Seafood Task Force Co-Chair Addresses Regional Dialogue on Responsible Business and Migration at ASEAN - July '25
Bangkok, 25 July 2025
Seafood Task Force (STF) Co Chair – Supavadee Chotikajan ('Pink') presented at the “Regional Dialogue on Responsible Business and Migration in ASEAN” on 21st July in Bangkok during the panel discussion entitled - “Envisioning Corporate Responsibility and Migration in ASEAN: Reflections and Looking Ahead”.
This event brought together ASEAN Member States, sectoral bodies, businesses, international organizations and civil society to share best practices and strengthen regional cooperation in ensuring ethical recruitment and corporate accountability for migrant workers' rights.
Ms. Chotikajan, who as well as her role with the STF is the Global Human Rights Lead at Mars Petcare, spoke about the STF’s decade-long commitment to driving supply chain transparency and protecting worker rights in global seafood supply chains. Her participation underscored the critical intersection between responsible business practices and migration governance in labor-intensive sectors such as fisheries, where millions of migrant workers contribute significantly to key industries across ASEAN.
The two-day meeting served as a platform for knowledge exchange on fair labor practices, corporate responsibility, and access to justice for migrant workers. The initiative aligns with ASEAN's commitments under the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration and builds upon the ASEAN Committee on Migrant Workers' efforts to implement the ASEAN Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers.
Through panel discussions, case study presentations, and policy roundtables, several priority themes came up for discussion, including ethical recruitment, human rights due diligence, and the protection of migrant workers who often face exploitation, unsafe working conditions, and limited access to justice in key regional industries.
The talks focused on responsible business conduct and how important it was for organizations to incorporate both the United Nations’ human rights standards and the International Labor Organization’s labor standards. With the ultimate goal of aligning the STF's mission to ensure seafood supply chains are fully traceable, free from the risk of human rights violations, and free from environmental degradation.
STF Executive Director, Martin Thurley said:
"Khun Pink's participation in this important regional dialogue demonstrates the STF's ongoing commitment to responsible business practices and outreach. As migration and business are deeply interconnected across ASEAN's seafood industry, we recognize that protecting migrant workers' rights is essential to building the confidence required for sustainable trade. The STF's experience in developing practical, on-the-ground solutions for ethical recruitment and worker protection can contribute valuable insights to broader regional efforts in responsible migration governance."
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About the Seafood Task Force:
The Seafood Task Force (STF) was established in 2014 to restore global confidence to trade, following concerns about social and environmental abuse in global tuna and shrimp supply chains. It is made up of over 50 major retailers, brands, food service companies and their supply chain partners.
The STF drives supply chain oversight at scale, pioneering a pro-competitive approach that makes it easier for its members to meet international standards and growing due diligence requirements.
The STF is a US-based, not-for-profit trade association established for the seafood industry by the seafood industry. Its vision is a future where its members’ seafood supply chains are fully traceable, free from the risk of human rights violations and free from environmental degradation.
For more information: https://seafoodtaskforce.global/