Progress Through Partnerships: The Bumble Bee Seafood Company Releases its 2022 “Seafood Future” Report

Today, on World Ocean Day, The Bumble Bee Seafood Company issued its 2022 Seafood Future Report. The report highlights the progress made the last 12 months through a variety of strategic partnerships that reflect Bumble Bee’s purpose and ongoing commitment to feeding a growing population by protecting the world’s ocean and the people who rely on it for their livelihoods.

“We look forward to continuing our collaboration with partners, within the industry, and with NGOs to continue to push forward our effort to close the gaps on challenges in ocean sustainability and social impact.”

Progress highlighted in the 2022 Seafood Future report includes:

71% of our seafood supply is now externally recognized as sustainable by a certification system validated by the Global Sustainable Seafood Institute (GSSI), or is moving toward certification by 2025, up from 42% last year.
We extended our partnership with the Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI) to collect lost and abandoned fishing equipment as part of our 5-year, one-million-dollar commitment to Ocean Conservancy.
We partnered with packaging equipment manufacturer R.A. Jones to make an industry-first change to our multipack can product packaging. By eliminating shrink wrap in favor of readily recyclable paperboard cartons, we moved the needle on our total product portfolio recyclable packaging from 96% to 98% – eliminating an estimated 23 million pieces of plastic waste annually.
We are now proud members of The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), as well as active members of the CGF Human Rights Coalition, building their human rights due diligence tools and training programs into our operations.
Together with our parent company FCF CO., LTD. (FCF), we have created a “worker’s voice” grievance program that has now been incorporated into 42% of vessels that supply our tuna. The program provides fishermen the opportunity to anonymously provide feedback to third-party NGOs on their working environment and vessel compliance.
In addition, Bumble Bee is dedicated to supporting the communities and coastal environments in the areas where we operate and beyond. In 2021, we began a partnership with The San Diego Foundation to award local Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) students with academic scholarships on an ongoing basis. Earlier this year, we joined Dole Packaged Foods to support the Sunshine for All Cities® program, which brings healthy foods and educational opportunities to those who lack access. And throughout the past year, Bumble Bee Seafood Company team members have participated in over 20 different coastal and community cleanups around the world, preventing over 11,000 pounds of trash from reaching our ocean.

“We believe in feeding the world and in protecting our ocean, and we know we can’t do the first without also focusing on the second,” said Leslie Hushka, SVP of Global Corporate Social Responsibility, The Bumble Bee Seafood Company. “We look forward to continuing our collaboration with partners, within the industry, and with NGOs to continue to push forward our effort to close the gaps on challenges in ocean sustainability and social impact.”

The Seafood Future Report and more information about the company’s sustainability efforts can be found at https://thebumblebeecompany.com/impact/.