December 29, 2015
Sanctions' not the way to deal with slavery in seafood sector: Mazzetta CEO
Allegations of labour abuses, human trafficking and slavery have rocked the seafood industry - specifically that of Thailand - this year. Associated Press intensified the spotlight, with a December report bluntly titled, "Global Supermarkets Selling Shrimp Peeled by Slaves".
US grocery chains, seafood distributors and brands were implicated in the course of investigation, leading to calls for US sanctions and a boycott of Thailand's shrimps by consumers in the States.
Such measures, however, represents the "wrong approach", said Tom Mazzetta, the CEO of US shrimp and seafood importer, Mazzetta Company, in a letter.
Mazetta drew parallels of the situation with labour violations supposedly committed by Apple, concerning its iPhone production in China, and cited by the UN last February.
"In response, we didn't see many calls for sanctions against China or a boycott of Apple products," he remarked. The way forward, Mazzetta opined, is steadfast commitment to a solid supply chain as well as realising corporate responsibility.
Consumers' buying decisions are what ultimately influence industry practices and expectations, he added.
"It's my belief that the manner in which (corporations) respond to challenges is a more accurate barometer for consumers committed to purchasing from responsible brands," Mazzetta said.
Although Mazzetta Company and its suppliers were not mentioned in the AP report, it was once aware that a Thai shrimp supplier had subcontracted parts of its processing to external "peeling shed", a disparaging reference to the use of manual labour to process shrimps.
"These facilities exist outside of the primary processing facilities and therefore are not subject to the audits and quality controls that we require from all of our overseas suppliers," Mazzetta explained. "We were extremely disappointed to learn of this and took immediate steps to end this practice."
The CEO also mentioned that Mazzetta's efforts to end forced labour in seafood supply chains had been recognised by the US State Department, and customer's loyalty helped to validate the company's commitment to corporate responsibility and drive industry best practices.
"Philosophically, our products have always been as much about the people involved, and the means by which they reach the marketplace, as the products themselves," Mazzetta said.