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Global Scrutiny: Human Rights Abuses in Seafood Industry Prompt Calls for Action
Recent revelations of human rights abuses within the global seafood industry have sparked urgent calls for industry-wide reform. Data from the Certification and Ratings Collaboration (CRC) unveils distressing findings, indicating evidence of forced labor, child labor, or human trafficking in 65% of countries involved in 98% of seafood production.
Addressing these concerns, industry leaders emphasize the importance of transparency and accountability throughout the supply chain. Companies are urged to assess the risk of purchasing seafood tainted with human rights abuses by scrutinizing the visibility and origins of their supply chains.
As the seafood sector grapples with complex challenges, including poverty levels and competition for low-cost labor, stakeholders emphasize the need for collective action. Legislation increasingly compels businesses to take ownership of human rights risks within their supply chains, recognizing the impossibility of guaranteeing complete risk-free supply chains.
Certification programs emerge as crucial tools in providing assurances about product integrity and authenticity. However, industry experts caution against viewing certification as a sole solution, emphasizing the need for continuous improvement and increased transparency. Efforts to enhance social assurances within certification processes and the adoption of digital traceability systems aim to bolster accountability and combat abuses.
The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) pledges to strengthen its certification scheme, incorporating mechanisms for worker grievance and promoting awareness of human rights among stakeholders. Through collaborative efforts, industry stakeholders strive to drive positive change and eradicate human rights abuses from ASC-certified farms.
In the pursuit of a more ethical seafood industry, stakeholders emphasize the importance of proactive measures, including the empowerment of workers and the promotion of collective bargaining. Transparency remains paramount, with ASC committed to publishing all findings related to investigations of reported incidents on its website.
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