International franchise, Subway, has become the latest member of the International Pole & Line Foundation (IPNLF). IPNLF is a non-profit association committed to developing and supporting responsible one-by-one tuna fisheries and supply chains.
The foundation helps ensure the demand for one-by-one caught tuna can be met without compromising the sustainability of the fisheries, while at the same time providing much-needed support for fishing communities who are heavily reliant upon those stocks.
Founded in Connecticut, US in 1965, Subway is now comprised of 44,600 outlets in 112 counties.
Tuna is the only seafood sandwich that is featured on Subway restaurant menus worldwide and the company only serves skipjack tuna, sourced from fishers with non-threatened stock levels. In particular, the company is concerned by the levels of by-catch associated with purse seine nets.
Through the its support of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), Subway intends to only source its tuna from MSC or equivalent certified fishers in the longer term. It is currently working with the MSC, and others, to develop a commercially feasible transition plan to more sustainable tuna.
“We are committed to reducing our environmental footprint and creating a positive influence in the committees we work with. Joining the International Pole & Line Foundation helps to contribute to this cause by supporting our customer promise to supply high-quality food that is also environmentally and socially responsibly sourced, in this case tuna – one the world’s favourite seafood products. We believe that using good, environmentally sound business practices helps increase our franchisees’ profitability, they improve our customers’ dining experiences and they also help protect the planet,” said Elizabeth Stewart, director of corporate social responsibility for Subway.