Materiality assessment:
Defining our focus areas
Our materiality assessment identifies ESG issues that affect our business and stakeholders. It’s important to direct our resources, expertise and operations where we can create the most added value and where our activities have the greatest potential to affect our focus areas.
Through our materiality assessment and ongoing review of our operational priorities, our programme is designed to maximize sustainability efforts and results for animal health and welfare, the environment, and our people and communities.
Our materiality assessment is constructed using the GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) materiality analysis recommendations and SASB’s (Sustainability Accounting Standards Board) Materiality Map.
Feedback is obtained from internal and external stakeholders. Internally, we do this through discussions within our Sustainability Working Group and Sustainability Committee. Externally, we obtain input from key shareholders and customers.
In 2021, key factors identified included the economic viability of our business, ethics and governance, the impact of our products, fish and welfare, and the wellbeing of our people.
To read more about how we implement sustainability into our strategy, visit our ESG Download Centre.
Our Three Focus Areas:
Animal Health
and Welfare
Animal health and welfare contributes to sustainability and drives productivity and profitability for our customers. A farming system with good animal welfare is a benefit for the animals, the environment, and an essential contributor to the success of our customers.
Our Sustainability Programme is implemented through our:
- Animal Health and Welfare Committee
- Internal training to all employees working with fish and shrimp
- Operative Animal Welfare Indicators
- Antibiotic Use Policy
- Application of the ‘three Rs’ (Reduce, Refine, Replace) when testing
- Collaboration on award-winning research for animal health and welfare
Environment
We are committed to a programme of continuous improvement to minimize our environmental footprint. This means focusing our efforts on energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, waste reduction and resource management in all aspects of our operations.
Our sustainability programme is implemented through our:
- Environmental Policy
- Transparent reporting
- Commitment to Net Zero emissions by 2050
- Climate Risk Assessment (completion in FY22)
People and Communities
Benchmark is powered by committed people driven by the desire to make a difference. Shaping a sustainable future for aquaculture would be impossible without our people, partners and the local communities in which we operate.
Our sustainability programme is implemented through our:
- Health and safety training and a network of mental health first aiders
- Benchmark for Better initiative
- ‘Future of Work’ Policy
- Performance Management Framework
- Annual Employee Engagement Survey