Sustainable seafood consultancy and non-profit FishWise has partnered with Palma, Spain-based hotel and resort chain Iberostar Group to bring education and training on responsible seafood consumption to Iberostar’s 32,000 employees, the organizations announced on 22 April.
The partnership is intended to enable Iberostar employees to speak confidently on concepts that are integral to the company’s Wave of Change movement. Launched in 2017, the Wave of Change initiative aims to establish a new, scalable business model for ocean stewardship in tourism through the active support of coastal health, plastics reduction, and seafood consumption.
“Providing responsible seafood options to our guests goes hand-in-hand with Iberostar’s tradition of gastronomic excellence,” said Megan Morikawa, the director of sustainability for Iberostar, which operates over 120 four- and five-star hotels in 18 countries. “We realize, however, that seafood is uniquely complex, and that the potential impact of Wave of Change hinges on empowering our employees to fully understand why we are taking these actions. We are excited to partner with FishWise to untangle this complexity and equip our team with the knowledge needed for success.”
FishWise plans to leverage its 15 years of helping businesses to develop and implement comprehensive seafood sustainability programs in its work with Iberostar. The partnership will be underpinned by a strong foundation of employee training that is expected to increase seafood sustainability awareness throughout the company and further embed Wave of Change as a key part of the identity and culture of the multinational hotelier, FishWise and Iberostar said.
Part of Iberostar’s action plan to help scale Wave of Change is to communicate the message of responsible seafood consumption to guests as an enhancement to their travel experience. By participating in the FishWise-supported training, employees will be able to achieve this aim by “familiarizing guests with how their dinner choices connect to a more sustainable future, with the intention of inspiring continued ocean stewardship once they’ve returned home,” according to Iberostar.
“The level of commitment and passion within Iberostar to create a transformative business model centered around ocean health is truly inspiring,” added Ashley Greenley, the director of business engagement at FishWise. “When it comes to progressive companies, they are the real deal.”
The partnership between FishWise and Iberostar was launched after the non-profit conducted a series of site visits to the hotelier’s Playa Paraíso complex in Mexico, which serves as its headquarters for the Americas. After hearing from representatives across Iberostar's global operations, FishWise will work with Iberostar to develop and implement the training over the next several months.
“Wave of Change was initiated less than two years ago, but Iberostar has already made significant steps in each of its three lines of action, and we’re seeing genuine enthusiasm for the movement at all levels of the company,” Greenley said. “We’re thrilled to be building on this momentum to broaden awareness – and deliver results – on seafood.”
