Promoting sustainable fishing - and aquaculture - Carrefour Group
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Promoting
sustainable fishing
and aquaculture
Promoting
sustainable fishing
and aquaculture
Our__ aim
Carrefour introduced its responsible fishing range in 2005. The Group set itself the target of having
50% of all of the fish that it sells under its Carrefour brand (and under national brands at the traditional
fish counter) coming from sustainable fishing practices by the end of 2020.
With this in mind, Carrefour works closely with its producers and other players in the sector on the
following points:
favouring the more abundant species, products certified by MSC as being from sustainable sources
and fishing techniques having the least impact on ecosystems. Carrefour also suspends sales of
endangered species;
supporting the development of responsible aquaculture(1) by promoting best practices (limiting
the use of non-responsible industrial fishing, banning antibiotics, GMO-free feed, for example) and
placing greater emphasis on ASC-certified or organic-certified products;
supporting local sustainable fishing through local partnerships;
giving in-store prominence to a broad range of responsibly sourced seafood products;
promoting the fight against illegal fishing.
Carrefour is committed to supporting its partners in this area. The Group’s action plan here benefits from
regular input from international NGOs, scientific committees and fishery organisations on biodiversity
issues and seafood products. Overfishing is a global problem requiring local responses. Solutions to protect
resources must be adapted to each fishing area and put into practice jointly with local stakeholders.
The approach is therefore being phased in progressively together with country-by-country initiatives.
In order to ensure a responsible supply of seafood and aquaculture products, the Group uses the
following tools:
the Carrefour Quality Lines, selected lines that are traceable back to the boat or farm;
the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) label for responsible aquaculture, which guarantees
respect for the environment, ensures animal well-being and monitors working conditions;
the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) label for sustainable fishing, which guarantees the commitment
of fishermen, abstaining from overfishing and ensuring respect for the marine environment;
the Bio label, which identifies products from environmentally friendly farms;
fishing techniques that do not harm the planet’s biodiversity and which ensure that other species
(such as dolphins and turtles) are not caught accidentally as well. Such techniques include cane
fishing and ones that do not involve aggregating devices;
fishery products that have implemented a robust local improvement project (or FIP: Fisheries Improvement
Project(2)) (except tuna for which the FIPs are not considered enough for a sustainability logo).
(1)Rearing fish and seafood products for commercial purposes. This method is in addition to the various fishing methods and
is used to produce marine products that meet consumer demand without the resources being overexploited.
(2)Multi-stakeholder initiatives that aim to help fisheries evolve towards sustainable modes of operation.
2020 CSR REPORT - June 2021. Verif ied information for the year 2020. 1Promoting
sustainable fishing
and aquaculture
Our objectives
and performancee
__
50% 50%
Our 2020 goal: Our new goal:
of fish sold under the Carrefour brand of all of the fish sold under the Carrefour brand
(and for national brands in the traditional and under national brands to come from
section) will come from sustainable sustainable fishing practices by the end
fishing by the end of 2020. of 2025(3).
PERCENTAGE OF SALES INCLUDING VAT OF OWN-BRAND PRODUCTS
DERIVED FROM SUSTAINABLE FISHING PRACTICES
50%
CSR
OOD
AN F ION
D -3.7%
SIT
TRAN X
INDE
47.5% 43.8%
28.1%
2018 2019 2020 End of 2020
The target of selling 50% of Carrefour branded fish from responsible fishing by the end of 2020 is
not achieved, with a Group total of around 43.8% of responsible products (Carrefour brands and
national brands for fresh products). A slight decrease is observed in 2020 following the extension
of the geographical scope of application compared to 2019.
Following this result, Carrefour is strengthening its action plans and setting a more ambitious target,
extending the approach to all national brand products (fresh and convenience products) : to achieve
50% responsible fishing for Carrefour-branded and national and national brand products by 2025.
Change Target
KPI 2018 2019 2020
(2018/2019)
percentage of sales including VAT of 50% by
own-brand products derived from 28,1 47,5 43.8 3.7 % end of
sustainable fishing practices(1) 2020
percentage of sales including VAT
50% by
of own-brand and national-brand
31 31 33 2% end of
products derived from sustainable
2020
fishing practices(1)
Total sales of Bio, MSC or ASC
certified fishing products 339 403 602 49 % -
(in millions of euros)(2)
(1) Scope: Non-comparable BUs (96.7% of 2020 consolidated sales excl. VAT vs 93.6% of 2019 consolidated sales excl. VAT).
