$73 MILLION FOR THAI SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY

Pledge of USD $73 million for Thai sustainability strategy. Thai Union Group PCL, Chicken of the Sea® brand and Monterey Bay Aquarium have announced the launch of SeaChange® IGNITE, a collaboration to advance new sustainability initiatives and improvements throughout the supply chain and further contribute to Thai Union’s SeaChange® sustainability strategy.

The combined commitment for the initiative is USD $73 million through 2025, with a focus on improvements in Southeast Asia and other key seafood producing regions.

SeaChange® IGNITE will also work with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace to engage governments, industry and stakeholders to advance comprehensive approaches for sustainable development.

The collaboration was announced at the fifth Our Ocean Conference held in Bali, Indonesia, by Thai Union’s global director for sustainable development Dr. Darian McBain, visiting distinguished statesmen at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, and Monterey Bay Aquarium Executive Director Julie Packard.

“Thai Union is very excited to work with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Monterey Bay Aquarium on this important new sustainability initiative—this is a great example of how collaboration among key stakeholders can effectively address the sustainable development challenges in modern supply chains,” said Dr. McBain. “Thai Union positions sustainability at the heart of our business, and SeaChange® IGNITE represents the next step toward further ensuring the food on consumers’ plates meets the highest quality and sustainability standards.”

SeaChange® IGNITE aims to vertically integrate improvements throughout the supply chain while delivering sustainable products to the North American market. SeaChange® IGNITE will support advances necessary for sustainability, including direct economic incentives to producers, improvement projects and engagement throughout the supply chain.

The collaboration will focus initially on blue swimming crab and farmed shrimp, and address key challenges, such as data collection, market development, livelihoods and verified sustainability improvements toward Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Good Alternative and Best Choiceratings. In turn, this will provide new opportunities to supply sustainable products to the North American market.

The collaboration brings Thai Union‘s Chicken of the Sea Frozen Foods and Chicken of the Sea International together with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program, a leading expert on science-based sustainability ratings and advice to guide improvement strategies. In addition, SeaChange® IGNITE will engage governments, industry and other stakeholders through the Southeast Asia Fisheries and Aquaculture Initiative and other forums to enhance new, comprehensive approaches for sustainable development.

“For nearly 20 years, Monterey Bay Aquarium has worked to move global seafood production in a more sustainable direction,” said Aquarium Executive Director Julie Packard. “This commitment is an important first step in accelerating sustainability in fisheries and aquaculture in Southeast Asia and will serve as a model for engagement for NGOs, governments and seafood producers.”

In 2017, Secretary Kerry launched the Southeast Asia Fisheries and Aquaculture Initiative, a partnership between the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Monterey Bay Aquarium to advance sustainable development in the region. In March, the initiative convened major private sector leaders at the North America Seafood Expo and encouraged new collaborations to address key sustainability challenges in Southeast Asia. Today’s announcement represents a major private sector commitment to engage industry and governments to advance sustainable fisheries and aquaculture.

“Private sector leadership, engagement and collaboration is critical to secure changes through the supply chain and on the water,” said Secretary Kerry. “I’m pleased to support this important new commitment and bring industry, governments and stakeholders together to drive comprehensive solutions for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in Southeast Asia.”