Series: Interview with the Champion on the Road to Promoting Sustainable Seafood, JCCU Edition - Part 2

We spoke to Matsumoto Satoshi, Staff Director (Sustainability Strategy) of the First Product Division at Japanese Consumers' Co-operative Union, who is working on the "Indonesia Sulawesi Shrimp Farming Improvement Project," which was crowned the inaugural winner in the collaboration category of the first Japan Sustainable Seafood Awards. He told us what motivated him to apply for the award and what the future holds for the project.

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I want to promote the sustainable seafood movement.

Hanaoka:As the project progressed, why did you decide to apply last year?

Matsumoto:We want to boost the movement itself, and we thought it would also be good to be able to report to the judges the current progress of the co-op's efforts.

Hanaoka:Has anything changed around you since you became champion?

Matsumoto:We received congratulatory messages from our business partners, and we are extremely grateful that this has become an opportunity for the efforts of the Japanese Consumers' Co-op Union to receive social recognition. We also believe it was good for the staff involved in this project and ethical consumption efforts in various ways to receive this recognition.

Although the Japanese Consumers' Co-op has received awards in the past for its efforts in the environment and SDGs, this is the first time we have received an award in the fisheries category, so I take it very positively. I also feel that it has made my job easier.

Hanaoka:I see. You have been working on many other projects besides this one, but have you noticed any changes in consumer awareness?

Matsumoto:Frankly speaking, we have not yet reached the point where certified products are actively chosen. It is still different from the UK and Germany, where many seafood products on sale are certified, but I think it will take time for awareness to increase. According to a member monitor survey conducted by the Japan Consumers' Co-op Union, the number of members who have seen the MSC-certified logo or purchased MSC-certified products has doubled in the past three years. We hope that using certified products will serve as a catalyst for people to become interested in the product. The project is being introduced in the newsletters and catalogs of not only the Japan Consumers' Co-op Union but also member co-ops.

Every year since 2017, the Co-op has produced a booklet called "Coop's Ethical" for its staff, employees, and members. The 2020 edition introduces the project and notes that donations (contributions) from the use of its products last year amounted to nearly 900 million yen.

Hanaoka:That's an incredible amount, and it was all raised through donations alone.

Matsumoto:That's right, so that means that just under 300 million Black Tiger products eligible for donations are used each year.

We will not stop moving forward even under the coronavirus pandemic

Hanaoka:How will this project develop from now on?

Matsumoto:The project period is until June next year, so we will be checking the progress and issues toward obtaining the target ASC certification. By working on the project, we also found out that there are issues with employment relations and land rights in the production area. Currently, activities are restricted due to the spread of the coronavirus infection, and progress is not as expected as initially expected. In addition, after the end of this project, we are considering expanding the project while taking advantage of the lessons learned and experience from this project.

Hanaoka:The COVID-19 pandemic has increased social demand for delivery services, and your organization has made a major contribution to this. On the other hand, the COVID-19 pandemic has created many problems, forcing every organization to choose its priorities. In your case, do you think that SDGs initiatives will be even more important from now on and will you raise their priority, or will you lower them because you feel that it is not the time for them? What are your thoughts on this?

Matsumoto:Although we are still in the midst of the COVID-2018 pandemic, the Japan Consumers' Co-op Union launched the "COOP SDGs Action Declaration" was adopted at the 68th Ordinary General Meeting, and at this year's General Meeting, "Japan's Co-ops' Vision for 2030In line with this trend, we have established the "Japan Consumers' Co-operative Union Mid-term Policy for SDG Initiatives 2020-22" and have also created an action plan, so our commitment to working hard towards the goal remains unchanged.

The implementation plan also includes the "Indonesia Sulawesi Island Shrimp Farming Improvement Project." At the same time, we believe it is important to carefully promote communication with our member co-ops and co-op members (consumers) regarding these issues.

Hanaoka:As I listened to them, I got the impression that it was their attitude of taking the issue personally and aiming to solve it, and valuing communication with multiple stakeholders to achieve that goal, that led Indonesian producers to take action first, and to take the step of realizing that this was an important issue and consulting with WWF Indonesia.

Matsumoto:Before the project was even discussed, BOMAR had come to Japan to speak at co-op member gatherings and held tasting events on several occasions. I think they felt that co-ops value the connection between producers and consumers, and that they take great care of their products. I think that because of this experience, they were receptive to the proposal from the Japan Co-op Union to try for ASC certification.

Hanaoka:The length, opacity, and fragility of global supply chains, as well as fundamental problems caused by the lack of coordination between the economy and the environment, and between consumer behavior and natural capital, have become increasingly apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic. I believe that your approach will provide a clue to solving these problems.

Matsumoto:Considering future social changes, I think we will need to think more deeply about how we approach product procurement. If we don't think carefully about how we can improve overall and move in the direction of sustainability, it may become difficult to continue our business.

Hanaoka:Finally, please give us some advice or a message for those who will be applying for the award.

Matsumoto:I think the reason we were recognized with this award is because we have involved various stakeholders in our efforts. In collaboration with the NGO WWF, BOMAR procures the raw material black tiger prawns and manufactures the products, the Japan Consumers' Co-operative Union imports the products and supplies them to its member co-operatives, local consumer co-operatives sell the products to the consumer co-operative members, and the consumer co-operative members (consumers) who use the products. Each of these people is involved in the project in their own way.

There is only so much that one business can do, so I think it will continue to be important to cooperate with stakeholders in as many different ways as possible to expand our efforts, or to think about areas where we can pursue things more deeply together. I would like to continue to value collaboration with stakeholders and communication with consumers, not just with this project.

Hanaoka:Thank you, Matsumoto-san!

*This article is reprinted from Seafood Legacy Co., Ltd.'s blog.