Cornelis Vrolijk publishes CSR Report 2019
Following an eventful year overshadowed by COVID-19, we are proud to publish our CSR Report 2019, albeit slightly delayed. The report offers a summary of CSR activities for our pelagic and demersal fishing activities, in line with the policy plans that Cornelis Vrolijk wrote in 2015 and 2017. We also look at some of our subsidiaries.
We live in a fast-changing world in which the transition to a more sustainable food supply is a hot topic. Fish and fish products offer great opportunities because their production needs little to no land or fresh water. The corresponding CO2 footprint is also relatively low compared with other protein-rich products. Fish (especially oily fish) is also very healthy. We believe that the fishing industry has an important role to play in the production of a sustainable food source.
Our sustainability policy has been an integral part of our business since 2013; our Annual CSR reports explain how we put it into practice. For example, working with (fishing) scientists goes without saying for us and in 2019 we tested a new fishing technique to replace pulse trawling gear. This new “water spray” technique, in which fish are scared off the seabed using jets of water, looks very promising but is still in development. Beside innovation in fishing techniques, we are also looking at other sustainable innovations such as the use of hydrogen.
In 2019 we signed a World Oceans Deal with Good Fish. We are working with this NGO on a fly shooting research project to add to the pool of knowledge about this type of fishing. We started to use pingers on our trawlers to prevent dolphins getting into our nets and we undertook research into the development of escape panels for seals.
We are working on a procedure to implement a sustainable procurement policy to guarantee social and environmental sustainability throughout the supply chain. Finally, not only do our people want to enjoy their work, safe and sustainable employment are key considerations for them, now and in the future.
Have we piqued your interest to find out more about our CSR activities in 2019? Then download our annual report here.
