{"id":1182,"date":"2017-06-02T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-06-01T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/master.k8s.p4.greenpeace.org\/southeastasia\/press\/1182\/nearly-700000-people-call-on-thai-union-for-more-sustainable-ethical-tuna\/"},"modified":"2024-05-28T16:17:39","modified_gmt":"2024-05-28T09:17:39","slug":"nearly-700000-people-call-on-thai-union-for-more-sustainable-ethical-tuna","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/southeastasia\/press\/1182\/nearly-700000-people-call-on-thai-union-for-more-sustainable-ethical-tuna\/","title":{"rendered":"Nearly 700,000 people call on Thai Union for more sustainable, ethical tuna"},"content":{"rendered":"
Bangkok- Greenpeace Southeast Asia activists gathered at Thai Union headquarters today, delivering petition signatures representing over 680,000 people calling on the company to step forward as a leader for more sustainable and socially responsible tuna.<\/div>\n
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\u201cActivists and consumers have pushed for progress from Thai Union and its brands for years, and now is the time for the company to step forward and commit to real changes,\u201d said Greenpeace Global Seafood Markets Project Leader Graham Forbes. \u201cWe are delivering these petition signatures on behalf of people around the world who demand action. Thai Union can be the company to help move the destructive tuna industry in a better direction.\u201d<\/p>\n

To draw public attention to the issue, 20 activists, representing petition signatories in over 130 countries and territories, dressed up in tuna costumes and ran almost 4 kilometers from the National Stadium of Thailand in Central Bangkok to Thai Union\u2019s headquarters to symbolically \u201cpass the torch\u201d for the company to make changes that would help protect workers at sea, and reduce overfishing, illegal fishing and the negative impacts on marine life from destructive fishing practices.<\/p>\n

The relay run represented the journey consumers and activists from around the globe have taken in urging the seafood giant to commit to positive changes for our oceans and workers at sea.<\/p>\n

Greenpeace activists met with Dr. Darian McBain, Group Director of Sustainable Development for Thai Union.<\/p>\n

\u201cFollowing almost two years of Greenpeace campaigning, we\u2019re urging Thai Union to utilize more sustainable fishing methods rather than destructive ones to help curb rampant overfishing and the needless killing of vulnerable marine life in the tuna industry,\u201d said Anchalee Pipattanawattanakul, Oceans campaigner for Greenpeace Southeast Asia.<\/p>\n

\u201cThai Union must do more to eliminate the risk of human rights and labor abuses in its supply chains by addressing problematic practices like transshipment at sea, which enables vessels to stay at sea for months or years at a time, keeping workers away from watchful eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Greenpeace\u2019s global campaign against Thai Union focuses on addressing the company\u2019s reliance on destructive fishing practices<\/a>and improving conditions for workers<\/a> in its global supply chains. Greenpeace\u2019s proposed changes to the company\u2019s sourcing policies and practices would push Thai Union beyond the industry status quo and towards real and meaningful changes for marine life and seafood industry workers. Greenpeace\u2019s Thai Union campaign is part of a larger multi-year effort to transform the tuna industry and ensure the long-term health of tuna stocks, other marine life, and ocean ecosystems.<\/p>\n

In March, industry giants Mars and Nestl\u00e9 announced that they will take steps to ensure their pet food supply chains are free of human rights abuses and illegally caught seafood<\/a>, increasing pressure on Thai Union. The tuna company owns brands such as Chicken of the Sea, Petit Navire, Sealect, and John West in countries around the world.<\/p>\n

Notes to editors:<\/strong><\/p>\n

For photos from the petition delivery, please go to: http:\/\/media.greenpeace.org\/shoot\/27MZIFJJZLV0H<\/a><\/p>\n

Media contacts:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Anchalee Pipattanawattanakul, Oceans Campaigner, Greenpeace Southeast Asia, Tel: +6691 770 3521, Email: apipatta@greenpeace.org<\/a>