Iberostar Group is a Spanish global tourism company and hotel group founded in 1956 and grounded in sustainability and responsible tourism. Its commitment to sustainability includes its pledge to achieve 100% responsible seafood sourcing by 2025, which means serving all guests – in its 100+ hotels across 16 different countries – with traceable seafood. It’s a challenge that other, similarly large organizations have no doubt avoided.
Working with the GDST
Iberostar’s journey with the GDST began in 2020 following a Rapid Initial Assessment which identified how the business could progress towards interoperable seafood traceability, as laid out in the GDST Standard.
Far from a loose commitment to sustainable sourcing, Iberostar’s push toward digital traceability recognised that declarations of sustainability need to be evidenced and reinforced by comprehensive traceability. For them, this is paramount to ensuring that their guests and customers trust the seafood they are served is a product of responsible practices.
An understanding of how digital traceability offers real-time, precise tracking of seafood from deck and farm to plate also ensured confidence in compliance to a growing array of regulatory requirements, mitigating legal risks. As a business operating across borders, this is vital for Iberostar, as the group faces considerable challenges in adhering to the disparate regulations, standards and practices set by different countries.
Ensuring their own compliance is only one part of it though. In a market where several actors are involved in the harvesting, processing and supply of seafood, Iberostar works with a range of other supply chain companies across the world. An additional obstacle, therefore, is ensuring that the suppliers they partner with can comply with Iberostar’s own rigorous sustainability and traceability requirements when they may not possess adequate infrastructure and resources to do so.
The standardized guidelines and tools provided by the GDST ensure uniform traceability practices, which are key for a highly diverse market. The result is that it’s easier for both Iberostar and the smaller suppliers they work with to meet regulatory requirements, regardless of location.
In short, it’s Iberostar’s commitment to the GDST Standard that is allowing them to put their core philosophy into practice, meet their customers’ expectations and establish trust, as well as meet regulatory requirements and ensure operational efficiency.
Iberostar, interoperability and impact
But what impact, if any, does Iberostar feel has been made by the GDST on the way it operates?
”GDST has not only determined the KDEs by which Iberostar is aligning for its seafood traceability work. It has also inspired the importance of ensuring digitization and interoperability of all value chain systems as the company continues its work on the circular economy.”
So it’s not just about target-setting, but also defining the processes which allow businesses to achieve their targets efficiently.
For Iberostar, its long-term targets are not only about promoting sustainability and ensuring comprehensive traceability inside its own hotels. It’s also about providing leadership within the tourism sector, which currently makes up roughly 10% of global GDP, and inspiring others to follow the same path. There are unique challenges and opportunities facing hospitality value chains, compared with traditional retail and restaurant services. Yet Iberostar can ensure strong representation of the sector within the GDST’s growing movement toward interoperable seafood traceability.
Learnings for those looking to follow suit
What advice does Iberostar have for other companies, both in the tourism and hospitality sectors and outside, for starting their own journey with the GDST?
“It’s essential to understand GDST standards, assess current systems and invest in the right technology. You will also need to engage stakeholders early, provide training and start with pilot projects to refine your processes.
“Fostering collaboration among supply chain partners is key, while continuously monitoring performance and leveraging GDST resources for ongoing improvement.
“Finally, it’s about highlighting the benefits of transparency, sustainability and risk reduction to gain commitment and buy-in, ensuring a successful transition to digital traceability.”
You can learn more about Iberostar at: https://www.grupoiberostar.com/en/
Explore the benefits of GDST partnership at: https://thegdst.org/get-involved/