Correspondence
Email sent to Jason Parsons, Commercial Director of Unibond Seafood International Ltd.
The email said: "I’m contacting you in light of our latest investigation which concerns the use of forced labor in China’s food processing industry, and a link we’ve discovered between a company engaged in such practices and your supply chain.
Unibond Seafood International has imported shipments of seafood from a supplier called Qingdao Tianyuan Aquatic Products, based in China. Qingdao Tianyuan has received persons from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China under the state-imposed labor transfer program.
The United Nations, human rights organizations and academic experts agree that since 2018, the Chinese government has systematically subjected Xinjiang’s predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities to forced labor across the country via state-sanctioned employment schemes which use coercive methods in worker enrollment. The U.S. has prohibited the importation of goods produced from state-imposed forced labor.
Does Unibond Seafood International have any comment or statement to make in light of the above information? Please let me know by close of business July 18, 2023."
Jason Parsons replied: "Thank you for your email and I am very surprised to learn of allegations that Qingdao Tianyuan has engaged in the use of forced labor. Any potential breach in the integrity of our supply chain would be considered very serious and as a result of these allegations we have followed up as a matter of urgency. We have therefore contacted the plant who strenuously deny such accusations and have provided us with the attached." The attached statement from Qingdao Tianyuan said: "Our company is concerned that a non-profit organization has recently made a groundless allegation to MSC that our company has illegal forced labor. The MSC orgnization has sent a relevant email to your company, indicating that they cannot take a position on on the veracity of the allegations. In this regard, our company solemnly declares as follows: Our company always strictly abides by the relevant laws and regulations of the People's Republic of China, operates lawfully and honestly, strictly comply with the relevant requirements of MSC CoC standard, and does not have any illegal acts of forced labor."
The Outlaw Ocean Project emailed: "We have evidence that people transferred from Xinjiang are working in Qingdao Tianyuan’s plant. Our evidence includes state media articles as well as video evidence and so is quite strong, so we just wanted to clarify if Qingdao Tianyuan has confirmed to you if there indeed are, or are not, workers at this plant from Xinjiang?"
The Outlaw Ocean Project emailed: "We have a follow-up question on this: Does Unibond provide pollock sourced from Qingdao Tianyuan to Nomad Foods or to Young’s?"
The Outlaw Ocean Project emailed: "Our investigation continues to surface additional questions in relation to your company’s supply chain.
Unibond Seafood International supplies large quantities of white fish, including cod, haddock and pollock, into the US and Europe through its Shandong processing plant, Qingdao UZP Foods Processing Ltd. Our investigation has identified shipments of white fish from Qingdao UZP Foods Processing to Fastnet Fish Ltd, F.W. Bryce Inc., High Liner Foods USA Inc., Southstream Seafood Inc., Aquastar USA Corp., and Gortons Inc., among others. Please could you confirm whether white fish sourced from Qingdao Tianyuan Aquatic has been supplied to any of the aforementioned companies?
In 2019, Unibond Seafood International won a contract to supply UK retailer Sainsbury’s own-brand pollock products. Please could you confirm whether pollock sourced from Qingdao Tianyuan Aquatic has been supplied to Sainsbury’s? I would appreciate it if you could respond to these questions, as well as the previous queries raised in our emails sent July 21 and 31, by close of business August 11, 2023."
Jason Parsons of Unibond replied: "Thank you for your follow up query but I am duty bound by strict confidential contractual terms and unable to share specific details of any of our customers.
Thank you for your continued interest in this matter. Unibond Seafood International remains steadfast in our commitment to sourcing products exclusively from plants that have been thoroughly vetted and approved by renowned international auditing bodies, including Smeta/Sedex, MSC etc. Our commitment to upholding the highest industry standards underscores our unwavering dedication to ethical and responsible supply chain practices.
As mentioned in my previous email, customer confidentiality is an integral consideration for our business and I am unable to openly discuss the business affairs of specific customers, however, I can tell you that we have not supplied any of the companies mentioned on your last email, with product from the Qingdao Tianyuan factory.
Please note that Qingdao Tianyuan accounted for a very minor role in our supply base (approx 1%) and in light of the recent allegations we are currently engaged in discussions with the factory to understand more about this matter."