CP Foods condemns slavery and human trafficking in fishing industry
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Version 0 of 1. As chairman of Charoen Pokphand (CP) Foods, I want to confirm our position regarding Thai fishing boats supplying fish for the production of fishmeal to the feed mill industry, including CPF (The supermarket slave trail, 11 June). Through our research and development of alternative protein sources, CPF could walk away from fishmeal. However, doing so would shift the problem to the fishing industry, which is mostly comprised of fishermen earning their living in legal ways. The products of the fishing boats involved in human trafficking and slavery will continue to be purchased by other factories, and the issues around slavery will remain unchanged. I believe it is better to work within the system, using our buying power to eradicate slavery in the region and make fishing practices fully sustainable. While others talk about it, we are doing it. I confirm as follows: 1) We condemn all aspects of human trafficking and slavery. 2) Under my instruction, CPF has ceased buying fishmeal from suppliers suspected of obtaining bycatch from fishing boats involved in human trafficking or slavery. CPF will involve independent NGOs to routinely audit the legality of the sources of our suppliers. 3) We will conduct an audit on such suppliers to determine if they have been involved in illegal actions. We will stop purchasing meal from suppliers acquiring raw materials from fishing boats involved in human trafficking or slavery, until they can rectify illicit actions. 4) Even though our only link to the fishing industry is our purchase of fishmeal from independent fishmeal suppliers, which we use as a minor ingredient in our production of shrimp feed, CPF will actively assist the relevant authorities in Thailand to strengthen the law enforcement against human trafficking and slavery involving the supply chain of fishmeal. Under my leadership, CPF is committed to doing the right things and behaving responsibly.Dhanin ChearavanontChairman, Charoen Pokphand Foods, Bangkok, Thailand |