Sustainability is fast becoming a full-time job. You've heard of a CEO and a CFO but CSO may be a new one to you, although it won't be for long.  Sustainability is becoming an integral part of a company's business philosophy, especially within the seafood sector where many suppliers, retailers and foodservice operators are creating positions for a 'chief sustainability officer' to manage their ecological footprint.  Just a few examples include the seafood supplier High Liner Foods, farmed salmon producer Marine Harvest and retail giant Walmart.

The National Fisheries Institute recently announced that they, too, have established such a position and will be filling it with Ron Rogness.  Rogness was once a salmon fisherman in Alaska, an economist for the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and seafood buyer for Long John Silver's and Unified Foodservice Purchasing Co-op.  In his new role, Rogness envisions himself as a unifying voice that provides the seafood industry with "a seat at the table" in the global seafood sustainability debate.

The position requires empathy, said Rogness in an interview with Seafood Source; "I appreciate everyone's perspective because I've been there".  He believes that the role of CSO "will only grow in importance.  NFI created this position because there's a need for it."

NFI spokesman Gavin Gibbons added that "Sustainability is a complex issue that doesn't include many one-size-fits-all solutions and doesn't always fit neatly into sound-bite science. Communicating the challenges and the solutions is where Ron comes in. Having someone who knows the fisheries management side and the procurement side is paramount, and NFI recognized that our members and our members' customers were in need of a resource like Ron to help us navigate this issue."

Read the full seafood source article here.

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