ESG & SDG
ESG - Environmental, Social, and Governance
GiliOcean was established with the aim of producing a sustainable and climate-smart solution for the aquaculture industry. Since the beginning, the company has been operating to develop its technology and services in line with the highest environmental and social standards. The technology, design, and execution abilities of the company are planned to create a global impact with responsible guidelines and requirements similar to the ESG goals.
As the world around us is changing, we need to develop and adjust ourselves to the new challenges it brings along the way. It is highly important to set high standards when addressing matters of our environment, society, and governance (ESG). If we do not do so, we will have to face much bigger and more difficult challenges in the near future.
It is crucial that all companies, including the ones in the aquaculture industry, act in accordance with these standards so we can increase corporate value as well as long-term sustainability.
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GiliOcean grows fish in their natural habitat, improving fish welfare while minimizing its impact on the marine environment. Moving further offshore, we also free nearshore and coastal areas for other uses, providing more space, where aquaculture production can expand to meet the increasing demand for healthy protein and food security.
Environmental Sustainability
At open sea, fish can grow in their natural habitat where the oxygen level is ideal, and the natural microelements help the fish grow faster and healthier, with negligible use of antibiotics. In addition, fish stress is reduced to a minimum (stress in fish can be a major factor in facilitating fish disease and a range of other adverse effects). Far from coastal pollution and contaminations where water exchange is high, fish can grow in superb water quality.
Due to the SPM design, a constant movement of the structure, and the combination of bigger depth plus stronger currants, we manage to minimize the impact on the seabed and natural marine habitat by dispersing the organic matter, unconsumed fish feed, and fecal matter, in a much larger radius. Additionally, GiliOcean creates a fishing-free zone; a natural reserve in the middle of the ocean.
Moving the aquaculture systems further offshore also frees other nearshore and coastal areas for other uses, such as tourism, providing more space, where aquaculture production can expand in order to meet the increasing demand for fish.
Social Sustainability
GiliOcean Technology believes that for a business to be truly socially sustainable, it must take the local population into consideration. That’s why, when approaching a project, we look for the following:
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A local partner for a joint venture: this is a must. If a business wishes to prosper, this can be achieved solely with the assistance of a local representative who has a deep understanding of the conditions and relevant players within it.
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Collaboration with local businesses: For a farming project to be successful, there is a need to create collaborations between a variety of businesses, besides the actual farming operation (such as hatcheries, fish feed factories, distributors, and processing plants). Locating these businesses and working with them constitutes the backbone of the business, contributing to a strong aquaculture industry can benefit the country and therefore our own business.
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Jobs: Every farming operation requires employees with diverse areas of expertise besides farming. For every 1500 tons of fish production around 100-150 employees are needed. These workers take part in hatcheries, fish feed factories, distribution processes, packaging plants, ice factories, and much more.
Economical Sustainability
Apart from the environmental and health advantages of offshore aquaculture, it is also more productive and economical than most other methods when reaching economies of scale, in terms of building and maintenance costs, fish production costs, and fish growth rate.
We also make sure that our products' materials are of the highest quality, which means durability for many years without the need for significant repairs and often changes.
Finally, offshore fish farms produce higher quality, nearly antibiotic-free, healthier fish, which are easier to market since they can be grown year-round in a predictable manner. Systems modularity allows the possibility of replacing the type of fish according to the market situation if necessary.