Excluding Romania, Argentina, Taiwan and Poland that were included in 2020. Sustainable fish sales comprise fish certified
as organic, MSC, ASC or from Carrefour Quality Lines, as well as fish sold under other responsible programmes. This ratio
includes: – sales of products audited for all sections of products derived from fishing or aquaculture, – sales of national brand
products for the fresh fish section only.
(2) Scope: Comparable BUs. Excl. RO (96.7% of 2019 consolidated sales excl. VAT).
(3) Scope: unprocessed and relatively unprocessed aquatic animal products – - excluding for out-of-home catering
2020 CSR REPORT - June 2021. Verif ied information for the year 2020. 2Promoting
sustainable fishing
and aquaculture
TOTAL SALES - RESPONSIBLE FISHING/FARMING CONTROLLED
PRODUCTS (INCL.SEAFOOD COUNTER - WITHOUT NAMES)
(IN €M)(1)
620
Total sales - other responsible
72
fishing initiatives - controlled
products (incl. seafood counter -
566 without names)
500 70
258
Total sales - CQL fish/livestock
products
68
58 Total sales - Organic fishing/
205 livestock - controlled products
178 (incl. seafood counter - without
143
46
names)
36 76 Total sales - ASC - controlled
66 products (incl. seafood counter -
245 without names)
151 170
Total sales - MSC - controlled
products (incl. seafood counter -
2018 2019 2020 without names)
(1) Scope: Non-comparable BUs (93.6% of 2019 consolidated sales excl. VAT vs 87.7% of 2018 consolidated sales excl. VAT). Excl.
RO, PL. Sustainable fish sales comprise fish certified as organic, MSC, ASC or from Carrefour Quality Lines, as well as fish
sold under other responsible programmes. This ratio includes:
– sales of products audited for all sections of products derived from fishing or aquaculture,
– national brand products for the fresh fish section only.
2020 CSR REPORT - June 2021. Verif ied information for the year 2020. 3Promoting
sustainable fishing
and aquaculture
Our action
__
plans
Deploying Carrefour Quality Lines
In order to guarantee an ever more responsible supply of fish and aquaculture products, the
Carrefour Group is supported by the development of its Carrefour Quality Lines (CQLs) – products
which are selected and then tracked right up to the vessel and/or the breeding basin. A fully-
fledged agro-ecological laboratory, these product lines adhere to more stringent specifications in
partnership with suppliers.
Below is the list of CQL fishery products currently sold across the Group:
Spain: Vannamei Prawn, meagre, bass, sea bream, octopus, bonito, Atlantic cod, trout
France: ASC-certified Norwegian salmon, MSC-certified cod, ASC-certified Madagascar prawn,
ASC-certified Ecuador prawns, fine fattened oysters / Marennes-Oleron IGP oysters, Brittany /
Cancale / East or West Normandy / Bouzigues oysters, flat oysters, STG Bouchot mussels, PDO
Bouchot mussels from the Bay of Mont-St-Michel, Rope-grown mussels, Rope bass and seam
bream, Corsica Label Rouge meagre, trout, MSC-certified whelk, St Brieux scallops, Normandy
Label Rouge scallops, crab.
Belgium: Smoked omega bass, Vannamei prawn.
Italy: Smoked salmon, Vannamei prawn
Argentina: Patagonian wild prawn.
Brazil: Tilapia
Poland: Vannamei prawn
Romania: Vannamei prawn
Taiwan: Milk Fish
Suspending sales of endangered species
Since 2007, Carrefour has been phasing out sales of endangered species. In France, for example,
several endangered species have now been removed from the counters. These include emperor,
blue ling, shark (except dogfish), sturgeon, forkbeard, pomegranate, grenadier, sabre fish, tusk,
eel, red sea bream and skate.
In 2018, fishing for bass was suspended during spawning season.
Fishing practices with lower environmental impact
Carrefour favours applying the principle of precaution with regard to electric fishing. In 2020,
Carrefour France confirmed its commitment to not selling species fished electrically. This method
has serious consequences on fish stocks and leads to difficulties reproducing, as well as some of
the overfishing which endangers the survival of certain species. All Carrefour France suppliers have
therefore confirmed their compliance with this exclusion for all fish sold in the fresh fish section
and for Carrefour-brand frozen fish.
Carrefour France sells several types of tinned tuna caught using alternative methods, such as line
fishing or methods that do not involve aggregating devices; these selective fishing techniques
have a lower impact and constitute a more responsible alternative for consumers.
