ready for the future together - cornelis vrolijk...society at large. we describe, per pillar, our...
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READY FOR THE FUTURE TOGETHER
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
2 3
Carolien Vrolijk
In our company we prefer to get on with things rather than talking about them for too long.
And yet, notwithstanding this fine principle, Carolien and I decided in 2013 to set out on
paper a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy for our company. The basis for the
policy plan was the mission of our company:
“With our fishing activities we provide an important contribution to the food security of millions
of people. We do this, as a family business, with a focus on future generations while maintaining
healthy fish stocks, minimising environmental impact and with committed and proud people.
We stand for continuity whereby we treat the world around us with the utmost respect.”
We all sometimes see the negative publicity about the
fisheries sector. The other side of the story, of how
beautiful the craft is, how hard people work and how
much effort we make to operate in a responsible manner
often remains little exposed. Carolien wanted to write
the story of the principles and values that we stand
for as a modern family-owned fishing business.
Sadly, Carolien could not work out the CSR plan in
further detail. So I finished what she started, in her
spirit, together with Aukje (our CSR manager since
August 2014). The result lies in front of you.
This policy plan will be a living document. Our company changes, the world around us changes
and our views and insights change too. One thing however that will remain unchanged is our
company vision and the contribution we are able and willing to make anywhere in the world.
This is what Corporate Social Responsibility is about for us.
I find your input in our plan of the utmost importance. So if you have an idea to work in a smarter,
more environmentally friendly or safer way, then please do share this with one of the contact
persons you find with the 4 pillars, or with Aukje. After all, Corporate Social Responsibility is
something we all work on together!
Annerieke Vrolijk
GETTING STARTED TOGETHER
4
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR) POLICY
This CSR policy plan is aimed at our
pelagic fishing activities in European
waters using freezer-trawlers for
herring, mackerel, blue whiting and
horse mackerel. Other types of fishing
will be included at a later stage.
The aim is to develop CSR plans
for demersal fishing activities and for
catching and breeding shrimp in 2016.
For participations in other activities, we
will develop plans from 2016 and
onwards. This way, our ambitions and
intended activities will fit in optimally
with the details and the issues relevant
in different types of fishing activities.
5
The company established fishing operations out of the UK with its
subsidiary North Atlantic Fishing Company (NAFC) and in France with
its subsidiary France Pélagique. Through a stake in Primstar BV the
company has been active in shrimp fisheries and aquaculture since the
1990’s. The takeover of Jaczon BV in 2005 has resulted in expansion,
for example with a number of demersal fishing vessels in the North
Sea, as well as a small number of tuna fishing vessels in the Pacific
Ocean. Consequently, Cornelis Vrolijk Holding BV is nowadays involved
in various types of fishing and aquaculture. However, fishing with
freezer-trawlers in European waters for pelagic fish remains the core
activity of the company. This type of fishing provides a natural product
for human consumption that is rich in proteins and healthy omega
oils and devoid of any (artificial) additives. Around 600 people are
employed in IJmuiden and Scheveningen to work with this healthy
and sustainably caught fish.
CORNELIS VROLIjk HOLDING BV
The ‘Cornelis Vrolijk’ company was founded by Frank Vrolijk in
1880 as a business trading in herring and was originally based
in Scheveningen. Since the start of the 20th century, the company
focussed on fishing and trading North Sea herring. Part of the
company moved to Ijmuiden at the beginning of the 1950’s
and continued under the name of Cornelis Vrolijk’s Visserij
Maatschappij BV.
The arrival of the stern trawler in the 1960’s meant that deep freezing
facilities and cold-stores were built on board so that the fish could be
frozen as soon as it came on board. This helped to retain the quality of
the fish over longer periods. Due to a ban on herring fishing towards the
end of the 1970’s, a switch was made to catching mackerel and horse
mackerel. This had the effect of extending sales from the Northwest
European markets to global markets. Since then, a large part of the
catch has been destined for the African and Asian markets. Over
recent decades the company has gradually expanded its activities.
7
OUR CSR POLICY BASED ON 4 PILLARSBeing in the fishing industry is something we are very proud of.
