Chit Juan talks with sustainability and supply chain leader Christian Schmidradner about ten years of the Philippine Sustainability Movement and how it all started with Sustainable Seafood Week. Christian shares how his work in traceable seafood supply chains led to a nationwide campaign for responsible sourcing and collaboration among government, business, and communities. He explains the importance of certifications, the impact of bycatch, and why sustainability is a continuous journey that begins with awareness. The conversation also highlights the movement’s growth beyond seafood — now including organic farming, plastic reduction, animal welfare, and food waste solutions.

GUEST BIO:

Christian Schmidradner is a sustainability and supply chain leader with over 20 years of international management and consulting experience. He is the Founding Partner and Managing Consultant of Pristine Solutions, advising organizations like Naturland, USAID, and The Meloy Fund while leading ESG consulting initiatives. He also co-founded SeaTrace International, a sustainable seafood distributor in Manila, and initiated both Sustainable Seafood Week (2015) and the Philippine Sustainability Movement (2018). From 2013 to 2018, he served as General Manager of Meliomar Inc. (Blueyou Group), overseeing tuna exports under the ARTESMAR® Fishery Improvement Project and developing responsible seafood supply chains across Asia and Europe.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

• How the Philippine Sustainability Movement and Sustainable Seafood Week began.
• The role of traceability and certification in sustainable seafood.
• Why handline tuna fishing is an ethical, low-impact method.
• What bycatch means and how it affects marine ecosystems.
• How hotels and restaurants are adopting responsible sourcing.
• Expanding sustainability beyond seafood to farming, waste, and plastic reduction.
• The importance of creating roadmaps for long-term environmental goals.

QUOTES:

• The tuna handline fishery is a very sustainable choice in itself because the capacity of fishing is not overfishing the stock of Yellowfin Tuna. —Christian Schmidradner
• Retailers need to take care that they don't take very small, juvenile fish because that has not repopulated its stock yet. —Christian Schmidradner
• Sustainable seafood has to also be available in a price category that can trickle down to more consumer groups. —Christian Schmidradner
• It matters where our food is coming from. It matters that we can trace it, that it's transparent. —Christian Schmidradner
• Sustainability is a journey. —Christian Schmidradner

LINKS or RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Connect with Christian Schmidradner:

• Christian Schmidradner on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/christian.schmidradner
• Philippine Sustainability Movement - https://www.facebook.com/ThePhilippineSustainabilityMovement 

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