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# Review of Royal Greenland's CSR Initiatives
- URL: https://cibocom.ghost.io/review-of-royal-greenlands-csr-initiatives/
- Published: 2015-06-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-08T15:05:35.000Z
- Author: Cibocom
- Tags: Royal Greenland, fish

The core of our operations revolves around fishing. We prioritize the sustainability of our seafood, whether it's from our own fisheries or sourced externally, as a key aspect of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy. At Royal Greenland, we are convinced that the sustainable utilization of marine resources is a long-term, beneficial investment for our company, our owners - the Greenland government, and consequently, the people and society of Greenland. Our Corporate Sustainability Manager at Royal Greenland elaborates: "Rooted in our Greenlandic heritage, we view our social responsibility as a necessity within the company. Over the past three years, we have systematically approached CSR with regular steering committee meetings to monitor projects. Our primary focus areas include sustainable fishing and working conditions and human rights, including staff training. However, we also address environmental issues, local involvement in Greenland, and business integrity." However, sustainability can be defined in various ways. Our CSR policy is grounded in the UN Global Compact's 10 principles for sustainable business operations. We strive to comply with the laws of the countries we operate in and aim to adhere to international principles for responsible business operations. Sustainable Fishing There isn't a universally accepted definition of sustainable fishing. At Royal Greenland, we deem a stock sustainable if the resource is healthy and managed with a long-term perspective, in line with biological recommendations. Central to this is the principle that fishing should adhere to the "Maximum Sustainable Yield" principle, meaning a stock should not be fished beyond its ability to reproduce, while also considering environmental, economic, and social aspects. Assessment of all Species Royal Greenland classifies all species in our range into three categories – sustainable, unsustainable, and data deficient. 90% of Royal Greenland's procured raw materials fall within the top category. The rest typically come from fisheries with unreliable data. Moreover, Royal Greenland is initiating improvement projects via Sustainable Fisheries Greenland for key stocks with challenging stock profiles, such as the Greenland halibut. Sustainability and Certifications Not all species at Royal Greenland are certified. However, we believe that a species and its associated fishery can be sustainable without certification. Nonetheless, auditing according to specific requirements can enhance administration, research, and studies in fisheries, benefiting both fishermen and the industry in the long run. Currently, 41% of Royal Greenland's raw material is MSC certified, and we aim to increase this percentage in the future, particularly through the certification of our Greenlandic raw materials. Presently, the Greenlandic fisheries for lumpfish roe and the Greenlandic trawl fishery for cod, haddock, and coalfish in the Barents Sea are undergoing certification, both expected to be certified in 2015\. Additionally, the West Greenlandic prawn fishery, which was certified in 2013, has successfully passed its first and second inspections. Full Utilization of Raw Material Besides focusing on sustainability in terms of fishing, Royal Greenland strives to minimize waste and maximize the use of the fish, which is beneficial both financially and environmentally. The overall utilization of whole fish of all species purchased in first sales for Royal Greenland's factories in Greenland in 2013/14 was 66%. Further optimization opportunities in 2015 are seen in prawn shells, crab carcasses, and cod fillet offcuts. Prawn shells are used to produce shrimp meal, which is resold as a consumable product for the broth and soup industry. For Greenland halibut, the average yield was 92%, up from 84% in 2008/9, with only skin and bones being discarded. Heads and tails are sold to China where they are popular soup ingredients, frills/fins are exported to Japan for sushi, and fillets are sold in Europe in both retail and foodservice.