CONTENT: Press Release
PARIS, May 10, 2021 /3BL Media/ – The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative (SSCI) has today opened its social benchmark to the fishing, agriculture and land-based aquaculture sectors with the launch of benchmark requirements for its new At-Sea Operations and Primary Production scopes. The benchmark requirements, which include Social and Scheme Management Criteria, have been developed in close collaboration with the Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI), bringing together the SSCI’s experience in supply chain social compliance and the GSSI’s expertise in the seafood sector, with support from IDH, the Sustainable Trade Initiative.
With the launch of the new benchmark requirements for At-Sea Operations and Primary Production, the SSCI is pleased to welcome third-party social compliance auditing, monitoring and certification schemes covering activities in these two sectors to apply for SSCI benchmarking. This launch opens up
UN leaders urge companies relying on shipping supply chains to undertake urgent measures to protect seafarers’ rights
A wide-ranging human rights checklist has today been issued to business enterprises engaged with the maritime industry to protect seafarers stranded on ships due to new COVID-19 variants and government-imposed travel restrictions, under a joint initiative by the UN Global Compact, the UN Human Rights Office, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
The Human Rights Due Diligence Tool for cargo owners and charterers has been issued amid concerns that the number of crew stranded working beyond their contracts at sea by COVID-19 restrictions could surge from the current level of 200,000, potentially returning to the peak of 400,000 seafarers at the height of the crew change crisis in September 2020. UN agencies hope the new guidance will help ensure that the working conditions and human rights of seafarers are res
Sea rescue: big brands take control list to take crew home Business and Economy News
An estimated 200,000 crew members are stuck in merchant ships around the world in an attempt to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Unilever Plc and other major retail brands include a giant set of tools in an effort to inspect their shipping supply chains, return people stuck in commercial vessels home, and eliminate human rights risks.
The voluntary initiative, which will be launched later this week, calls on companies that place cargo in shipping containers to address the problems caused by the government’s restrictions on crew changes. It is estimated that more than 200,000 crew members around the world are still stuck in ships after their contracts have ended and safety standards accepted worldwide have been exceeded.
World’s Biggest Brands Adopt Checklist to Protect Seafarers
Since the start of the pandemic, some countries have halted or limited seafarer changes to prevent the spread of COVID-19. (Qilai Shen/Bloomberg News)
[Ensure you have all the info you need in these unprecedented times. Subscribe now.]
Unilever Plc and other big retail brands are among consumer giants adopting a toolkit to audit their shipping supply chains in an effort to help bring seafarers stuck on commercial vessels back home and eliminate human rights risks.
The voluntary initiative, which launches later this week, calls on companies that put cargo on shipping containers to address problems stemming from government-imposed restrictions on crew changes. It’s estimated more than 200,000 crew around the world are still stuck on vessels beyond the expiration of their contracts and well past globally accepted safety standards.
Synopsis
Any company that puts any sort of cargo on ships will be encouraged to use the checklist, which includes asking ship owners and those who charter space on vessels to ensure clauses that prevent crew changes aren’t being added to contracts.
iStock
Since the pandemic, some countries and their governments have either stopped or limited access for ships to conduct seafarer changes in a bid to prevent the spread of Covid.
Unilever Plc and other big retail brands are among consumer giants adopting a toolkit to audit their shipping supply chains in an effort to help bring seafarers stuck on commercial vessels back home and eliminate human rights risks.