Procurement Policy

A procurement policy refers to the basic thinking and direction a company's purchasing activities (procurement) should aim for.

Procurement is a necessary task not only in the seafood industry but also in all companies that manufacture and sell goods, including manufacturing and retail industries, and the procurement policy forms the foundation for this.

Companies must not only achieve the SDGs but also reduce environmental destruction and human rights violations, and a procurement policy serves as a unified standard of judgment for companies and an objective evaluation standard for external organizations. By formulating a procurement policy, companies can gain the following benefits:
・Reducing the risk of contributing to environmental destruction and human rights violations
・Expand sales channels in markets that value the formulation, publication, and implementation of procurement policies
・Business stability due to the above two factors

Sustainable SeafoodRegarding this, policies are also being formulated by mid- to downstream companies in the supply chain, as well as in the food and beverage and hospitality industries (as of February 2022).

Example: Ion
"Sustainable Procurement Policy and 2020 Goals'
・Aiming for 100% of Aeon Co., Ltd.'s consolidated general merchandise and supermarket companies to obtain MSC and ASC distribution and processing certification (CoC)
Offering sustainable private label brands for all major fish species

Example: Japanese Consumers' Co-operative Union
"Coop product goals for 2030'
For specified products and fresh seafood that use seafood as the main ingredient, we will focus on expanding MSC/ASC certified products, and aim to have the supply value composition ratio of products certified under GSSI-approved certification schemes be 50% or more.

Example:Hilton
Eliminate procurement of endangered species
- At least 2022% of seafood procurement volume will come from MSC or ASC certified suppliers by the end of 25
For other seafood (75%), promote sourcing from suppliers on the WWF Green List or working on certification and improvement projects (FIP/AIP).

When formulating a procurement policy, it is important to determine the goals you want to achieve, set deadlines, and publicly announce and check your progress. FishChoice, a North American NGO that supports companies in procuring sustainable seafood,Template for formulating procurement policyis also published.