Seattle Fish Co. 2021-2025 Sustainability Commitment
Why Sustainability Matters…
The United Nations estimates that by 2050 the world will need twice the current amount of available protein to feed the planet’s population. With no ability to increase the amount of cultivated land, this will be virtually impossible unless we dramatically change where we source our protein. Food insecurity would have major consequences for the entire planet – healthy bodies and minds depend on it.
Seattle Fish Co. believes that fish is the future. Seventy percent of the Earth’s surface is water, yet less than seven percent of protein for human consumption comes from it. Compared to other proteins, seafood is a more sustainable food source. Seafood more efficiently converts food into weight, has less impact on our environment, and is less dependent on water usage.
Responsible fishing and aquaculture present an opportunity to provide our communities with a healthy protein while being conscious of our impact on the environment.
We must be responsible and intentional in how we catch and grow our fish and seafood. This means being mindful not only of how much fish we produce, but also how it is caught, farmed, and the impact it may have on the environment or future generations.
1) Assess the sustainability of the product we procure and share this data with our customers, stakeholders, and community through the Seattle Fish Co. Eco Score Program.
The Seattle Fish Co. Eco Score Program uses a sustainable scoring system that provides data on all of our products and allows our customers to make informed purchasing decisions. We will partner with fellow industry thought leaders and seafood champions to further our reach of this program and continue to grow sustainable seafood consumption.
2) Shift procurement of our products to more sustainable and environmentally responsible products, as well as eliminate products that are critically unsustainable.
By 2025, Seattle Fish Co. will achieve a score of 7.00 on the Seattle Fish Co. Eco Score Program and focus on prioritizing purchases of product that meets or exceeds our sustainability standards.
3) Foster continual improvement efforts in our industry by actively supporting Fishery Improvement Projects (FIP’s) and Aquaculture Improvement Projects (AIP’s), as well as participate on industry boards.
Seattle Fish will support FIP’s / AIP’s and develop a mechanism to promote that participation to our customers and stakeholders. We will also participate on at least two industry boards that are dedicated to significant, positive change in the seafood industry.
4) We commit to implementing the Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability (GDST) guidelines by 2030.
Seattle Fish, in partnership with Sea Pact, has committed to implement GDST guidelines for all seafood products to help put a global standard to traceability and sustainability audits and streamline reporting.
5) Create an ongoing series of workshops and events for employees and other stakeholders to provide education about issues and opportunities regarding sustainability.
Seattle Fish will host educational workshops and training for our customers, employees, and other stakeholders to cultivate an appreciation for sustainable fishing practices and seafood as a healthy, sustainable food source.
SUSTAINABILITY PARTNERS
SUSTAINABILITY AWARDS & RECOGNITION
SeafoodSource Top 25 Most Sustainable Companies (Winner, 2020)
Seattle Fish Co. was honored to be selected as one of the Top 25 Most Sustainable Seafood Companies of 2020 by SeafoodSource. The Top 25 list was selected through a rigorous nomination process and judged by a panel of industry experts, and consists of North American seafood suppliers making strides in the realm of sustainability and conservation – and influencing others along the way.
Colorado Environmental Leadership Program (Gold Leader, 2020)
The Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) is Colorado’s statewide environmental recognition and reward program consisting of members that voluntarily go beyond compliance with state and federal regulations and are committed to continual environmental improvement. As a Gold level member (the highest available), Seattle Fish Co. has a fully-operational, facility-specific Environmental Management System (EMS) and must meet beyond-compliance compliance requirements.
Certifiably Green Denver Business (2020)
Certifiably Green Denver (CGD) is a program managed by the Denver Department of Environmental Health to provide education and recognition to businesses for exemplary environmental achievement. This voluntary and nonregulatory program provides free educational outreach and technical assistance on a variety of environmental issues. The primary goals of the program are to increase participation and adoption of sustainable practices to minimize use of hazardous materials, improve energy efficiency and water conservation, and decrease the use of resources and generation of waste.