Blumar salmon processing plant. (Photo: Blumar)
Blumar presents its first Sustainability Report
CHILE
Saturday, August 19, 2017, 03:20 (GMT + 9)
With the publication of its first Sustainability Report, which includes salmon farming and fishing activities, Blumar Seafoods has become the first Chilean company in this sector to provide information on its economic, social and environmental performance.
The report focuses on the issues having greatest relevance to Blumar, the fishery and salmon area and for its stakeholders, determined according to the guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) in its G4 version, which makes it possible to release comparable indicators at national and international levels.
Among the issues addressed by Blumar's First Sustainability Report is its relation with SME suppliers (small and medium-sized enterprises). In this regard, it highlights ProPyme Seal has been obtained, granted by the Undersecretariat of Economy and Small Size Companies, which recognizes its commitment to pay the invoices issued by its small and medium suppliers within a maximum period of 30 days.
According to Blumar, this seal becomes a guarantee to improve the conditions of smaller firms, and is a sign of the company's commitment to achieve a better linkage with its different stakeholders, as is the case of the Sustainability Strategy.
In addition, the report outlines fish health efforts and reduced use of antibiotics for aquaculture. And in environmental matters, it consolidates emissions from operations, energy efficiency and waste management.
"The year 2016 was a milestone for Blumar in terms of Sustainability as we embarked on the challenge of reporting to our stakeholders on our performance in the economic, social and environmental areas. This effort is materialized in our first Sustainability Report, an exercise of transparency that reports the work that we have been doing for several years in terms of sustainable management," pointed out Pablo Santa Cruz Negri, chairperson of Blumar's board.
Gerardo Balbontín, general manager of the company, said that during 2016 they made great progress in developing the company's strategy, overcoming negative environmental effects and also taking advantage of the opportunities presented to them.
"Our activity is permanently exposed to the challenges imposed by nature. This rigour was strongly felt during 2016 in our main business areas, with the significant decrease in sardine and anchovy fishing in the Biobío and Atacama regions, attributed to oceanographic phenomena, and the abnormal harmful microalgae bloom, which occurred at the beginning of that year in the south of the country. This caused a great mortality of salmon, and affected one of our farming centres in the Tenth Region," explained the executive.
He also noted that in 2016 they were recipients of important acknowledgements, among which he mentioned the 2016 Environmental Heritage Recovery Award, for its environmental initiatives to benefit the population. In the area of occupational health and safety, he mentioned the acknowledgment that Mutual granted to Blumar and Salmones Blumar SA for having achieved a remarkable result in the development of its Competitive Company Program (PEC), implemented among its adherent companies as a tool for risk prevention, and health care and professional safety.
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