We invest time and energy in delivering the best quality fish
and seafood products and we want to be well known for this
(see pillar 1, Healthy food).
We can only secure our fishery for future generations if we look
after the marine ecosystem and reduce our environmental impact
as much as possible, both on land and at sea. Taking account of
the dynamics of the marine ecosystem is essential for keeping
healthy fish stocks and therefore the continued existence of our
company. We have a string desire to be progressive by developing
and using innovative fishing technology, deploying sustainable
or recyclable materials, and reducing CO2 emissions (see pillar 2,
Fishing forever & pillar 3, Daily sustainable).
Committed, proud and enthusiastic employees are essential
for business continuity. We therefore pay the greatest possible
attention to creating safe and pleasant working and living
environments. Moreover, we want to make a positive contribution
to social developments within the local communities where we
operate (see pillar 4, Care for people).
The following sections describe the most relevant issues for
our fishing company per pillar. The listing and prioritising of
these issues was established with input from people within
the company and by researching current topics of interest in
society at large. We describe, per pillar, our objectives for 2021
and give examples of activities that we will start with in 2016.
Every year we will draw up a balance sheet detailing the progress
of the planned activities, as well as update the activity list for the
coming year. We will report about the annual results achieved.
In 2016 we will define Performance Indicators (PI) per pillar in
order to make future monitoring measurable.
HEALTHY FOOD
CARE FOR PEOPLE
FISHING FOREVER
DAILY SUSTAINABLE
6
OUR FAMILY BUSINESS AND CSR
Our fishing industry has withstood many a storm. The world around
us changes rapidly, which greatly influences our company and the
environment we work in. At the same time, our CSR policy has been
drawn up with a vision of continuity: with respect to the areas of
economics, civil society and ecology.
Continuity requires a sound financial basis for our company. Our
revenues are based on utilisation of a natural resource, which makes
us dependent on nature. As our catch opportunities can vary from year
to year, it is necessary to build up a financial buffer so that reserves
are available for lean years.
To be able to continue to sell our products in the long-term, we invest
in innovative technologies aimed at our products’ quality, food safety
and sustainability. We pay regular attention to the maintenance of our
vessels, which often goes hand in hand with high costs for acquisition
and renovation of the equipment. Only by maintaining a strong financial
position, we are able to continue doing this. We also make investments
further away from home. For instance in improvements in the logistics
chains in developing countries that are part of our market. This is
beneficial to the quality and food safety of our products right up to
when they reach consumers.
With an economically strong company we offer job security for our
employees and remain an attractive employer in the future. It also
enables us to structurally invest in the safety and training of employees
both on land and at sea.
In other words, generating profit is conditional on the success of our
company but it is not the only objective we strive to achieve. Profit also
makes it more easily feasible to achieve our CSR objectives. This policy
document describes our CSR objectives with respect to social and
ecological sustainability. The policy is based on four pillars linked to
our role and position within society.
OUR MISSION
“With our fishing activities we
provide an important contribution
to the food security of millions of
people. We do this, as a family
business, with a focus on future
generations while maintaining
healthy fish stocks, minimising
environmental impact and with
committed and proud people. We
stand for continuity whereby we
treat the world around us with the
utmost respect.”
PILLAR 1 HEALTHY FOODWe sell much of our fish in poorer regions of the world,
where it is consumed by millions of people every day.
Our fish contributes to a healthy and affordable meal
for people who have otherwise limited options to
purchase healthy protein-rich products.
Our vessels have been designed so that we are able to
deliver a pure and natural product of high quality that is
also affordable. On board, fish is processed in accordance
with strict quality protocols (including HACCP1). With a
minimum loss of quality, the fish is held in refrigerated
seawater (RSW) tanks immediately after it comes on-
board. It is then frozen and packed within 24 hours of being
caught. Following processing on board, the fish reaches
its final destination in excellent condition via central
distribution points. This also means that markets can be
served in relatively inaccessible regions. We invest in local
infrastructure (for example cold-stores) in order to improve
access to these areas. In doing this, we not only increase
our access to new markets, but this also results in reaching
people who previously did not have access to good quality
fish. We can warrant affordability of our fish because we
have reserved much space for processing (freezing) and
storing the fish on board our vessels. Thanks to the large
size of vessels, fuel consumption (and therefore cost) per
product unit is relatively low. This also means that the CO2
footprint of our products is relatively low.
