The activity was the framework in which the main topics of 2017 management in economic, environmental and social matters were presented. It concluded with a panel discussion where authorities, the general manager and a union leader participated.

“We not only care about our results, but we also care about the way we make them possible”, said Gerardo Balbontín, general manager of Blumar Seafoods, during the Annual Report held yesterday at the SurActivo events center, located in the town of Hualpén, where the company presented its second Sustainability Report.

The activity, which brought together about 250 people including authorities, neighbors, suppliers, company representatives and Blumar employees, this year added as an innovation a panel discussion where, in addition to the general manager, participated the mayor of Talcahuano, Henry Campos; the regional secretary of the Environment of Biobío, Mario Delannays, and the president of the National Union No. 1 Blumar Salmon, Paola Sanhueza.

At the beginning of the ceremony, the president of the company’s board of directors, Rodrigo Sarquis, emphasized that in the fishing and aquaculture industry there are few companies that on their own initiative carry out this type of activities to make their work transparent to their stakeholders, “where not only are financial results reported, but also the management of those areas that in some way impact the environment of our operating zones”, he noted.

And towards those areas was precisely aimed at the report given by the general manager, which focused on those environmental, social and economic issues that, according to the participatory process carried out prior to the preparation of the report, turned out to be the most important for both the company and its stakeholders.

Among them, he highlighted the work to achieve the objectives of the health strategy to ensure the health and well-being of fish, which in 2017 reduced salmon mortality rate by 3.13% in its breeding stages, and achieved a progressive reduction in antibiotic use. On this point, he emphasized the milestone reached by the Midhurst center of Blumar Salmon by becoming the first to grow Atlantic salmon in the Eleventh Region without the use of antibiotics.

Also in the area of environmental performance, the executive highlighted that during the reported period they had no fish escapes from their breeding centers, nor lethal actions with wildlife and no fines or complaints either. In the economic performance item, Balbontín stated that the commitment assumed in 2016 and ratified in 2017 through the Propyme seal to pay invoices from small and medium-sized suppliers in less than 30 days, keeps Blumar Seafoods today as the best paying company for SMEs in Chile, according to the ranking of Chile Products Exchange and Asech.

He also expressed the company’s concern about offering quality employment in the seven regions where it currently operates, which is reflected, he said, in a culture of well-being, good working environment and safety, which also promotes continuous training and promotes trusting and collaborative labor relations. 

He also detailed the relationship with its neighboring communities, based on five pillars, which had their expression in 49 projects that benefited 4,579 people belonging to the localities that make up the company’s surroundings.

About the Sustainability Report

• Blumar’s second Sustainability Report was prepared in accordance with the latest version of GRI Standards from the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and, like its first version, independently reports on the work of its aquaculture and fishing areas. 
• Like last year, Blumar continues to be a pioneer as the first national company in the salmon and fishing industry to obtain GRI validation of the materiality of its reports. 
• To determine the relevant topics to report on the management and importance for stakeholders, a process was followed in accordance with GRI standards, which began with a stage of identifying relevant topics for the different groups with which it relates.
• Two types of consultations were carried out: interviews with managers and, in a second instance, surveys were applied to the different interest groups, both in-person and online. Furthermore, for this report corresponding to the 2017 management, the participation of opinion leaders (suppliers, authorities, NGOs, associations, media, academics and expert advisors) was considered for the first time, who made up advisory committees that were developed in Talcahuano and Puerto Montt. In these meetings they delivered their recommendations, observations and evaluation of Blumar Seafoods’ first Sustainability Report.