The role of corporate social responsibility in creating a Seussian world of seafood sustainability

Abstract

Approaches to counter the overfishing and aquaculture production crisis include those imposed by public governing bodies, as well as those implemented by businesses and non‐governmental organizations (NGOs). In the case of the latter, private actors govern fisheries consumption and production through corporate social responsibility (CSR). In this contribution, we focus on three key tools that businesses are increasingly turning towards in an effort to meet the one particular CSR goal of sustainable seafood sourcing. In this context, the key tools of certifications, fisheries improvement projects (FIPs) and traceability are reviewed, and their potential as well as limits in contributing to continual improvement in pursuit of global seafood sustainability are analyzed. We argue that seafood CSR has created its own whimsical and fantastical world, a Seussian world, in which company image has become more important than sustainability performance. We posit four important barriers that must be overcome to bring seafood CSR back to reality. Specifically, we suggest moving away from the business case for CSR, reducing accessibility barriers for small‐scale and developing world fisheries, reconciling different labels and sustainability concepts, and better recognizing the imperative role of the state in governing fisheries and seafood.

Key attributes related to fishery improvement project (FIP) effectiveness in promoting improvements towards sustainability

“…The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by the United Nations in 2015 identifies 17 goals for our planet, including the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources (Sustainable Development Goal 14; United Nations General Assembly, ). Fishery certification and eco‐label programme, which reward sustainably managed fisheries with market recognition and provide benefits such as price premiums and market access (Agnew, Gutiérrez, Stern‐Pirlot, & Hoggarth, ; Bailey, Packer, Schiller, Tlusty, & Swartz, ; Roheim, Asche, & Insignares Santos, ), are one tool being promoted by the private sector and non‐governmental organizations (NGOs) to advance this goal (e.g. SFP, ).…”

“…SFP, ). These programs create economic incentives for fisheries to operate in line with environmental sustainability standards in order to meet the growing demand for sustainably‐certified seafood products (Bailey et al., ; Ponte, ; Roheim, Bush, Asche, Sanchirico, & Uchida, ).…”

“…12% of the total wild fisheries catch) certified against the MSC fisheries standard (MSC, ). The MSC has also secured sustainable‐sourcing commitments for certified seafood from large retailers across the United States and Europe, two of the largest seafood markets in the world (Bailey et al., ; FAO, ). These sourcing policies have important consequences for actors’ upstream in the seafood production process, such as fishers, processors and exporters, who are compelled to comply with certification requirements or risk losing market access (Bush, Toonen, Oosterveer, & Mol, ).…”

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Practices of the Largest Seafood Suppliers in the Wild Capture Fisheries Sector: From Vision to Action

“…With regards to fisheries sustainability, companies typically claim to give preference to MSC certified and/or Seafood Watch approved fisheries, fisheries in a credible FIP, and fisheries compliant with the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. While relying on private standards to exert supply chain control may seem like a straightforward way to operationalize CSR, there are a number of challenges around compliance, as well as legitimacy of standards developed by western organizations and markets, thus limiting its acceptance in non-western regions [66,67]. For instance, the effectiveness of the MSC standard and FIPs in transforming fisheries management globally has been limited with only 10% of MSC certified fisheries being in the developing world [64,[68][69][70].…”

Social networks and seafood sustainability governance: Exploring the relationship between social capital and the performance of fishery improvement projects

“…Today, the most widely used certification and eco-label standard for environmental sustainability of fisheries is the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) with approximately 12% of worldwide fisheries catch certified (MSC, 2017). Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have succeeded in getting a large of number of retailers and food service companies in North America and Europe to make timebound commitments to sustainable sourcing based on the MSC standard (Bailey, Packer, Schiller, Tlusty, & Swartz, 2018). These commitments have compelled upstream seafood supply chain actors to act in order to maintain market access and meet the growing market demand for sustainable seafood products.…”