1 HACCP = Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points HACCP is a risk inventory method for the food processing industry based on critical inspection points defined during the production process.
8 9
10
ExAMPLE ACTIVITIES 2016
• Promoting collaborations among
our vessels - specifically by skippers
and QMs - with respect to quality
optimisation.
• Researching feasibility of using a
specialised software programme by
QMs for recording the quality data.
This would make it possible to link
the catch data with the quality data.
OBjECTIVE FOR 2021
• We have investigated and decided
whether it is desirable to request
process certification once again -
(e.g. ISO 2).
2 ISO: International Organisation for Standardisation ISO develops and publishes international standards for products, services and systems regarding quality, safety and efficiency. See. www.iso.org.
11
TOP qUALITY CATCHES
We make substantial structural investments for improvements
to the process technology and packaging materials on board the
vessels. The HACCP protocols act as a guide when carrying out
operations. We were awarded ISO certification in the past for which
we have implemented the necessary protocols. The relatively heavy
administrative work that the certification requires has meant that
we no longer apply for it on an annual basis. However, we still
benefit from the methods implemented for optimising quality.
Skippers and the Quality Managers (QMs) on-board our vessels
collaborate closely with the export department of the company. In
the future we would like to see potential further quality improvements
achieved through intensification of this collaboration and by sharing
knowledge and experiences among the vessels. If we analyse
the detailed data from our catches in time and space together with the
quality data issued by the QMs, we hope to obtain greater insight into
external factors that may influence the quality of the fish. This data
gathering and analysis may also contribute towards minimising
unwanted by-catch.
“I AM PROUD OF THE gOOD
QUAlITy FISH THAT WE
PROVIDE. I SEE WITH HOW
MUCH DEDICATION OUR
EMPlOyEES WORK ON THAT
EVERy DAy. EVERyBODy
CONTRIBUTES INDIVIDUAlly,
BUT By WORKINg TOgETHER
WE ACHIEVE THE VERy BEST
RESUlTS”.
Mart van der Meij Fleet manager
HEALTHY FOOD
As a family business we want to continue fishing the fish stocks we currently utilise
in the long-term. Therefore we fish in a sustainable manner, and constantly aim to
innovate with respect to selective and environmentally-friendly fishing techniques.
This has resulted in MSC3 certification for our herring fishery in the North Sea and the
Norwegian waters. By way of certification we seek opportunities for demons-trating the
sustainability of our fishing methods for other fish species as well. We want to set an
example with respect to ecological sustainability.
In order to continue exploiting fish stocks in the long-term over-fishing needs to be prevented.
good management of fish stocks at an international level is essential. Our influence in this is
limited but it is relevant for the future of our company. Many of the fish species we catch are
managed with long-term management plans that have been scientifically tested and are
sustainable. Because natural circumstances -e.g. availability of food for fish- continuously
change it is necessary to update these plans on a regular basis.
There are three important issues that make for good management:
1 Scientific research into the size and productivity of fish stocks.
2 Determining scientifically substantiated quota and other - e.g. technical -
management measures.
3 Compliance with the quota and other rules and regulations by the fishing industry.
We aim to contribute proactively in these three areas. As a pelagic fishing company we are
members of the RVZ4. As well as promoting the interests of the fishing industry, the RVZ is
actively involved in initiating and coordinating the industry’s participation in scientific research.
We want to play an active role in this.
3 MSC = Marine Stewardship Council. MSC aims at rewarding fishing companies with its certification programme and sustainable fishing approval mark. See www.msc.org.
4 RVZ = Redersvereniging voor de Zeevisserij is an interest group for Dutch pelagic fishing vessel owners. The Pelagic Freezer-trawler Association (PFA) represents Dutch ship owners, including their foreign subsidiaries in Europe. See www.pelagicfish.eu.
