The Grow with Austral! initiative helped more than 70% of participating companies close gaps in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) management.
With the goal of moving toward a more competitive and responsible business model, a total of 137 supplier companies—40 microenterprises, 68 small businesses, and 29 medium-sized businesses—along with 26 fishing vessel owners from regions such as Áncash, La Libertad, Ica, Piura, Lima, Callao, and Moquegua, participated in the Grow with Austral! Supplier and Shipowner Development Program.
The initiative, developed by Austral Group between May 2024 and May 2025, provided training and advice on business management with a focus on sustainability. The program combined technical training, field visits, and specialized support, enabling more than 70% of companies to close environmental, social, and governance (ESG) gaps and achieve more advanced levels of business maturity.
“The fishing sector needs to move forward together”
For Adriana Giudice, general manager of Austral Group, the results reflect the value of collaborative work in the supply chain. “The development of the sector requires the entire value chain to move toward more responsible and sustainable practices. This program has demonstrated that even micro and small businesses can take concrete steps to strengthen their management and improve their competitiveness.”
Giudice emphasized that the progress made is aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 8, 9, 12, and 17, which promote decent work, innovation, responsible production, and strategic partnerships.
Results with impact
Participants' business and ESG maturity level increased from 1.12 to 3.62 on the Responsible Procurement with Sustainable Impact (CRIS) methodology, a 1-to-5 scale that measures good practices in management, sustainability, and governance. This progress reflects a significant leap in competitiveness and sustainability.
Among the achievements of the participating micro and small enterprises (MSMEs), they highlighted progress in environmental standards, such as the implementation of more than 150 environmental policies, the registration of 96 of them on the Carbon Footprint Peru platform, and even the achievement of the first and second star by two MSMEs. Also noteworthy was the development of more than 3,000 deliverables, including ESG management plans and procedures.
A space for dialogue on sustainable purchasing
To highlight the results, Austral Group organized an event that brought together its management team, authorities, and representatives from the fishing sector. The event included a panel titled "Current Challenges in Sustainable Procurement Management," with the participation of specialists from Positive Impact and the Peruvian Institute of Economics (IPE), who shared perspectives on how to integrate responsible practices into procurement processes.