Furthermore, the introduction of an «Exceptional product» approach has helped promote more
artisan forms of fishing, identifying products that are derived from small-scale coastal fishing
practices that are in compliance with certain specifications (type of vessel, duration of fishing
operation and product freshness). Sales for this segment have been growing strongly since 2018.
2020 CSR REPORT - June 2021. Verif ied information for the year 2020. 4Promoting
sustainable fishing
and aquaculture
CASE STUDIES: Sustainable fishing in France and Italy
FRANCE: customers in France can choose from a wide range of
sustainably sourced seafood products in stores:
a
t the frozen counter, all Carrefour wild cod and hake is MSC-certified; in 2020,
15% of sales of frozen counter products were for MSC-certified products;
in the canned fish section, specifications for Carrefour’s own-brand canned
tuna stipulate fishing techniques and methods that have a lower impact on the
ecosystem;(4)
a
t the fresh fish counter, a responsible fishing and livestock farming initiative
was deployed across all hypermarkets and supermarkets with a traditional
counter before 2020. These stores sell exclusively MSC-certified cod and ASC-
certified Carrefour Quality Line Norwegian salmon at their fish counters, reared
without GMOs (Promoting
sustainable fishing
and aquaculture
CASE STUDY: More environmentally friendly Carrefour Quality Line trout
in partnership with Bleu-Blanc-Coeur
As part of its ongoing drive to improve the specifications of its CQL products,
Carrefour has been working with an Ardèche producer, a food supplier and the
Bleu-Blanc-Coeur association to sell CQL trout that have been fed on food that
combines reduced environmental impact and increased nutritional value.
In order to promote the sustainability of natural resources, encourage the diversity
of the ingredients making up the trout’s diet and guarantee the nutritional quality
of the filets, Bleu-Blanc-Coeur is taking action to improve the diet of trout. This
involves increasing the diversity of plants, legumes and seeds which are rich in
nutrients such as flax or beans. In addition, the share of industrial fishing normally
used has been reduced and imported soybeans, the main cause of deforestation
worldwide, have been eliminated.
SPONSORSHIP FOCUS: The Carrefour Foundation supports the PELA-Méd
programme
Since 2019, the Carrefour Foundation has been a partner of Planète Mer, an
association founded in 2007, which strives for a sustainable balance between
the marine world and human activity. The association spearheads numerous
initiatives and is now joining forces with the fishermen of the Var region in France
to launch the PELA-Méd programme: Fishermen committed to the future of the
Mediterranean.
This project shines a spotlight on small-scale fishing. Its aim: help fishermen in
the Var region to co-manage fishery resources, improve their knowledge of key
species such as urchins and rock mullet for example, and step up the fight against
poaching, which is a priority.
Planète Mer, in partnership with the Var Departmental Committee for Fisheries and
Marine Livestock (CDPMEM-Var), is supported by the prud’homies’ des pêcheurs,
a long established industrial tribunal made up of fishermen who structure their
fishing activities across the region.
11 members of the tribunal from the region make up the project’s steering
committee. Supported by scientists, managers of protected areas, government
marine services, local authorities and representatives of Planète Mer, the
11 members will help develop a co-management plan to determine and enforce a
sustainable level of exploitation for fish stocks.
PELA-Méd is designed as a “pilot” project to be extended and replicated across
other coastal regions in the future, the aim being to introduce fishing techniques
that do not damage fish stocks or interfere with people’s practices.
More responsible aquaculture
Carrefour works closely with its producers and the industry’s stakeholders to develop more responsible
forms of aquaculture by using farms with good practices. As such, Carrefour:
prohibits the presence of ingredients derived from illegal, unreported or unregulated fishing in
all its Carrefour branded products,
prohibits the presence of GMOs in its Carrefour Quality Line products,
is reducing or even phasing out the use of antibiotic treatments with its Carrefour Quality Line
products,
is actively looking at how farmed fish are fed.
Actions are being implemented to reduce the share of farmed fish feed produced using industrial
fishing techniques(5), which accounts for nearly 20% of the world’s wild marine catch, and is replacing
it with fish trade by-products(6).
(5)Intensive industrial fishing intended to feed the industrial lines with small fish of low commercial value, which will be
transformed into fishmeal and fish oils for animal feed in aquaculture, livestock farming, etc.
