCL today officially inaugurated a demonstration boat to promote and raise understanding of human and labour rights of workers in the Thai fishing industry.

Both companies, in collaboration with Verité, refurbished a traditional Thai fishing boat, transforming it into a vessel demonstrating good living and working conditions. This includes adequate and clean food and drinking water, appropriate rest, dining and leisure areas on board, first-aid kit, and toilet facilities with proper sanitation standards.

The first-of-its-kind demonstration boat launched in December 2017. Since then, 83 boat owners, captains and crews have taken part in training sessions in the Thailand’s provinces of Trat and Pattani.

The initiative commenced in March 2016, supported by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) and the Thailand Department of Fisheries (DOF). More training sessions will take place throughout the year. The Department of Fisheries will manage the continuation of this program in the long-term.

“Human and labour rights abuses have no place in our supply chain. This program marked an important milestone in the collaborative efforts to address the complex issue of labour and human rights abuses in the industry, and we are thankful of the support of the Thai government as well as our partners,” said Magdi Batato, Executive Vice President, Head of Operations, Nestlé S.A.

“This program is also in line with Nestlé’s Action Plan for Responsible Sourcing of Seafood, which we introduced in 2015. So far, we have been able to achieve 99% traceability for wild caught tuna back to the vessel used and 99% of the farmed shrimp to the farms used. The business requirement of our Action Plan is signed off by 100% of our suppliers’ suppliers. We have also banned transshipment at sea and have implemented an Inclusive Labour Monitoring system that covers over 35,000 workers in Nestlé’s supply chain, together with not-for-profit Issara,” he added.

Upholding human rights and providing safe, legal and freely-chosen employment in Thai Union’s facilities and supply chain is critically important to the company, according to Dr. Darian McBain, Global Director for Sustainable Development at Thai Union.

“It is a key component of our sustainability strategy, SeaChange®—an integrated plan of initiatives, organized into four programs, to drive meaningful improvements across the entire global seafood industry,” said McBain. “And while we have significant programs in place for our own employees, we partner with government and stakeholders on various projects to help ensure those working in the wider fishing industry are protected as well.”

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ABOUT NESTLÉ S.A.

Nestlé is the world’s largest food and beverage company. It is present in 189 countries around the world, and its 323,000 employees are committed to Nestlé’s purpose of enhancing quality of life and contributing to a healthier future. Nestlé offers a wide portfolio of products and services for people and their pets throughout their lives. Its more than 2000 brands range from global icons like Nescafé to local favourites like Milo. Company performance is driven by its Nutrition, Health and Wellness strategy. Nestlé is based in the Swiss town of Vevey where it was founded more than 150 years ago.

ABOUT THAI UNION

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 almost 40 years.

Today, Thai Union is regarded as the world’s largest producer of shelf-stable tuna products with annual sales exceeding THB 125 billion (US$ 3.7 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 has also been included in the FTSE4Good Emerging Index


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