SETTING THE STANDARDS

Seamark continues to set high standards in all aspects of food production in terms of hygiene, the environment and working conditions.

United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Labour Organisation

The group is firmly committed to upholding basic human rights. It fully supports the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Labour Organisation, a UN agency, which seeks the promotion of social justice and recognised labour rights.

Ethical trading

Seamark has always been committed to ensuring all its activities and all its suppliers comply with ethical trading and the codes of labour practice based on internationally agreed labour standards by the ILO.

The ETI base code

The ETI base code is used as a standard in Seamark for its suppliers.Awareness is created of the ETI and ethical issues throughout the worker welfare in Seamark factories. The code is also communicated throughout its supply chain. In terms of hygiene and safe production.

BRC (British Retail Consortium) Global Standard higher level certification

Seamark has achieved BRC (British Retail Consortium). Global Standard higher level certification and follows strict HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) practices. Site visits ensure that hygiene meets the group’s exceptional Quality Control Monitoring System – as well as the requirements set out in EU legislation. Seamark’s microbiologists are continually working on food hygiene procedures and the group has been awarded BRC Global Standard higher level certification for all its factories in the UK and in Bangladesh. Setting the standards for consistent high quality is at the heart of all of the Seamark operations.

GIVE A LITTLE

Seamark’s personal and corporate philosophy is to make a commitment to the communities in which it operates. This comes in many forms, from investing in the local economy or charity work that really makes a difference.

The Iqbal Ahmed Foundation

Iqbal Ahmed leads by example, supporting and helping good causes both in Bangladesh and the North West of England.
He has founded the Iqbal Ahmed Foundation, a charity set up to improve the life of people in the third world, with a special emphasis on education, training, housing and healthcare.

The Burunga Iqbal Ahmed High School and College

One of the projects the charity is proud to have been involved with is the sponsorship and development of the Burunga Iqbal Ahmed High School and College, which educates 1,200 pupils in Sylhet in north east Bangladesh. This work, improving education for young people in Bangladesh, continues.

Project Maja

In September 2011 a group of high-profile volunteers from the UK visited the school as part of the Conservative Party’s “International Social Action” project. The volunteers, including MP Andrew Stephenson, who represents Pendle in the North West of England, gave youngsters at the school English lessons as part of Project Maja, an initiative led by Baroness Sayeeda Warsi.

Ahsania Mission Cancer and General Hospital

Seamark is also actively involved in raising money towards a £33 million hospital project in the Bangladesh capital of Dhaka. The company’s leaders use to good effect their standing in the Bangladeshi community in the UK to help raise almost £16 million. The donations have come from fundraisers in the North West of England and around the UK, as well as the Bangladesh government and the business community.

The vision is to build the modern Ahsania Mission Cancer and General Hospital, which aims to offer free treatment to its poorest patients. It’s a life-saving vision since, right now, 150,000 people in Bangladesh die each year as a result of cancer.

CLOSER TO HOME

Seamark is also active in charity work in the UK having lent its support to a number of North West fundraising appeals, including the work to create a new children’s hospital in Manchester.

East Manchester

The organisation has also played a major role in the regeneration and revival of east Manchester, an area of the city that has been transformed in recent years. It was one of the first companies to make a significant investment in the Ancoats area, with the creation of its headquarters and Vermilion and Cinnabar on Hulme Hall Lane, near the highly-acclaimed Sport City development.

Iqbal Ahmed was also appointed to the board of New East Manchester Ltd, the partnership company between the city council, English Partnership and the Northwest Development Agency given the task of driving the renaissance of the area forward.

Seamark’s role in that renaissance goes further than creating jobs and investing in new buildings. The company is also committed to the wellbeing of the community.

“Strike a Balance” initiative with Manchester City Football Club

In a partnership with its illustrious sporting neighbour Manchester City, Vermilion has been helping to educate local primary schoolchildren in healthy eating through the football club’s innovative “Strike A Balance” initiative. The two neighbours came together in October 2011, with chefs from Vermilion going into the classroom to give youngsters cookery master classes.

And in another, highly innovative community venture, Seamark has been working to bring arts and culture to a wider audience in New East Manchester.

VOX: non-profit contemporary art gallery

In summer of 2011 it opened a spectacular new art space at Vermilion. VOX is a cutting-edge venue that aims to bring contemporary art to a whole new audience. VOX is a non-profit gallery and a pioneering collaboration between Vermilion and project space ‘The International 3’ in to bring the very best of contemporary art to the North.

As it evolves VOX also aims to develop and link up with major contemporary artistic events being held in Manchester throughout the year. Manzur Ahmed, son of Seamark founder Iqbal Ahmed, is Vermilion managing director and has played a leading role in the creation of VOX as part of his vision for the development of the venue.