John West Australia has taken home the Banksia Gold Award at the 2016 Banksia Sustainability Awards. The Banksia Foundation’s annual awards recognise and celebrate companies, individuals and organisations leading Australia towards a more sustainable and innovative future.
“With their strong drive to deliver a superior product to the market and communicate the importance of sustainable fishing among buyers, John West Australia have won over the hearts of consumers and inspired businesses and individuals alike,” said Banksia Foundation CEO Graz van Egmond.
“The judges commended John West Australia on having ‘the courage to talk to, encourage and engage with their consumers’. They all agreed on the importance of effectively communicating the business’ sustainability objectives to the public, ensuring that consumers’ buying behaviour is shaped around sustainability.”
In addition to the Banksia Gold Award, which recognises ‘the best of the best’ across 14 award categories, John West Australia also received the Banksia Communication for Change Award.
The Our Oceans Forever campaign was launched in February 2016 as part of the company’s commitment to Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified sustainable tuna.
John West Australia have overhauled their supply chain to offer Australian consumers the opportunity to make wise purchase decisions by choosing MSC certified sustainable canned tuna.
“John West is an innovative trailblazer in ensuring the impetus for market transformation in sustainable seafood is congruent all along the supply chain," said MSC Oceania Program Director Anne Gabriel. "Their commitment to environmental stewardship and consumer expectations that sustainability is an imperative rather than a value-add is commendable as it builds brand trust and category leadership.”
“This has enabled everyday Australians to be part of the solution for healthy oceans, through changing their purchasing behaviour. The MSC is very proud to be working with John West Australia, and this award recognises how their impressive leadership is driving significant change in the seafood industry.”
More than 100 million John West cans of tuna will now carry the MSC ecolabel, demonstrating the seafood inside is sustainable and traceable from ocean to can.
This single commitment means that 43% of Australia’s canned tuna is now certified as sustainable.
In 2012, John West partnered with WWF Australia to source sustainable tuna and as a result is now sourcing skipjack tuna from the MSC certified sustainable Parties of the Nauru Agreement (PNA) tuna fishery - the largest tuna fishery in the world.
John West’s Banksia Awards build on the international recognition they received earlier this year from the 2016 Ethical Corporation Responsible Business Awards.