12 13
PILLAR 2 FISHING FOREVER
14
ExAMPLE ACTIVITIES 2016
• We provide IMARES with data about
our catches (marketable catches and
unwanted bycatches) from all the
different fishing activities throughout
the year. We also provide IMARES
with samples for determining the
composition of the catches - e.g. size,
weight and age of individual fish.
• We help IMARES researchers with
developing a fish stock assessment
for e.g. North Sea horse mackerel
(in cooperation with other RVZ
members). We contribute to this by
making available our catch data and
by providing samples, or by deploying
our vessels in scientific surveys.
• We continue projects aimed at
developing acoustic fish detection
equipment which has the ability to
recognise fish species and we will
share the results with third parties.
OBjECTIVES FOR 2021
• We have been actively engaged
in the development of fish stock
assessments and management plans
for amongst others North Sea horse
mackerel. The management plans
meet sustainability objectives as laid
down in the Common Fisheries Policy
(CFP) so that policy makers can
implement them.
• Our unwanted by-catch levels have
reduced thanks to the development
of new acoustic equipment or net
adaptations.
15
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
With our vessels being at sea throughout the year they can
act as extra eyes and ears for researchers. The data we collect
offer additional information to the data that scientists obtain
from international surveys. For this reason scientists are
always welcome on board our vessels. We are convinced
that this will help them to make their research as accurate
as possible for the benefit of policy measures.
We also initiate research projects - e.g. in collaboration with IMARES5.
As an example one project is aimed at making acoustic data available
that is recorded with the echo sounders on board our vessels.
We make this data available in the interests of improving fish stock
assessments and the quality of quota advice. We also carry out
research projects aimed at increasing the selectivity of our catches.
One way to do this is by testing modified nets where unwanted
bycatch is prevented. Another way that we work on increasing the
selectivity of our catches is by developing acoustic fish detection
equipment with which the skipper can ascertain the composition of the
schools of fish - e.g. species and size of the individual fish- before
he actually catches them. This project is in collaboration with TNO6.
5 IMARES = the Dutch institute for applied marine ecological research - aimed at collecting knowledge and giving advice about sustainable management and the exploitation of sea and coastal areas. See www.imares.nl.
6 TNO = research institute on applied natural sciences. (Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek). See www.tno.nl.
“THE SEARCH FOR MORE
SElECTIVE FISHINg TECHNI-
QUES AND RESPONSIBlE
FISH STOCK MANAgEMENT IS
PAyINg OFF. I ENJOy SEEINg
HOW OUR PEOPlE ARE MORE
AND MORE WORKINg ClOSEly
TOgETHER WITH SCIENTISTS
TO SHARE INFORMATION WITH
THEM. IN THIS WAy, WE WIll
ENSURE THAT OUR CHIlDREN
AND gRANDCHIlDREN KEEP ON
ENJOyINg A SEA FUll OF FISH”.
Eric RoeleveldFleet manager
FISHING FOREVER
16
ExAMPLE ACTIVITIES 2016
• Organising more systematically
our compliance with national and
international rules and regulations,
which are rapidly increasing in
quantities and complexity.
• Further optimising the required
adaptations on-board our vessels
necessitated by the implementation
of the landing obligation.
• Facilitating the continued testing of
on-board camera systems (so-called
CCTV systems) for monitoring
compliance with the landing
obligation on board our vessels.
We explore conditions under which
implementation of the CCTV may
be feasible and acceptable.
OBjECTIVES FOR 2021
• Compliance with all national and
international rules and regulations
is self-evident and well-organised
within the company.
17
COMPLIANCE WITH LEGISLATION
It goes without saying that we only catch as much fish as
we have quota for and we do everything possible to comply
with both national and international rules and regulations.
During fishing trips, the skippers send information about the
processed catches every 24 hours via the electronic log-book
system to the Ministry of Economic Affairs (EZ). After each fishing
trip the quantity of landed fish is accurately monitored, whereby
independent parties such as the NVWA9 carry out checks. The
quantities of fish landed are recorded by the NVWA and the RVZ.
In cooperation with the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the RVZ
accurately records the use and availability of quota at national level
throughout the year. Furthermore, all our vessels are equipped with
a Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) so that governments and scientific
institutions can always verify their locations via satellites.
