A pilot initiative has been launched to help empower workers and drive accountability in the global tuna supply chain, following a wave of heightened criticism towards the sector.
The Workers’ Voice & Greivance Mechanism has been launched by the US-based not-for-profit Seafood Task Force in “direct response” to persistent challenges facing tuna crews.
Humantics, a Hong Kong-based consultancy specialising in supply chain transparency, and Humanity Research Consultancy, which focuses on human rights and labour standards in global supply chains, were selected by STF tuna subgroup members to help implement the programme.
Over an 18-month implementation period, the two consultancies will establish a grievance mechanism on Taiwan-flagged tuna fishing vessels employing Indonesian crew members.
STF said a critical component of the project will involve outreach and training programmes, conducted in workers’ native languages during port calls, to ensure they understand their rights and how to safely access the mechanism.
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The organisation will track performance against key indicators and conduct regular data reporting, culminating in a comprehensive end-term evaluation to inform global scalability.
“This is a crucial workstream for STF and its launch represents an important moment for the tuna industry,” said STF’s executive director Martin Thurley. “Combining our commercial member horsepower with Humantics and HRC expertise, we are establishing a model that can create real, tangible pathways for workers to be heard and protected.
“This is about moving beyond compliance to creating genuine accountability and respect for worker dignity throughout our supply chains.”
This comes following a Financial Times investigation last month which revealed the scale of abuse on some tuna vessels. The report called for fishermen to be able to access their fundamental labour rights, as well as the likes of mandated on-board Wi-Fi so they can contact their families, check pay, and access healthcare services.
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