Episode 8

Responsible Tourism: Iberostar’s Pioneering Role in Sustainable Hospitality and Seafood

with Erika Harms

Erika Harms is the Global Director Sustainability – Science, Innovation & Destinations at Iberostar where she leads the sustainability team in scientific-driven actions for a sustainable ocean economy and responsible tourism model. She builds bridges between the private sector, public sector and governments in order to bring transformative solutions that address critical challenges and contribute to sustainable development through regenerative tourism.

This work is seen through Iberostar’s Wave of Change, the first innovation hub born from the tourism industry that provides strategies for the sector to integrate science-based actions into business models. Through 5 focus areas of action, Circular Economy, Nature-based Solutions, Blue Foods, Climate Action and Destination Stewardship, Wave of Change aims to drive change for a more sustainable future.

Iberostar

Iberostar Hotels & Resorts is a leading global hospitality brand known for its upscale all-inclusive resorts and hotels, primarily located in prime beachfront locations. With a strong commitment to sustainability and responsible tourism, Iberostar offers guests luxurious accommodations, diverse dining options, and a wide range of recreational activities. The company emphasizes environmental stewardship through initiatives like Wave of Change, focusing on ocean health, sustainable seafood, and reducing plastic pollution. Iberostar strives to provide exceptional guest experiences while promoting eco-friendly practices and community engagement.

The Wave of Change initiative at Iberostar focuses on promoting ocean health and sustainability through five core pillars: circular economy, nature-based solutions, blue foods, climate action, and destination stewardship. This initiative aims to lead the tourism industry in ocean conservation by integrating sustainable practices, engaging with local communities, and supporting scientific research to protect marine ecosystems and biodiversity.

For Iberostar, responsible consumption of seafood means the intersection of prioritizing environmental sustainability, livelihoods and safe working practices, and the economic viability of fisheries. We focus on having a positive impact on the environment, communities, and local economy.

Iberostar joined the GSSI Global Partnership in 2020.

As the Global Director Sustainability at Iberostar, what are your main roles and responsibilities in driving sustainable seafood practices?

As the Global Director Sustainability – Science, Innovation & Destinations, my main role and responsibilities focus on leading the sustainability team in scientific-driven actions for a sustainable ocean economy and a responsible tourism model. This includes working towards setting a model that transitions from traditional seafood sources to responsibly sourced alternatives, driven by our commitment to safeguarding ocean health through responsible consumption practices. Our approach revolves around four pivotal actions: defining a path towards sustainable seafood for the private sector, ensuring supply chain traceability, uplifting local communities, and exploring alternative blue foods.

At Iberostar we foster close relationships with local fishing communities and collaborate with various stakeholders, including suppliers, NGOs, government agencies, academia, and other private sector companies, to collectively drive sustainable fisheries. Through our Lifting Up Local initiative, we aim to strengthen local food systems and promote sustainable seafood practices. Additionally, the sustainability team works closely with culinary teams to create menus featuring these sustainable options and educate staff and guests on the importance of sustainable seafood. Monitoring and evaluating the impact of our sourcing policies, and continuously seeking ways to improve and innovate in this area.

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Erika, can you dive into the details of Iberostar’s Wave of Change program and its impact on ocean conservation? What challenges have you faced in reaching your ambitious targets?

Iberostar’s Wave of Change program is built around five key pillars: nature-based solutions, climate action, circular economy, blue foods, and destination stewardship. This program is our bold commitment to protect and restore our precious coastal and marine ecosystems, reduce the impact of climate change, promote sustainable seafood, uplift local communities, and minimize waste, particularly plastic pollution.

Since 2018, we have embarked on an ambitious journey: to source 100% responsible seafood by 2025. Our definition of responsible seafood initially focused on certifications and improvement projects, which seemed like the gold standard. However, this path brought us face-to-face with several challenges, especially in regions within the global south.

In these regions, small-scale fisheries dominate, and the availability of certifications and Fisheries Improvement Projects (FIPs) is limited. We found ourselves importing certified products to meet our standards, but this came with a high price. Our carbon footprint increased, the diversity of species we offered diminished, local culinary traditions were sidelined, and we missed vital opportunities to engage with and support the very communities that sustain our businesses.

