CP Foods Commits on Non-Violation of Human Rights in All Forms

C
haroen Pokphand Foods PCL (CP Foods) has conducted Human Rights Due Diligence Process to analyze and assess risks and impacts on human rights across business activities. It is the company’s strong commitment to journey towards sustainable development on labour rights across its entire group and supply chains which are always under surveillance to ensure good practices.

Mr. Parisotat Punnaphum, Executive Vice President – Human Resource Development of CP Foods, said the company has much concerned about slavery and human trafficking which is a significant global human rights issue. It also has stood firm in combatting all forms of slavery and human trafficking by preventing, mitigating, and solving any grave violations.

In 2019, CP Foods had conducted the Human Rights Due Diligence Process. The salient human rights issues as a result of the assessment are working conditions, health and safety of employees, community health and safety, data privacy, use of illegal labour (child labour, forced labour and illegal migrant workers) in supply chain, sub-contractors & suppliers’ health and safety and community safety & standard of living in supply chain.

Mr. Parisotat Punnaphum
Mr. Parisotat Punnaphum

Mr. Parisotat added that once those risks had been assessed, the company would closely monitor them and they would be managed and mitigated systematically. Moreover, the Human Rights Due Diligence Process has been regularly conducted every three years.

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In October 2019, the company has been ranked as the 3rd best company in the overall scored by Seafood Stewardship Index (SSI), reflecting strong performance in most of the sustainability areas. In addition, the company got the highest scores in the areas of Stewardship of the Supply Chain and Human Rights as well as working conditions. This showed transparency and sustainable development in the company’s operation.

“CP Foods adheres to all forms of transparent approaches to ensure human rights fundamental, standard and welfare are met,” noted Mr. Parisotat, adding that the company also associates with international labour institutions and civil society organisations, such as International Labour Organisation (ILO).

The company is committed to continuously supporting the drive to transform Thailand’s seafood industry, in order to achieve responsible sourcing of fishmeal which is a raw material for shrimp feed. In this mission, the company’s aquaculture business has collaborated with both national and international groups, including Thai Sustainable Fisheries Roundtable (TSFR), Seafood Task Force (STF), The Fishermen Life Enhancement Centre (FLEC), Seafood Business of Ocean Stewardship (SeaBOS), Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability (GDST) and Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI).

He added that the company continued to focus on human rights issues in the supply chain by providing training for business partners and encouraging its suppliers to adopt a similar stance under Thailand’s labour laws and international standards requirement.

Moreover, the company also teamed up with Thailand’s Department of Labour Protection and Welfare under “Joint Development Project for Suppliers to Achieve Thai Labour Standard” framework. The project aims to improve labour practice of its suppliers to ensure traceability and sustainability. It also designs to upgrade workers’ living standards as well as fair treatment of all labour in Thailand.

“We try to strengthen competitiveness and win-win partnership with our suppliers, particularly medium suppliers and raw material traders in the supply chains including corn, cassava, palm oil, rice products and fish meal by promoting them to operate business legally, and responsibly, in line with labour rights protection and international principles,” Mr. Parisotat stressed.

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CP Foods is obliged to responsible sourcing and traceability of key raw materials to achieve sustainable production. The policy has been implemented in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC).

The company has engaged with the Labour Rights Promotion Network Foundation (LPN). CP Foods’ workers can voice their concerns through the Labour Voice Hotline jointly developed with LPN. As a neutral party, workers are more freely to express their concerns and opinions recommendation and complaints.

“With the Labour Voice Hotline, it helps the company to promote labour protection and workers’ better quality of life and tackle any risks of human trafficking and forced labour,” said Mr. Parisotat.