In light of the recent publishing of Kroger’s 2023 Environmental & Social Governance Report, we interviewed Lisa Zwack, Head of Sustainability at Kroger, to reflect on the US retailer’s sustainability journey, their achievements, and plans for the future. Additionally, we learned about Kroger’s Seafood Sustainability Policy and the goals they have already accomplished, as well as the work still to be done. Furthermore, we examine Kroger’s commitment to a nature-positive approach in the seafood sector and how they are addressing the importance of biodiversity preservation as well as seafood traceability in their operations.
Kroger’s recently released 2022 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) report shares positive advancement toward its seafood sustainability commitments developed with guidance from World Wildlife Fund (WWF). At Kroger, business ownership, clearly defined supplier expectations, support for the Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) model, and advocacy efforts have enabled Kroger’s steady progress.
Building on a decade-long partnership with WWF to drive more sustainable seafood sourcing, Kroger is restating their commitment to increasing seafood sustainability by launching a new, more comprehensive Seafood Sustainability Policy. As the nation’s largest grocer and a leading purchaser of seafood, Kroger’s new policy has the potential to drive even greater impact on wild-caught and farmed seafood systems.
Building on progress achieved on its 2020 seafood sustainability goals, Kroger reaffirms their leadership in the sector by extending commitments to source more sustainable and responsible seafood, including shelf-stable tuna. Their aspiration is to source 100% of the seafood in their fresh and frozen departments from fisheries and farms.
Three years into Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification, The Bahamas lobster fishery reports greater resilience, increased local awareness, and reinforced collaboration. The fishery continues to harness the benefits of this important milestone to help preserve its classic turquoise coastline, thriving corals and seagrasses, and colorful marine species that are the staples of this paradisiac Caribbean archipelago.
“Despite the pandemic hardship, the fishery was able to maintain its international markets and continue to support well-needed livelihoods for the fishing community”, explains Mia Isaacs, President of The Bahamas Marine Exporters Association (BMEA) which holds the MSC certificate and is a key actor in helping the fishery achieve certification. “We can clearly see the positive impact of MSC certification across stakeholders, fishers, and partners that work together more effectively and are more aware of the importance of sustainable fishing practices”, she adds.
Most seafood consumers agree: to protect the health of our oceans, we should only consume seafood that comes from sustainable sources. However, the sustainable choice isn’t always clear. To build customer awareness, Kroger – a family of companies serving over nine million customers every day – launched an in-store campaign to highlight sustainable seafood.
Since 2009, Kroger has partnered with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to guide their sustainable seafood initiative, particularly for wild-caught seafood.
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