In our fishing activities we target specific fish species such as herring,
mackerel, blue whiting and horse mackerel. We are aware of the side
effects that targeted commercial fisheries can have, such as by-
catches of non-targeted species, as well as causing damage to
marine habitats. We aim to minimise these side effects as much
as possible. Nature gives us a helping hand with pelagic fishing.
Pelagic fish swim together in schools at the centre of water columns
(pelagic zone). Because of this natural behaviour, we use nets that are
towed above the sea bed to just under the sea surface. Unwanted
by-catches rarely occur, and when they do, they are usually in very
limited quantities.
In 2013, EU member states carried out a full review of the Common
Fisheries Policy (CFP). Part of the outcome of this review is that since
1 January 2015 it is mandatory to land virtually all catches, including
unwanted by-catches. Instead of a prohibition on landing undersized
fish and fish for which the quota are exhausted, there is now an
obligation to land these fish. Because of this complete turnaround
in law, we find ourselves in a phase of implementing new working
methods. We have been actively working with governments since
2013 to implement these new working methods and discuss with them
how control agencies such as the NVWA can ensure our compliance
with this new legislation.
POLICY-MAkING
We are involved via the RVZ and PELAC7 in continuous dialogue
with scientists from IMARES and ICES8 and other stakeholders.
The PELAC advises policy-makers about the management of
pelagic fish stocks based on scientific advice and unanimous
consensus between the pelagic fishing sector and NGOs - e.g.
World Wildlife Fund and the North Sea Foundation.
Amongst others through the PElAC, we take responsibility together with
our industry colleagues to promote sustainable management of fish
stocks. Moreover, we also directly collaborate with relevant interest
groups - e.g. in projects or events aimed at specific sustainability issues.
7 PElAC = Pelagic Advisory Council (previously Pelagic Regional Advisory Council, or PRAC). On behalf of stakeholders in the fishing industry and other interest groups including nature protection organisations, PElAC makes recommendations to policy- makers (specifically at EU level) regarding the management of pelagic fish stocks in Europe. See www.pelagic-ac.org.
8 ICES = International Council for the Exploration of the Seas. ICES is a global organisation that promotes science and makes recommendations with respect to sustainable use of oceans. See www.ices.dk.
ExAMPLE ACTIVITIES 2016
• Increasing our involvement in
PElAC discussions about fish
stock management. Preparing for
PElAC meetings is done together
with the RVZ.
• Identify who our relevant stake-
holders are and take initiative to
intensify our relationship with them.
OBjECTIVE FOR 2021
• We have a good relationship with
our stakeholders and have an open
dialogue with them about our fishing
activities and our CSR policy.
9 NVWA = Nederlandse Voedsel en Warenautoriteit [Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority], the Dutch government agency responsible for control of fisheries. See www.nvwa.nl.
We want to run our business while taking account of
the environment in all of our activities at sea and on
land. For us this means more than preventing over-
fishing. It also means making conscious decisions
when purchasing goods and energy.
We have regard for the environmental impact of products
when making acquisitions. Our waste separation systems
both on land and at sea ensure that as much as possible
is recycled. We are also engaged in reducing our CO2
footprint by purchasing and generating green energy and
utilising innovative techniques aimed at reducing our energy
consumption. Over the last 12 years we have invested
extensively in upgrading all our freezing facilities on land
as well as on our vessels so that we can use more
environmentally-friendly refrigerants.
18 19
PILLAR 3 DAILY SUSTAINABLE
20
ExAMPLE ACTIVITIES 2016
• Drawing up lists of possibilities for
increasing the purchase of products
made from recyclable materials and
increasing recycling waste flows at
sea and on land.
• Signing up for the ‘green Deal10
Visserij voor een Schone Zee’
(Fishery for a clean sea) through the
RVZ. Text should be added to this
agreement specifically applicable
to the pelagic fishing sector.
• Ensure professional removal of
sludge and other (chemical) waste
by specialist (e.g. certified)
companies.
OBjECTIVES FOR 2021
• We have documented our conscious
choices with respect to the purchase
of consumable and durable goods in
order to stimulate the transition to a
circular economy. We have entered
into collaborations within the user
chain to maximise the re-use of
products, components and raw
materials.
