SEAFOODNEWS.COM — January 29, 2015 — Chicken of the Sea has released its corporate sustainability report to further demonstrate its commitment to operating a socially and environmentally responsible business. The report, which documents 2013 efforts, focuses on four pillars of sustainability and sets measurable goals to be met by 2020.
The four pillars of sustainability include employees, facilities, products and suppliers, and goals were set in key areas: energy, waste, water, health and safety, and supply chain. The report marks the third year Chicken of the Sea has collected comprehensive data on practices throughout the organization and its supply chain.
“Past reports and research have been critical to our understanding of the current and potential global and industry sustainability landscape, and where we stack up in that environment,” said David Roszmann, Chicken of the Sea’s chief operating officer and leader of the company’s sustainability initiatives. “This year, we were able to take our work to the next level by adding specific, measurable goals in areas that matter most. Our vision is to be the first consumer choice in seafood, and to get there, a clear sustainability path focused on continuous improvement is critical.”
Chicken of the Sea’s sustainability goals and progress made in 2013 include:
20 percent reduction in electricity and natural gas use (per standard case) by 2020 – As a result of retrofitting its canning facility for lighting upgrades in high-traffic areas, Chicken of the Sea saw a 4.4 percent decrease in electricity usage in 2013, when adjusted for production. The company plans to use a variety of measures to continue to reduce its usage, such as reducing lighting and HVAC in unused areas and during nonproduction times, installing LED lighting, and working with a consultant to identify additional cost-efficient, energy saving measures for its facilities. Natural gas use increased by 10.2 percent on a production-adjusted basis and is a focus for future efficiency improvements.
30 percent reduction in landfill waste (per standard case) by 2020 – In 2013, Chicken of the Sea experienced a 27.8 percent decrease in the amount of waste it takes to produce a case of product, making significant progress toward its goal. The reduction can be attributed to implementing a new recycling program in its production areas and training employees on recycling and waste minimization practices. The company is putting additional waste reduction initiatives into place in 2015.
15 percent reduction in water use (per standard case) by 2020 – Chicken of the Sea saw a 12.8 percent decrease in the amount of water it takes to produce a standard case of product as a result of water conservation efforts. These efforts included installing new thaw chambers at its Lyons, Georgia canning facility in 2012 and limiting in-process water usage, such as monitoring wash down hoses to prevent wastewater when not in use.
Maintain or reduce safety incidents by 2020 – In 2013, Chicken of the Sea saw a 40 percent lower incident rate than the previous year, experienced only six lost workdays and averaged a 2.5 incident rate compared to the state of Georgia’s 5.4 average safety incident rate. The company continues to find ways to promote a culture of safety throughout its operations to maintain or reduce the number of incidents each year.
Audit 90 percent of seafood procurement spend (on a three-year rolling basis) by 2020 – Chicken of the Sea audited 37 percent of its vendors and suppliers in 2013 as it launched a formal sustainability auditing process. The third-party audits look at its suppliers’ labor and human rights performance, environmental management systems, and overall business practices. Chicken of the Sea will audit additional suppliers each year and re-issue audits every three years.
“While we’ve made good progress, looking ahead, we face very real challenges in several of our key areas. On the environmental front, we must be aggressive about identifying and implementing new technologies and behaviors to improve our energy efficiency. We must also continue to pay close attention to our supply chain and its impacts,” added Roszmann.
The third-party assessment and research for Chicken of the Sea’s sustainability report was led by Strategic Sustainability Consulting.
“For the last three years, Chicken of the Sea has taken a systematic approach to understanding and managing its sustainability impacts,” said Jennifer Woofter, Strategic Sustainability Consulting’s president. “From the ocean to the factory to the consumer, every environmental and social issue is considered. The company’s leadership on sustainability issues is impacting the entire industry, and it’s exciting to see the accomplishments roll out year after year.”
Chicken of the Sea’s full 2013 sustainability report is available for the first time in a Web-based format which will allow the company to address events and updates more easily.
The report is available at Sustainability.ChickenoftheSea.com. The past reports can be viewed at www.ChickenoftheSea.com/Sustainability.
This story originally appeared on SeafoodNews.com, a subscription site. It has been reprinted with permission.