Japan’s seafood giants are changing—is SeaBOS the catalyst?

Launched in 2016, SeaBOS emerged from SRC’s research on “keystone actors” – a small group of globally influential seafood companies that have a disproportionate impact on marine ecosystems and global seafood production. The idea is that these companies – due to their collective size and influence – could promote new norms of stewardship that ripple throughout the entire industry.

Established institution

Almost a decade later, SeaBOS has become an established institution in the seafood industry, bringing together scientists and some of the world’s largest seafood companies while representing over 220,000 employees across 65 countries and accounting for 19 percent of global seafood trade.

Now, Centre associated researcher Shun Kageyama, along with Henrik Österblom, Robert Blasiak and Madlen Sobkowiak from EDHEC Business School in France, have analyzed the Japanese seafood industry to test whether this hypothesis holds true.

“Japan, with high seafood consumption and the most major seafood firms globally, is key for advancing sustainability in the industry,” explains Shun Kageyama. He continues: “Unlike in North America and Europe, consumers are not that active in demanding sustainably sourced products. This allows the industry to play a key role, as seen in the engagement of keystone actors in Japan. This makes it an ideal case for studying how industry leadership can help shape a more sustainable future.”

Inspiring broader change

The study first examines the sustainability reporting of the 17 largest Japanese seafood companies from multiple angles. It explores the impact of the SeaBOS initiative on
these companies, including the three SeaBOS member companies Maruha Nichiro Corporation, Nissui – or Nippon Suisan Kaisha, and Kyokuyo Co. Ltd.

Findings suggest SeaBOS has indeed influenced its member companies by promoting and accelerating their sustainability efforts, positioning them as front-runners in the Japanese seafood industry. There is also evidence that non-member companies are beginning to adopt similar transparency standards, pointing to a potential industry-wide shift inspired by the initiative.

For example, the study refers to a speech at the 2023 Tokyo Sustainable Seafood Summit, where a Nissui representative highlighted increased collaboration among the three largest seafood companies since joining SeaBOS. Industry experts, including the CEO of the social venture Seafood Legacy, suggest this shift is inspiring broader change, with Japanese seafood companies now more willing to share sustainability efforts rather than fear criticism.

More insights to follow

However, the researchers caution against drawing premature conclusions.

“Determining whether SeaBOS has genuinely induced cascading effects and an industry-level transformation poses a significant challenge, as various other factors and initiatives are likely also to influence corporate sustainability,” they note.

Future analyses will require more transparent data from smaller companies, such as six key domestic seafood players, while also taking into account cultural norms and employing a variety of analytical methods, the researchers conclude.

“The new study marks the first step in a ten-year evaluation of our industry-science collaboration for seafood sustainability,” says co-author Robert Blasiak. “Throughout the year, we’ll share more insights as we reflect on a decade of scientific research and the impact of the SeaBOS initiative.”