AUSTIN, Texas (Jan. 28, 2025) — Whole Foods Market today announced its new Seafood Code of Conduct, reinforcing the company’s commitment to safeguard the human rights and welfare of workers throughout its global seafood supply chain. Building on the company’s industry-leading Quality Standards, the new policy strengthens protections for fishers and vessel crew and sets a higher bar for ethical labor practices and supply chain transparency.
Whole Foods Market’s Seafood Code of Conduct draws from globally recognized principles, including the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Work in Fishing Convention. The Code establishes clear standards that all seafood suppliers — from vessel owners to processors and distributors — are expected to follow. These new standards build on the broader Whole Foods Market Supplier Code of Conduct and are part of the company’s long-term mission to promote social responsibility and continuous improvement in its supply chain.
“Leading with purpose has always been at the heart of Whole Foods Market, and our new Seafood Code of Conduct is an extension of that commitment,” said Jason Buechel, chief executive officer of Whole Foods Market. “This isn’t just a one-time announcement — it’s an ongoing effort to raise the industry standard for human rights, responsible sourcing, and supply chain transparency. Working together with our industry peers, we can create a fairer, safer, and more ethical seafood industry for everyone.”
Key Provisions of the Seafood Code of Conduct
The new Seafood Code of Conduct applies to fresh, frozen, and canned seafood suppliers, which includes sushi, and includes commitments across key areas such as:
- Maximum Working Hours and Time at Sea: Aligns work and rest hours with ILO Fishing Convention standards and establishes that all fishing vessels must visit port every 11 months.
- Ethical Recruitment: Prohibits recruitment fees and mandates clear, fair employment contracts.
- Communication access for Crew Members: Mandates crew access to communication channels while at sea to contact family, NGOs, and worker representatives, and calls for vessels to prioritize installing Wi-Fi.
- Health and Safety on Vessels: Requires safety training, PPE, medical care, and sufficient food and water for all crew members.
“Congratulations to Whole Foods Market for delivering a cutting-edge Seafood Code of Conduct that focuses on the worker’s needs and rights, explicitly outlining their stance on key, emerging topics, including responsible recruitment and Wi-Fi on vessels,” said Kelley K. Bell, social responsibility division director at Fishwise. “There should be no confusion about the expectations of those that are a part of the Whole Foods Market seafood supply chain.”
Raising the Bar for Industry Standards
Whole Foods Market has long been a leader in responsible seafood sourcing, collaborating with fisheries that uphold high standards for sustainability. We recognize our unique role in the food system to address human rights abuses in the seafood industry and continue to advocate for stronger traceability standards and investments in enhanced communication for fishing crews, such as Wi-Fi onboard vessels, to achieve a greater impact.
Most recently, Whole Foods Market worked with Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch urging the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) to adopt stronger labor protections, including the use of electronic monitoring (EM) for vessel activity, measures to enhance crew welfare, and science-based targets for tuna stock management.
The company is encouraged by other retailers, suppliers, and industry leaders who adopt similar protections in the effort to create a more ethical and transparent seafood industry. By working together, the industry can help ensure workers across the seafood sector are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. Whole Foods Market continues to set an example through critical actions like the Seafood Code of Conduct to support and implement higher standards that help drive meaningful industry change.
For more information on our seafood standards, visit https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/quality-standards/seafood-standards.
About Whole Foods Market
Founded in 1980, Austin-based Whole Foods Market is the world’s leading natural and organic foods retailer and the first certified organic national grocer in the United States. Part of Amazon’s Worldwide Grocery Stores, Whole Foods Market serves customers in more than 530 stores across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. To learn more about Whole Foods Market, please visit https://media.wholefoodsmarket.com/.
