The changes are related to “transshipment” practices.
Mars and Nestlé SA say they’re making changes that will help keep their pet food supply chains free of illegally caught seafood and protect human rights.
The changes are related to a fishing-company practice called transshipment, the Thomson Reuters Foundation reports.
The process involves moving seafood from one boat to another, and it enables the ships to stay at sea for longer periods, according to the foundation.
But, citing Greenpeace, the Thomson Reuters Foundation reports that the practice is criticized because it “provides an opportunity for vessels to unload illegally caught seafood into supply chains, and allows ships to conceal abuses against crew members away from port.”
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Greenpeace stated in a press release: “Nestlé has committed to a full ban on transshipment at sea in its supply chains, while Mars has committed to suspend the use of transshipped products in their supply chains if its seafood suppliers cannot adequately address the human rights and illegal fishing issues associated with the practice in the coming weeks.”
Jack Scott, Nestlé Purina PetCare’s head of sustainability, said in the release: “Over the past several years, Nestlé and Greenpeace have worked together to strengthen Nestlé’s policies governing the procurement and responsible sourcing of seafood. In light of Greenpeace’s research findings, Nestlé has committed to a ban on all transshipments at sea.”
Isabelle Aelvoet, global sustainability director for Mars Petcare, said: “Mars recognizes the risks of transshipment at sea. We want to see human rights respected and the environment protected in our seafood supply chains. The current problems associated with transshipment are serious and demand urgent attention. We are committed to working with our suppliers to remedy these problems, but if we cannot resolve these issues to our satisfaction quickly, we will seek to end the use of transshipped products in our supply chains until these serious problems are fixed.”
The Thomson Reuters Foundation is the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, covering humanitarian news, women’s rights, trafficking, property rights, climate change and resilience.
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