Recognizing these challenges, we knew we had to rethink our approach. This realization gave birth to the Lifting Up Local initiative. Through this initiative, we could embrace and support local small-scale and artisanal fisheries that, while not third-party certified, demonstrated high levels of responsibility or had the potential to adopt better practices. By establishing commercial relationships with these fisheries, we created an incentive for them to adopt and maintain sustainable practices.

This shift was more than just a strategic move; it was a commitment to our values and a deeper connection with the communities we operate in. We started seeing local fishermen not just as suppliers, but as partners in our mission for ocean conservation

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Through this initiative, we could embrace and support local small-scale and artisanal fisheries that, while not third-party certified, demonstrated high levels of responsibility or had the potential to adopt better practices

Could you share some inspiring examples of how you support local, small-scale initiatives through your work?

We have several examples of supporting local, small-scale initiatives. One notable example is our support for the sustainable fishery of Arapaima in the Amazon. This community-based managed fishery is the perfect example of a successful sustainable fishery that recovered the almost extinct arapaima through the community’s efforts. They implement management plans, monitoring, surveillance, and traceability systems. To maintain these responsible practices, they need access to fair markets that pay a fair price. By integrating Arapaima into our supply chain, we help these fishers sustain their livelihoods while promoting sustainable fishing methods.

Another great example is our engagement with Aliança Kirimurê in Salvador Bahia. This collective of fishers and shellfish gatherers in the Baía de Todos os Santos region of Brazil aims to organize and strengthen a network of producers, community leaders, and fishing entities to enhance the quality and sustainability of the region’s seafood production. The alliance directly benefits 200 families involved in various activities, such as responsible fishing, artisanal fish processing, marine crafts, and oyster and seaweed farming. Notably, 75% of the alliance members are women.

The program focuses on empowering local fishermen and fisherwomen within the artisanal small-scale fishing sector, promoting their capacity, leadership, and development-oriented policies. Iberostar collaborates with Aliança Kirimurê by directly purchasing products, negotiating transparent and fair prices, and enabling producers to focus on sustainability and quality improvement. So far, we have purchased 5 different local species to supply our hotels in Brazil and we are working towards adding new ones. This partnership contributes to the social, human, and environmental development of community-based fishing organizations, with a focus on sustainability, women’s empowerment (SDG 5), and responsible seafood practices (SDG 14). Our commercial relationship with the alliance has led to improvements in infrastructure, processing facilities, and distribution channels, supporting local communities and enhancing seafood quality. The ultimate goal is to create demand for responsible seafood, improve market access, and foster a sustainable fishing industry in collaboration with the government and other stakeholders.

Additionally, we support the local pole-and-line mahi-mahi fishery in Brazil, ensuring that these fishers have the resources and market opportunities to thrive while maintaining sustainable practices. Recently, we visited Tunisia to meet with fishing communities within Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Through our involvement and training programs, we aim to enhance their sustainable practices and improve their access to better markets. These initiatives not only promote sustainable fisheries but also empower local communities, helping to strengthen their food systems and economic resilience.

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The alliance directly benefits 200 families involved in various activities, such as responsible fishing, artisanal fish processing, marine crafts, and oyster and seaweed farming. Notably, 75% of the alliance members are women

How has GSSI contributed to enhancing Iberostar’s commitment to responsible sourcing policies and meeting your sustainability targets?

Sustainable seafood sourcing is of great importance for the hospitality sector, particularly in coastal tourism destinations, where our influence on consumer preferences and seafood demand is significant. As key players in the tourism industry, we have the power to drive positive change by promoting responsible sourcing and consumption practices. Through our purchasing decisions, promotional activities, and engagement with local communities, we can shape market dynamics and foster a transition toward sustainability.

Partnering with GSSI has been instrumental in enhancing our commitment to responsible sourcing. By aligning our seafood sourcing policies with GSSI’s benchmark standards, we ensure that we are adopting best practices recognized globally. GSSI’s guidance helps us evaluate and select certifications that meet our high sustainability criteria. This collaboration has also provided us with a framework to continuously improve our sourcing practices, allowing us to meet our sustainability targets more effectively.

