I've lost count of the number of stories we've written that mention diversity over the years. Species diversity. Geographic diversity. Production diversity. Market diversity.
Companies today go out of their way to be diverse, to incorporate farming and wild catch, to produce on land and out to sea, to set up production in as many geographies as possible and to offer new options and avenues for growth.
But in all but a few companies this purposeful quest for diversity is left out in the cold when it comes to people.
America has been set alight with an issue that runs deeper and more damagingly through its core than most of the country wants to admit. And in other western cultures too, this is fast becoming an explosive cause as people demonstrate against what must be an exhausting, never-ending struggle.
Many of us naive enough to believe progress has been made have been shaken from our denial and ignorance as past violence and endemic systems of disadvantage for black Americans have come to light. For many of us, it's prompted us to re-examine ourselves not just as people, but as corporate entities, brands and employers.
But what practically, tangibly can we do?
I've watched in the last couple of weeks as several big global brands have made their "stand." Some have done it well. Some not so much. And some before they were ready.
Social media posts have been a favored move for corporations weighing in on hot-button issues, but while a post may be well-meaning, it's also very easy and very low-risk. It is often a flippant attempt to show social consciousness while at the same time not offending customers with differing political views.
The issue of discrimination, though, is not about politics, it is about conscience. Donating to Black Lives Matter causes is a step in the right direction, but what is more key here is to actively instigate change within your company to create a structure for more diversity in hiring and promotion.
Adidas, for example, changed its hiring process and employed a third-party to make sure it followed through. We don't all have the big bucks of the fashion brands, but all companies, including seafood companies, have influence and a duty to do better towards our fellow humans.
Seafood is often cited as the most globally traded protein. It is sourced from all around the world. Its consumers are from all around the world. So companies should employ people from all around the world, not just to grow or process seafood in far-off farms and fisheries, but in board rooms, marketing, sales and the C-suite.