• We have investigated alternatives for
packaging materials used for packing
the fish on board and where feasible,
have started using environmentally-
friendlier alternatives.
• All employees are aware of the
objectives set out in this CSR
cornerstone and therefore take
them into account in their daily tasks.
9 See www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/duurzame-economie/inhoud/green-deal
21
MATERIALS
There is a recycling station on all our vessels where different
types of waste are collected and stored separately. When
returning to port we present the waste materials to appropriate
recycling flows.
A considerable amount of equipment is replaced when a vessel is
refurbished. In such projects, which are often very extensive, we pay
specific attention to recycling materials. Worn or damaged nets are
taken back to the net supplier who has them recycled into new nets
or other consumer products. We use biodegradable cleaning agents
on board for cleaning purposes during and at the end of fishing
trips. This prevents hazardous chemicals ending up in the marine
environment. We also purchase recyclable materials for our offices.
“INNOVATIONS RElATED TO
EFFICIENT ENERgy USAgE
EVOlVE VERy RAPIDly
TODAy. I AM PROUD THAT WE
INSTAllED SOlAR PANElS
ON THE ROOF OF OUR COlD
STORE. I lOOK FORWARD TO
WORKINg TOgETHER WITH
My COllEAgUES ON APPlyINg
NEW TECHNOlOgIES IN OUR
COMPANy”.
DAILY SUSTAIN- ABLE
Bert van Duijn Head of Technical Department in IJmuiden
22
ExAMPLE ACTIVITIES 2016
• Having a baseline estimation of our
CO2 footprint (or lCA11) carried out.
• Continuing innovative research into
more energy efficient solutions for
propelling vessels and towing nets.
• Use shore power in the ports of
Scheveningen and IJmuiden when
moored in order to either use less,
or no fuel.
• Investigate opportunities for the
optimal deployment of solar panels.
• Installing charging facilities for
electric cars in Scheveningen so
that employees and visitors can
recharge car batteries near the
entrance to the offices.
• Sustainable solutions will be sought
whenever extensive renovations
are carried out at the offices or
cold stores.
OBjECTIVES FOR 2021
• Our CO2 footprint at sea is reduced
by 10% with respect to the baseline
measurement.
• Our CO2 footprint on shore is reduced
by 20 % with respect to the baseline
measurement.
• We only have lED lighting on board
the vessels where this is feasible.
• All installations meet the new
standards laid down by the EU with
respect to the use of refrigerants.
11 lCA = life Cycle Analysis Method for calculating the environmental impact of a product. For further explanation, see for example www.rivm.nl/Onderwerpen/l/life_Cycle_Assessment_lCA/lCA/Wat_is_lCA.
23
ENERGY
Energy consumption is an important issue for consideration.
Our vessels consume fuel when steaming to and from the fishing
grounds and while fishing. Our vessels do not have to return to
port each week as the fish is frozen on board and there is plenty
of storage space (for a voyage of around 3 - 4 weeks). Therefore
fuel consumption- and so the CO2 footprint - is relatively low per
kilogram of fish. We continue to innovate in order to further
reduce the fuel consumption of the vessels.
On land we are also working on reducing the CO2 footprint of our
cold stores and offices. This is done by investing in better insulation
of the buildings and improved technologies for saving energy, but also
by buying green energy or indeed generating it ourselves. We also
investigate opportunities for improved sustainability in the trans-
portation of people and goods over land. This has meant that an
increasing share of the fish is transported via inland waterways to
Rotterdam, instead of using road haulage.
To us, taking care of people means looking after our
600 employees, but it also includes having regard for
people in the communities in which we are active.
We sell our fish all over the world, with Africa being
an important market for us, taking an average of 70%
of our sales.
Around two million people enjoy a meal of our fish every
day. We are thus aware that as a company we have
substantial influence on the lives of very many people.
We aim to use this influence in such a way so that we
have a positive impact on their well-being.
24 25
PILLAR 4 CARE FOR PEOPLE
26
ExAMPLE ACTIVITIES 2016
• Further elaboration of the health &
safety policy, including an analysis
of the status of the Risk Identification
and Evaluations documentation
(RI&E) on board each vessel and at
the onshore organisation. Updates
will be done where necessary.
