In 2022, following expert guidance from FishWise, SeaChoice updated a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) of the Seafood Progress Scoring Methodology for grocers and brands to include tracing data on the existence of an independent trade union or representative worker organization. This change in the scoring methodology prompted engagement from brands and grocers – raising awareness and educating about the importance of supporting freedom of association and collective bargaining all the way up the supply chain.
Traceability and the collection of Key Data Elements (KDEs) in the context of social responsibility is an evolving topic. While traceability and KDEs have been used extensively in assessing environmental and food safety issues, industry is only just beginning to utilize these tools to address human and labor rights issues in supply chains. But determining how to effectively leverage traceability to promote decent work in the seafood sector is tricky.
KDEs such as wages, rest hours, grievance mechanisms, and recruitment agency fees can help inform an assessment of the level of risk in a given supply chain. However, verifying the accuracy of this information is challenging; the only way to validate it is to ask workers directly, which can be difficult for end-buyers to do, especially in a way that protects worker confidentiality and safety.
Research led by the Seafood Alliance for Legality and Traceability (SALT) found that, given the challenges around verification and validating information with workers, two labor-specific KDEs are essential to understanding risk to workers. These KDEs are:
(1) Existence of an independent trade union or representative worker organization
(2) Name of the union or worker organization.
As companies design and implement traceability policies, it is essential that they include these KDEs to inform their understanding of human and labor rights risks in their supply chains.
The seafood industry at large is leaning farther into worker-led and worker-driven approaches to social responsibility. One of the best examples of the seafood industry moving towards incorporating worker-driven models of social responsibility in supply chains is that of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the Fair Food Program (FFP). The two announced collaboration to explore implementation of the Worker-driven Social Responsibility (WSR) model in the UK fishing industry.
Brands and retailers have a role to play in meaningfully elevating and incorporating worker voice by exerting pressure to support freedom of association and collective bargaining all the way up the supply chain. The industry needs transparency and traceability in support of these positive changes. By relying on thoughtful and measurable indicators, SeaChoice is moving the industry forward into more socially responsible practices.
Check out FishWise’s case study on SeaChoice for more details.
