Dr. Darian McBain, Thai Union Group’s global director for sustainable development, was named Sustainability Leader of the Year at the prestigious edie Sustainability Leaders Awards 2018 held in London, England.
The awards celebrated sustainability excellence and innovation, from the largest multi-national businesses to the smallest micro-organizations. The event convened finalists ranging from global brands to SMEs, and public-sector organizations to innovative start-ups.
McBain’s role in establishing and implementing SeaChange, the Bangkok-headquartered frozen and canned fish and seafood company’s sustainability strategy, along with numerous initiatives and activities in line with the program, helped catapult her into the top spot among the nine finalists for edie’s Sustainability Leader of the Year top prize. Among other finalists in the category were representatives from Proctor & Gamble, The Co-op and Herbert Smith Freehills.
The judges cited Thai Union’s business ethics and labor code of conduct, ethical migrant recruitment policy, zero recruitment fee policy and membership in the Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship (SeaBOS) global initiative as evidence of the company’s position at the forefront of positive change in the seafood industry.
Dr. Darian McBain of Thai Union was recognized as Sustainability Leader of the Year at the edie Sustainability Leaders Awards 2018 ceremony in London, England. Furthermore, jurists were impressed with McBain’s role in launching Thai Union’s new tuna strategy which included a commitment to sourcing 100% of branded tuna from fisheries that are Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified or engaged in Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs) to move them toward MSC certification.
“Darian is everything you would want in a sustainability leader. She has worked tirelessly right across the business, socially and environmentally, and has had a huge, tangible impact. And this isn’t just incremental change, as she has ignited a global shift in thinking around sustainability within the seafood sector,” remarked the judging panel in a joint statement.
“The award is personally an honor and a recognition of a truly remarkable year for Thai Union, full of tremendous achievements in sustainability which are the result of the hard work of a lot of people,” said McBain. “Looking ahead, we will continue working to make progress and maintain focus on leveraging our leadership position and ability to collaborate to address the sustainability challenges confronting the global seafood industry.”