• Establishing a safety committee
for each vessel (consisting of crew
members) to advise the skipper
(and inform company management)
about accident prevention on board.
• Increased attention to the proper use
of PPEs and evacuation and fire
practice sessions on board.
OBjECTIVE FOR 2021
• The health & safety policy is
up-to-date at all times
27
WORkING CONDITIONS
For our seagoing employees, who spend considerable periods
at sea, we find it very important that they experience minimal
health and safety risks while away on fishing trips. The working
conditions for those working in our shore based cold stores also
require special attention, because of the nature of their work
activities, as well as the working environment. We maximise
safety on the work floor by way of technical modifications and
also by offering training courses, some of which are mandatory.
We make Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) available and ensure
that it is used correctly. During day-to-day operations on board the
vessels the skippers are responsible for the safety of the crew. With
larger shipbuilding and refurbishing projects, a professional safety
expert is brought in to ensure that both our own employees as well
as contracted workers from third parties carry out their tasks safely.
A full-time Safety & Working Conditions Manager was appointed in
2015 to further develop policies on health and safety aspects.
“SAFE WORKINg CONDITIONS
IS NUMBER ONE FOR ME. WE
SEEK TECHNICAl SOlUTIONS
TO SAFETy PROBlEMS AND
PROVIDE PEOPlE WITH PER-
SONAl PROTECTION MEANS.
ClEAR WORK INSTRUCTIONS
AND EDUCATION, HOWEVER,
ARE EQUAlly IMPORTANT.
I WORK TOgETHER A lOT WITH
SCHOOlS AND gOVERNMENTS
TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO
EDUCATION AND RElEVANT
RUlES AND REgUlATIONS”.
CARE FOR PEOPLE
Ment van der Zwan Head of Personnel Department in IJmuiden
28
ExAMPLE ACTIVITIES 2016
• Once again we want to highlight at
the fishing industry schools the
internship opportunities - the design
of these placements will be modified
to put more emphasis on the different
specialisms on board.
• We communicate internally in a
pro-active manner about the
possibilities for our employees to
work on their personal development.
For instance when they can follow
a course or visit a conference.
OBjECTIVES FOR 2021
• The quality of education at fisheries
schools has improved amongst others
thanks to our efforts, specifically in
the areas of technical knowledge
and safety.
• We have made a start with the
introduction of a proactive personnel
policy where structural consideration
is given to the functioning of
employees and also their personal
development.
• Any employee at Cornelis Vrolijk can
explain in five sentences what CSR
means for our company.
29
PERSONNEL POLICY
We are experiencing a shortage in the job market of qualified
technical personnel for sea-going duties. Fortunately, the
personnel turnover rate is very low in our company. In order
to facilitate inflow of new employees, we have a structural
programme of internship opportunities for young people.
This way, they can get acquainted with our company, while this
simultaneously gives us the opportunity to spot and recruit new
talent at an early stage. We proactively present this programme
to (fisheries) schools. We also make structural contributions
to projects run by educational institutions and governments at
both national and international level for improving the quality
of fisheries education.
Our proactive attitude as employer, which is aimed at assisting
employees with their individual development, contributes towards
improvements in the employees performance levels. At the same time,
attention paid to personal development can give employees the sense
of being valued and encouraged, which can contribute to their sense
of well-being.
We want to involve employees at all levels in our CSR initiatives.
We hope that the CSR policy takes hold within the organisation such
that achieving our objectives becomes second nature, with the CSR
policy evolving thanks to input coming from employees both at sea
and ashore.
HEALTHY EMPLOYEES
Many of our shore-based employees have sedentary occupations
and sea-going staff often have little opportunity to exercise when
they are on board the vessels. This can have medical consequences
and can lead to overweight. We want to stimulate a healthy lifestyle
for our employees. We pay attention to making healthy food
available. This is of significant importance, specifically for our sea-
going employees, as they are dependent on the food purchasing
policy that applies within the company. We endeavour with the
crews to adopt healthy eating habits in projects where a dietician
is engaged. We also stimulate healthy eating habits in the offices
by making fresh fruit available.
