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.
Your supplier Yantai Sanko Fisheries Co. Ltd. has received persons from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China under the state-imposed labor transfer program as recently as 2022.
The United Nations, human rights organizations and academic experts agree that since 2018, the Chinese government has systematically subjected Xinjiang’s predo…
High Liner Foods takes these allegations very seriously. We have researched the claims made in your note extensively within our Supply Chain team and specifically with our supplier Yantai Sanko Fisheries in China. We can confirm that our Procurement team, based in Dalian, China that Yantai Sanko has never received any workers under a state-imposed labor transfer program. High Liner Foods maintains strict adherence to our Supplier Code of Conduct as part of our supplier approval process. Additionally, Yantai Sanko was successfully audited in September 2022 by a 3rd party auditor using the SMETA…
Our research has found that many social audit schemes have failed to identify Uyghur labor at Chinese plants. We’ve also found multiple state media articles confirming that Yantai Sanko does indeed take government transfers of persons from Xinjiang. There are also videos and photos that show Uyghur workers at the plant as recently as April 2023. Who carried out the SMETA social audit you refer to in your statement?
Also, public records show that, since 2019, the Department of Agriculture has awarded eight procurement contracts to High Liner Foods (USA). Can you clarify if High Liner sourced a…
Our investigation continues to surface additional questions in relation to your company’s supply chain. High Liner imports yellowfin sole from Yantai Longwin Foods Co. Ltd., according to partial trade data showing the most recent import as December 12, 2022.
Yantai Longwin is linked to the company mentioned in our previous communications, Yantai Sanko Fisheries, through corporate ownership. Our investigation has also found Uyghurs working at Yantai Longwin, since August 2020 and until as recently as March 2023.
High Liner has imported pollock from Qingdao UZP Foods Processing Co. Ltd., a Chi…
Thank you again for reaching out – happy to provide you with a response on behalf of High Liner Foods: Could you confirm whether any of the various seafoods sourced from your suppliers Yantai Sanko and Unibond Seafood have been used in any McDonald's Canada menu offerings? McDonald's Canada only sources Alaska Pollock for their Filet-O-Fish, which is 100% certified sustainable to the Marine Stewardship Council Chain of Custody Standard. The Pollock is processed in Alaska, US, and Filet-O-Fish is produced in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Can you clarify if High Liner sourced any product from Yantai Sa…
In response to your specific question, I can direct you to two releases that were issued recently by High Liner Foods. You can find the release that was issued when Rod’s resignation was announced here. Additionally, the High Liner Foods Board of Directors announced the appointment of our Interim CEO Paul Jewer on September 15th. Beyond that, we are unable to provide further comment regarding a personnel matter."
A statement dated August 29, 2023, was attached to the email and said: “High Liner Foods Incorporated announced today that the Board of Directors has accepted the resignation of Rod…
A coalition of eighteen NGOs wrote to thirteen major seafood distributors and retailers, including High Liner, asking a series of questions connected to the Outlaw Ocean's reporting. Their email to High Liner said: "Dear High Liner,
We are writing to you on behalf of a consortium of human rights NGOs requesting an update on the steps Cité Marine has taken following the investigation published by The Outlaw Ocean Project. The investigation highlighted concerns about state-imposed Uyghur and North Korean forced labor across the Chinese seafood processing facilities, including within your compan…
Since we were last in contact with High Liner, we have made additional findings in our ongoing investigation into the use of forced labor in China’s seafood processing industry which we wanted to bring to your attention. We have investigators on the ground in China who have been engaging with labor brokers directly involved with the transfer of North Korean workers to factories in China. Through this and other investigative means, including collecting online footage from the plants and interviews with workers recently returned to North Korea from China, we’ve found large numbers of North Korea…
Apologies for the delay in responding to your note from January 12th. I managed to squeeze in a week of holiday earlier this month and am just digging out of my inbox. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to respond to your query. I’m pleased to provide you with a statement from us (feel free to attribute to me). “High Liner Foods is committed to corporate social responsibility and supports the work that Outlaw Ocean is doing to ensure worker safety in China. We take these allegations very seriously and require strict adherence to our Supplier Code of Conduct as part of our supplier approva…
Thank you very much for your email and for High Liner’s continued engagement. To clarify, we are referring to a collection of plants at or near this location: Name: Dalian Haiqing Food (大连海青水产有限公司) Address: Floor 1-3, No. 9, Section 2, Jianshe Street, Zhuanghe City, Dalian, Liaoning Province (辽宁省 大连庄河市新华街道小寺委建设大街二段9号1-3层) We are aware that Dalian Haiqing Food has several plants under its umbrella at this general location. One of our investigators in China visited this site, providing video footage from the grounds. Our investigator who visited the plant was accompanied by a businessman who wor…
High Liner Foods would like to send you a follow up note, however a number of our leaders are traveling today and I’m just trying to get everyone’s eyes on my update. Could you provide me with clarity on timing? Is it possible for me to get you something by tomorrow morning?
Thank you for taking the time to respond to us earlier this week.
As we have said previously, we take issues relating to responsible labour practices and adherence to our Supplier Code of Conduct very seriously.
The use of any forced, bonded, indentured, slave and illegal prison or convict labour is a critical violation of High Liner Foods Supplier Code of Conduct. Accordingly, High Liner Foods is initiating an investigation into the issues raised in your email. As we prepare to conduct this investigation, please provide High Liner Foods with detailed information (addresses, etc.) regardin…
Thank you for your email and for taking seriously the safety concerns that we raised.
We understand your interest in additional details from our research so that you can conduct your own thorough investigation. I’m sure you can understand that given the extremely sensitive nature of this reporting, there is a particularly acute need for us to protect our sources as best we can. This includes those who visited the Haiqing site for us and any North Koreans or others ███ who have communicated with us.
We have some outstanding questions for High Liner, and some new ones in ligh…