Together, we are committed to creating a more sustainable future for our planet and future generations. By upholding the highest standards of sustainability and contributing to the well-being of marine ecosystems and coastal communities, we strive to drive positive change and promote a more responsible and sustainable seafood industry

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This collaboration has provided us with a framework to continuously improve our sourcing practices, allowing us to meet our sustainability targets more effectively

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How do you believe Seafood MAP can empower small-scale producers to enhance the sustainability of global seafood production?

I believe Seafood MAP can significantly empower small-scale producers by providing them with access to valuable resources and tools to improve their sustainability practices. It offers a platform for sharing best practices, accessing training programs, and connecting with markets that value sustainably produced seafood. By offering transparency and traceability, Seafood MAP helps small-scale producers demonstrate their commitment to sustainability, which can open up new market opportunities and enhance their competitiveness. This empowerment leads to a more sustainable global seafood production system, benefiting both the environment and local communities.

CeDePesca

Encourage good practices in small-scale fisheries through co-management.

CeDePesca are working on a confirmation of a Co-management Commission in Panama have begun data collection through voluntary logbooks by fishers.

It is an ongoing experience where we are discussing and resolving together how to recover the diminished resources that make our livelihoods. We really thank CeDePesca and Seafood MAP for their help on this process.

Ernesto Vargas

FENAPESCA (National Artisanal Fishers Federation)

The Philippines and Indonesia - Asian Seafood Improvement Collaborative

Providing improvement-oriented programs to smallholder producers and fishers to improve their social and environmental practices for better international markets while improving livelihoods and building resilient communities.

This aquaculture project seeks to engage smallholder shrimp farmers to help them improve their efforts towards environmental, social, and gender equality sustainability targets. ASIC provides improvement programs to allow for a step-by-step continuous journey for smallholder farmers to comply with the ASIC Shrimp and Social and Gender Standards. The program offers verification of sustainable practices at no cost which is then leveraged to provide direct market access to buyers. ASIC fisheries project is working to finalize its program while providing support to existing fisheries programs in the Philippines and looking to pilot its program soon.

The social and gender components are a new area that we have not yet heard before and through this program, our awareness has increased - which extended to farm management, household, and to the community level.

Smallholder Farmer

Indonesia

Uganda - Deutsche Gesellschaft fϋr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

Ensuring food security and reducing poverty by increasing fish supply and income

The Responsible Fisheries Business Chains Project (RFBCP) in Uganda is concentrating on sustainable fisheries management of Nile Perch on Lake Victoria and Lake Kyoga. Currently, GIZ-RFBCP is drafting selection criteria that will be used to identify producers to work with. The status of such businesses will be ascertained at the beginning and where points of weakness are identified in regards to sustainability measures. GIZ-RFBCP will work with producers to validate their sustainability measures and help them register on the Seafood MAP.

China - China Aquatic Products Processing and Marketing Alliance and China Blue Sustainability Institute

Optimizing the industrial layout, conserving fishery resources, and protecting water ecology to meet the growing consumer demand for high-quality protein and to provide producers with new sustainable practices.

CAPPMA and China Blue have been working with scientific research teams, producers, purchasers, and other stakeholders over the span of this project. In close cooperation, a large amount of research has been carried out and suggestions have been made for the optimization and next development of the Seafood MAP registration model based on China's characteristics and reality.

In China, there are many types of aquatic products available for residents to consume, and the production model is diversified. Reflecting on our pilot work so far, we know more time is needed to optimize, but we are looking forward to establishing a concrete buildout of the Seafood MAP platform to move our work forward and improve.

Janelle Dong

CAPPMA

Papua New Guinea - Fishing Association of Papua New Guinea

Exposing our progress and performance with seafood supply chain partners and finding common ground for collaboration to move towards certification.

The prawn and lobster fisheries management in the area is aimed at preserving the fishery for the traditional inhabitants, with strict limited entry for non-inhabitants. We aim to move all fisheries and aquaculture operations toward sustainable certification, we need Seafood MAP as a path to educate our fisher how to collect data properly, report and assess it.

Seafood MAP has increased the collaboration between the National Fishery Authority and the producers in the area with respect to data collection, measuring performance and reporting against the robust Seafood MAP criteria based on FAO and SDG indicators.

Marcelo Hidalgo

Sustainability Director, FIA PNG

Aquaconnect and IDH, the Sustainable Trade Initiative

Working towards more efficient resource use by collecting and analyzing farm and disease data.