We encourage employees to participate in sporting activities. There is
a gym in the office building at IJmuiden and there is an agreement with
a local fitness club for the employees working in Scheveningen. On
board our vessels space is allocated where possible for fitness training.
Moreover, we have a policy of discouragement with respect to smoking
and alcohol consumption on board.
ExAMPLE ACTIVITIES 2016
• Improving the food policy on board
our vessels where there is room
for improvement.
• Inventory wishes for creating fitness
training facilities on board vessels
(if not yet available). Where this wish
exists with the crew, assess the
feasibility of realising such facilities.
OBjECTIVE FOR 2021
• We have a broad range of tools
(information, diet advice, healthy
food on board, fitness facilities, etc.)
available for employees who want to
lose weight. Employees are fully
informed of the availability of these
means in order to receive custom
support.
30
ExAMPLE ACTIVITIES 2016
• With respect to CSR, drawing up
a clear and specific overview of
the type of activities we want to
undertake in West Africa, whether
or not via Primstar’s existing
logistical and knowledge network.
• Working together with Primstar on the
development of their CSR policy plan.
OBjECTIVE FOR 2021
• To have investigated the possibility
of operating the stand-alone freezer
containers in combination with
solar panels.
31
OUR INITIATIVES IN AFRICA
A very considerable proportion of our sales in Africa are made
to West Africa and specifically to Nigeria and Ivory Coast.
In these two countries approximately 1 million people consume
a daily meal with our fish. A focus of our pro-active efforts in
making a positive social contribution outside the Netherlands
lies in those countries.
We for instance work together with customers of our pelagic fish
on the development of infrastructure and logistical equipment for
promoting the maintenance of quality within the chain. Part of our
fish is transported inland in Nigeria. By providing stand-alone freezer
containers with generators, the products can be kept both longer and
more hygienically at the destinations. This therefore warrants better
food safety for the inland consumers. Furthermore, our employees
who make regular visits in the region make time available for training
personnel of local companies, which is aimed at the professionaliza-
tion of their business operations.
Together with Primstar we work to make social and educational
contributions in Nigeria. Details of the current activities and plans for
future developments in this area are described in Primstar’s CSR plan.
OUR ACTIVITIES IN THE NETHERLANDS
Ijmuiden, Scheveningen and katwijk are the most important local
communities in the Netherlands where we are active. For more than
half a century Cornelis Vrolijk has been based in Ijmuiden with
its offices, home port facilities and cold stores. In the same way
jaczon has been based in Scheveningen for over half a century.
Over this long period, both companies have built up relationships
locally with regular suppliers and service companies. We carefully
maintain these relationships and therefore indirectly contribute to
local employment opportunities. The majority of our sea-going
employees live in katwijk. Therefore we also consider katwijk as
a local community important to us.
We play an active role in organising or facilitating (fisheries related) local
events. Employees who are volunteers with charities or associations
we help by occasionally giving them time to carry out some of their
volunteering activities during working hours, provided this does not
interfere with their normal work activities. We also provide financial
support to some local charities and associations who contribute to
increased social cohesion within the community.
We are always prepared to receive visitors from government departments
and research institutes, as well as organisations involved in education.
These meetings can be facilitated in our offices or on board one of our
vessels moored in port. This provides us with the opportunity to explain
and discuss our fishing activities. In this respect we do not limit the scope
only to institutions and organisations based in IJmuiden, Scheveningen
or Katwijk.
OBjECTIVE FOR 2021
• We have developed a more
structured approach to our
sponsorship activities and
support to charities.
COLOFON
EDITORIAL
Aukje Coers (Cornelis Vrolijk)
Schuttelaar & Partners
BASED ON AN IDEA OF
Carolien Vrolijk
DESIGN
Schuttelaar & Partners
PHOTOGRAPHY
John Oosterhuis
Mariel Kolmschot
Damen Shiprepair
CONTACT
Cornelis Vrolijk
Makreelkade 9
P.O. Box 54
1970 AB IJmuiden
The Netherlands
+31 255 53 25 34
CSR-MANAGER
Aukje Coers
©2015
www.cornelisvrolijk.eu