Mowi, the Bergen-headquartered Norwegian salmon farming giant, has won another accolade to add to its list of sustainability awards.
Each year, the Coller FAIRR Protein Producer Index ranks 60 of the world's animal protein producers in terms of their sustainability, and for the fifth year in a row, the Norwegian salmon giant has been ranked at the top.
The 2023 report found that aquaculture companies, primarily those producing salmon, continue to perform better than land animal protein producers.
Mowi is not alone at the top, with second and third places awarded to fellow aquaculture companies Lerøy Seafood and Grieg Seafood, both also headquartered in Bergen, Norway.
The index is considered the most detailed assessment of the largest meat, dairy and farmed fish producers in the world. Rankings for each of the 60 companies assessed are determined by a risk and opportunity score across environmental, social, and governance-related criteria including greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation and food safety.
Welcoming the news, CEO Ivan Vindheim said: “This shows again that Mowi is at the forefront of sustainable food production. I am proud and humbled to lead an organisation that is a recognised leader in sustainable food production.”
Mowi has consistently scored at the top of the index since its inception, with the company attributing this to "robust policies on responsible sourcing, animal welfare, environmental sustainability and more".
Mowi's Chief Sustainability and Technology Officer, Catarina Martins, added: “Our ultimate goal is to unlock the potential of the ocean to produce more food for a growing world population in a way that respects our planet, so we are extremely proud to be named the most sustainable protein producer and see our hard work recognised once again.”
“Three Norwegian salmon companies on top is impressive and reinforces the recognition of Norwegian salmon farming as frontrunners on sustainability,” Martins said.
The Index is designed to provide financial institutions with best-in-class data, analytics and trends on the protein sector to integrate into their investment decisions and engagement strategies and is positively shaping trends in the global protein market, by shedding light on where corporate policy or disclosure is behind the curve. It has become the go-to resource for investors to assess how well key suppliers in the food chain are managing environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks:
Greenhouse gas emissions
Deforestation & biodiversity
Water use & scarcity
Waste & pollution
Antibiotics
Working conditions
Animal welfare
Food safety
Sustainability governance
Alternative proteins