The project focused on improving disease data collection and analysis, by linking Aquaconnect to a lead aquatic epidemiologist. The objective of the project is to provide farmers better information on diseases with the ultimate aim to improve resource efficiency. The Aquaconnect team tested the Seafood MAP registration form for seafood producers, as well as the self-evaluation form for their customers.

Through the IDH-Aquaconnect program, we were able to promote sustainable practices among the farmers communities and set several shrimp production benchmarks. One of the key highlights is that we have redesigned our data architecture to capture individual and population-level symptoms to support the shrimp epidemiology study.

Sudhakar Velayutham

Project Manager, Aquaconnect

Indonesia - UNIDO

Strengthening the quality and standard compliance capacity of small and medium-scale enterprises to improve market access to both domestic and international markets.

The programme supports the country to align the demand and supply of quality services required by markets through enhancing quality infrastructure and services, strengthening producers and value chains, and raising a culture for quality.

The Indonesian fisheries sector has great potential for both capture fisheries and aquaculture, with small fishers and farmers dominating the sector. Small scale fishers and farmers usually have limited access to markets, technology, information, finance, and public services. Helping them to improve their access to these services will ultimately improve their livelihood that could incentivize sustainable fishing and farming practices.

Ita Sualia

Chief Operations Officer, UNIDO

Ecuador - Sustainable Shrimp Partnership and IDH, the Sustainable Trade Initiative

Supporting SSP members to achieve their goals and supporting small and medium-scale farmers to achieve SSP through the establishment and coordination of an improvement program.

Over the course of the project, twelve farms qualified for the SSP criteria of zero antibiotics, ASC certification, minimal environmental impact, and full traceability. Currently, the SSP focuses on a better understanding of their carbon and water footprint by joining the IDH Aquaculture Working Group on Environmental footprint. The SSP team tested the Seafood MAP registration form for seafood producers, as well as the self-evaluation form for their improvement program.

The improvement program allowed us to support small shrimp farms to demonstrate accountability by improving their environmental and social performance and it demonstrated that SSP members are committed to the highest levels of transparency by being the first shrimp producers in the world to adapt blockchain traceability for shrimp

Pamela Nath

Director, SSP

Mozambique - Pescamar and Nueva Pescanova

Improve maritime fishing training in Mozambique to ensure local generational replacement of fleet masters and resilience of fishing communities

The project is a public-private initiative that transfers knowledge from the Atlantic Maritime Fisheries Institute of Vigo (Spain) to the Matola Fishing School (Mozambique) funded by AECID and the collaboration of Pescamar and Nueva Pescanova. To date it has allowed improving the school´s curricula, and its equipment and has incorporated students to work at Pescamar.

Seafood MAP will give visibility to the work that Pescamar is doing to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals, in this case highlighting its collaborative work to improve fisheries education.

Jose Joaquin Rodriguez

General Manager, Pescamar

Hugo Byrnes

Vice President Product Integrity, Ahold Delhaize

Hugo Byrnes joined Ahold in 2006 and was subsequently appointed to the position of Vice President Product Integrity. He is responsible for Ahold Delhaize’s food and non-food product policies, which cover product safety and responsible products. This includes social compliance, animal welfare and environmental issues. Hugo Byrnes has a Dutch Law degree from the State University Leiden, the Netherlands. He is a food lawyer whose career has focused on the food business and in particular on quality management and standardization.

Flavio Corsin

Director of Partnerships, Aqua-Spark

Flavio has spent more than two decades working in responsible aquaculture globally for non-profit, intergovernmental, and for-profit organizations. As Aqua-Spark’s Director of Partnerships, he is responsible for driving the development and execution of a robust partner ecosystem that aligns all stakeholders behind a core vision, while supporting Aqua-Spark’s portfolio, network, and goals. Prior to joining Aqua-Spark, Flavio worked for IDH, the Sustainable Trade Initiative, overseeing their Aquaculture Program. He was also IDH Vietnam Country Director, establishing groundbreaking public-private partnerships in coffee, tea, and apparel. He founded and ran the sustainability arm of the Vietnam association of farmers and fishers (VINAFIS). He has worked as an expert for over 20 international organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Flavio holds an M.Sc. in Aquaculture from the University of Stirling and a Ph.D. in Epidemiology, the study of diseases in populations, from the University of Liverpool.

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