(6)In most cases, this involves, after the wholesale purchase of seafood, transforming the fish and other crustaceans so as
to sell a processed finished product
2020 CSR REPORT - June 2021. Verif ied information for the year 2020. 6Promoting
sustainable fishing
and aquaculture
Nowadays, there are many steps involved in transforming this food:
Trials with partner suppliers (CQL salmon) are under way to reduce the share of marine feed derived
from industrial fishing, and also to replace some of the fish oils with algae oils or incorporate
insects into them.
Trials are also under way in France (on the CQL trout line) in order to reduce the use of industrial
fishing practices and to remove palm oil and imported soymeal from the ingredients used to
make the aquaculture feed.
Furthermore, promoting sales of shellfish helps to reduce the impact on marine resources – no
exogenous food is given to the shellfish, which feed exclusively on phytoplankton in the natural
environment.
Vigilance on practices along our supply chain
Carrefour conducts compliance audits on the premises of its direct suppliers and requires the
same level of vigilance from them in relation to their own suppliers. These audits are conducted
in accordance with strict standards (ICS and BSCI) and include major human rights themes. We
therefore make sure that no forced labour or child labour are used, that there are no forms of
harassment or discrimination, and that people work decent hours. These are all checked by auditing
our suppliers on a regular basis and then following up on these audits.
Auditing is not an end in itself, but rather a tool that opens up dialogue and enables a compliance plan
to be implemented so as to bring the supplier’s working practices into line with the requirements.
The European Union’s regulation to end illegal, unreported, and unregulated (INN) fishing requires
“third-party countries” (those outside the European Union) exporting fish to the EU or lending their
flags to vessels that import into the EU to comply with strict fishery management standards. If
these standards are not met, countries can be “carded”, which means that they could eventually
be excluded from the EU market.
In order to combat illegal practices, Carrefour prohibits the use of boats belonging to countries
which have received yellow or red cards from the EU.
FOCUS ON TRACEABILITY: Applying blockchain technology to Carrefour Quality
Line salmon
Carrefour propose à ses clients depuis le 21 janvier 2020, de découvrir l’ensemble
de Since 21 January 2020, Carrefour customers have been able to use blockchain
technology to find out everything about Carrefour Quality Line Norwegian fresh
salmon production. This currently applies to 140 g skinned salmon steaks (available
in packs of two or four), as well as to salmon fillet hearts, the aim being to roll the
technology out to all fresh Carrefour Quality Line salmon.
This Carrefour Quality Line product is underpinned by the expertise of producer
Leroy, which tracks the salmon from the egg right up to the finished product, and
is in line with a responsible approach, bolstered by ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship
Council) certification. Thanks to this close collaboration with Leroy, Carrefour is
expanding its range of seafood products that use blockchain technology, launching
it on one of its flagship fresh fish products – fresh Carrefour Quality Line salmon.
Blockchain technology guarantees consumers complete product traceability.
Consumers can scan a QR code on the label with their smartphones and then
access an interface which will give them a wealth of information about the route
that the product has taken – from where it was farmed right up to when it was
placed on the store shelves.
Consumers can, for example, view GPS coordinates to find out where it was farmed
and learn about the type of aquaculture in which Leroy engages. They can also use
blockchain technology to identify the various stakeholders involved in the whole
product line and find out about their livestock rearing practices and the quality
control practices in use along the entire length of the production process.
This technology has already been used to enable full traceability of other product
categories such as eggs, oranges and fresh milk. It is now being deployed with our
two other salmon producers.
2020 CSR REPORT - June 2021. Verif ied information for the year 2020. 7Promoting
sustainable fishing
and aquaculture
FOCUS ON COVID-19: Carrefour is standing alongside fishermen to support them
during the health crisis
FRANCE: During the current COVID-19 pandemic and in line with
Alexandre Bompard’s desire to help and support SMEs, Carrefour is taking action
to support the French fishing industry. As prices collapse, Carrefour is committing
to purchasing certain volumes at certain prices, so that the fishing industry can
continue to function, and fishermen can be guaranteed pre-pandemic prices.
The Carrefour group is standing alongside several players in the seafood industry,
including the Océalliance group, France’s leading seafood industry player. It is
supporting French fishing by guaranteeing volumes and purchase prices for
around ten major species, including mackerel, sardines, ling and whiting. Half of
the output of the fisheries sector usually goes to catering businesses and their
closure is having a significant impact. Carrefour is keen to provide its support and
give visibility to this sector, which is vital to the French agri-food industry.
