OXFAM SEAFOOD RESEARCH FINDINGS AND WHAT WE ARE CAMPAIGNING FOR AND WHY

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1 OXFAM SEAFOOD RESEARCH FINDINGS AND WHAT WE ARE CAMPAIGNING FOR AND WHY SEAFOOD ETHICS COMMON LANGUAGE GROUP 11 TH JULY 2018 RACHEL WILSHAW, ETHICAL TRADE MANAGER, OXFAM GB

2 OVERVIEW Research in prawn supply chains Research findings in Indonesia and Thailand Research findings of Coalition on Sustainable & Ethical Seafood Value chain trend analysis basket of 12 foods including prawns Root cause analysis Behind the Barcodes: what we are campaigning for & why Recommendations for supermarkets and others Page 2

3 Samut Sakorn visit January 2017 Visit to Samut Sakorn with Oxfam staff and a researcher. One of the boat s names had been painted over as it had become synonymous with slavery. Page 3

4 RESEARCH FINDINGS IN INDONESIA AND THAILAND Page 4

5 FOCUS ON PROCESSING PLANTS IN INDONESIA AND THAILAND Page 5

6 Women and men have distinct roles in shrimp supply chains Page 6 Oxfam estimates based on a range of sources

7 Despite recent progress, challenges remain: Thailand Food security survey: wages insufficient to guarantee the right to adequate food. Extensive overtime reported as routine. Many reported paying recruitment fees, incurring significant debts. Mandatory pregnancy testing common. Page 7

8 Despite recent progress, challenges remain: Indonesia Workers reported: At one plant, a 2-month training in which wages were well below a minimum wage At one plant, systematic use of 2-month contracts prevents severance pay or access to a trade union Women reported: Unpaid hours in order to hit targets of up to 19kg of shrimp peeled/hour, to earn the minimum wage. Pregnant women either not rehired, or rehired after maternity leave at a training rate. Statutory right to menstruation leave - denied. Page 8

9 Common elements Workers at some plants reported toilet breaks and access to drinking water were strictly controlled. A worker in Thailand reported just 9 toilets available for over 1,000 workers; one in Indonesia that just a couple of drinking glasses were available for hundreds of workers. Some complained of urinary tract infections. Work is exhausting. Verbal abuse by supervisors routine. Many reported having to provide their own safety equipment. Page 9

10 Some of the biggest supermarkets in Europe and the US are implicated 16 supermarkets from Germany, the Netherlands, the UK and the US either confirmed or did not deny to Oxfam that they source or have sourced seafood from one or more of the suppliers at which interviewed workers were employed Page 10

11 Research by CSO Coalition for Ethical and Sustainable Seafood Based on interviews with 300 Burmese and Cambodian nationals on board Thaiflagged vessels operating in Thai waters, 6 provinces, Dec 17-Feb 18. Page 11

12 Contracts Do you recall signing an employment contract? (N=285) Do you possess a copy of your employment contract? (N=265) Page 12

13 Working hours/health & safety Hours of work in a 24-hour period at sea? (N=291) Are crew provided with basic medicines and first-aid supplies by the vessel operator? (N=299) Page 13

14 Do you feel adequately informed about your rights at work? (N=293) Page 14

15 What channels do you have to access information about your labour rights? (N=299) Page 15

16 Voice of workers is still missing Progress has been made on recognition of workers rights - government policy. Progress has been made via private sector initiatives - eg Issara Institute s work to develop channels for worker voice Still a lack of meaningful participation of workers and their representatives eg Seafood Task Force no CSO involvement. Page 16

17 ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS Page 17

18 Longterm decline in export prices for shrimp Price spike in 2014 due to outbreak of EMS disease in Thailand Page 18

19 Trend in share of retail price - seafood From 2000 to 2015, the % value of the final consumer price Declined significantly for processors and traders Indonesia from 43 to 4% Thailand from 44 to 10% Increased significantly for supermarkets Indonesia - from 25 to 41% Thailand from 13 to 40% Makes it harder to provide good quality jobs in the supply chain Page 19

20 Trend in share of value across a basket of 12 products Page 20

21 A key root cause is the link between the increasing power of supermarkets and the corresponding supply of labour vulnerable to exploitation. Page 21

Cruel paradox that the people producing our food are often going without enough to eat themselves.

22 Oxfam s Behind the Barcodes campaign The global food chain is a modern marvel bringing choice and quality at affordable prices to millions of consumers. Cruel paradox that the people producing our food are often going without enough to eat themselves. Calling on supermarkets to use their power for good and that workers and small-scale farmers enjoy their rights and get a fair deal. #BehindTheBarcodes Page 22

23 The sector can do much more to ensure supply chain workers rights are respected Page 23

24 Supermarkets need to Ensure they have good corporate governance in place Know and show the risks for workers rights Publicly disclose first and second tier suppliers Conduct human rights due diligence assessments, aligned with the UNGPs Track and disclose relevant gender-disaggregated data on workers Publish an estimate of the labour share of value in high risk chains Act in their own supply chains Publish supply chain policies aligned with relevant ILO conventions and national labour laws including a gender policy Commit to pay living wages, including publishing the living wage gap and to factor this into price negotiations and contract terms with suppliers Review and publish the company s buyer incentive policy Guarantee regular meaningful engagement with trade unions at all levels Act beyond their own supply chains Advocate for governments to protect freedom of association, ratify ILO conventions and implement strong statutory labour laws Actively participate in credible MSIs which effectively address labour issues, reporting regularly on the role the company plays Page 24

25 Thank you! Page 25

Ethical issues impacting on the UK seafood supply chain

Ethical issues impacting on the UK seafood supply chain World Seafood Congress Monday 7 September 2015 Roger Plant Ethics Consultant The Seafish project: Overview Five month assignment Ethical concerns