ESPAGNE : In December 2020, a preliminary agreement was signed
with the Spanish fishing industry. The aim of this partnership is to eliminate the
uncertainty associated with auction prices by guaranteeing fishermen prices that
will allow their fleet to continue to operate. At the same time, this type of purchase
commitment means that we can sell products at stable prices for our customers.
This preliminary agreement was signed with the Santona association in Cantabria
in order to sell mackerel caught in this port.
This commitment reflects Carrefour’s willingness to support the fishing
sector, which has been hit hard by the Covid-19 crisis. It is the first in a series of
12 agreements, which will be signed throughout 2021.
2020 CSR REPORT - June 2021. Verif ied information for the year 2020. 8Promoting
sustainable fishing
and aquaculture
Our organization
__
GOVERNANCE
A risk and supply committee was set up in 2018. It analyses the risks arising from Carrefour’s
sourcing practices and devises strategies for dealing with them, including a strategy for protecting
marine resources. It draws up and circulates the Group’s purchasing rules. It reports to the
Group Secretary General. This committee brings together the following departments: audit &
risk, CSR, own-brand, merchandise, fresh produce, legal affairs, quality.
The procurement rules are defined in a cross-category manner by the Group and disseminated
for application in all countries. The various departments represented on the risk and procurement
committee are responsible for enforcing the rules in force in the countries in which the Carrefour
Group operates.
The sustainable fishing policy performance indicators are incorporated into the CSR and Transition
Index. This index is given a 25% weighting as a criterion in a long-term executive compensation
plan and a 20% weighting in compensation for the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
PERIMETER
The “Sustainable Fisheries” policy and the purchasing rules apply to all purchases of raw or
minimally processed products containing at least 50% aquatic products (wild or farmed),
Carrefour brand products (fresh, frozen and tin counter) or products sold under any other
brand (only for fish counter).
COLLABORATIONS AND RESPONSIBLE LOBBYING
ACTIVITIES
To learn more about our tuna-specific policy, please refer to our Tuna Policy, found in Act 5 of
Act For Food: https://www.carrefour.com/fr/groupe/la-transition-alimentaire/acte-5-peche-
aquaculture-responsables.
WWF : The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is one of the world’s first independent environmental
organisations working to end damage to the environment and build a future where humans
can live in harmony with nature.
WWF has been one of Carrefour’s partners since 1998 and supports it with
• conducting regular assessments of species at risk,
• developing fishery improvement projects (FIPs)
• developing and evolving the Group’s fishing policies
ISSF : In 2009, leading scientists and the tuna industry launched the International Seafood
Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) based on shared concerns about the future of global tuna
fisheries. The ISSF cooperates with regional fishery management organisations (RFMOs).
As the majority of Carrefour tuna suppliers are members of this foundation, our internal tuna
policy is based on the ISSF’s recommendations. We therefore follow their scientific advice
for assessing stocks, managing transshipments, and training captains on conserving marine
resources (managing by-catch and fish aggregation systems). In addition, we use their
ProActive Vessel Register (PVR) list to select the boats for our supplies.
2020 CSR REPORT - June 2021. Verif ied information for the year 2020. 9Promoting
sustainable fishing
and aquaculture
Marine Stewardship Council (MSC): The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an international
non-profit NGO that fights overfishing through a certification programme and an MSC
label, giving consumers the option to choose to purchase products derived from responsible
fishing initiatives.
Gauging the sustainability of a fishery in accordance with MSC criteria involves looking at
three key areas: the sustainability of fish stocks, minimising the environmental impact and
efficiently managing the fishery. Fisheries meeting these broad criteria are therefore awarded
the certification.
Carrefour has joined the MSC Stakeholder Advisory Council (STAC), which advises the
organisation’s Board of Directors on matters including procedures for verifying compliance
with label requirements. Carrefour’s aim here is to help improve the label’s relevance by
aligning it as closely as possible with consumer expectations.
ASC : The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) is an international non-profit organisation
that establishes a protocol on farmed seafood while ensuring sustainable aquaculture.
The ASC’s mission is to help aquaculture develop such that it involves more environmentally
friendly and socially responsible practices. ASC certification thus implies compliance with
several criteria:
• Preservation of the natural environment and biodiversity.
• Sustainable water and effluent management
• Preserving the diversity of wild species and populations (for example, preventing escapes
that could pose a threat to wild fish).
• Responsible management of animal feeds
• Animal health control (no unnecessary use of antibiotics and chemicals).
• Respect for local populations and social responsibility
Fishing
2020 CSR REPORT - June 2021. Verif ied information for the year 2020. 10You can also read
