Better Health for All

No specific, concrete data points were found in the provided articles that directly address the quantitative thresholds or qualitative criteria for any of the 'Better Health for All' KPIs. The articles primarily focus on the sustainability of menhaden fishing practices

, environmental impact reductions (water, carbon, electricity usage) , and a historical lawsuit regarding PCB contamination from 2010 . Information on product health impact , safety records within the last three years , pricing , accessibility , risk transparency related to health , or health-specific investments and programs is not provided. Environmental impact data is explicitly excluded from this value's scope.

Fair Money & Economic Opportunity

Omega Protein Corporation is a nutritional product company focused on producing and delivering essential nutrients derived from menhaden fish. The provided articles detail the company's sustainability efforts

, fishing practices , a federal lawsuit concerning vessel ownership , carbon footprint , and general community involvement through donations and volunteer work . There is no evidence to suggest that Omega Protein Corporation operates in financial services or offers financial products such as lending, deposit services, or insurance to consumers. Therefore, all Key Performance Indicators related to 'Fair Money & Economic Opportunity' are not applicable to the company's business model.

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

Omega Protein Corporation was cited by OSHA for 25 health and safety violations

, including 21 serious violations , following an inspection in April , with proposed penalties totaling $79,200 . Employee reviews indicate an overall satisfaction rating of 3.7 out of 5 .

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

No specific, quantifiable evidence was found in the provided articles for any of the Key Performance Indicators related to Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing. While Omega Protein states it has a Human Rights Policy prohibiting forced and child labor

and mentions developing action plans for adverse human rights impacts , no data on substantiated incidents or remediation speed is provided. The company also claims 'complete traceability' throughout its production processes , but no percentage of suppliers with traceable provenance data is given. Similarly, there is no information on the percentage of spend covered by fair-trade certifications, supplier audit frequency, ethical clause coverage in contracts, share of spend on high-risk materials, or procurement budget directed to diverse suppliers. The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification mentioned in several articles pertains to the sustainability of the menhaden fishery , not fair-trade or ethical sourcing of inputs as defined by the rubric. The federal lawsuit against Omega Protein concerns alleged violations of the Jones Act and American Fisheries Act related to vessel ownership , which does not provide evidence for ethical sourcing KPIs.

Honest & Fair Business

Omega Protein faces significant and recurring ESG controversies. A federal lawsuit alleges its subsidiary, Ocean Harvesters, violated federal laws by creating a shell company to conceal foreign ownership and repeatedly failed to disclose the true ownership structure to the Maritime Administration and U.S. Coast Guard.

The company also willfully violated a menhaden harvest cap regulation in the Chesapeake Bay by 30 percent last year, leading to a threat of moratorium on its operations. Historically, the company pleaded guilty to criminal violations for illegal dumping in Chesapeake Bay in 2013 and settled a lawsuit for PCB contamination in fish oil supplements in 2010. While the company states it has an Ethics and Compliance Hotline to detect and prevent fraud and financial improprieties, the ongoing federal lawsuit alleging the creation of a shell company to conceal foreign ownership suggests a significant failure in the anti-corruption policy's enforcement or effectiveness. For third-party verification, Omega Protein was certified as a sustainable fishery by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). However, the article notes MSC is funded in part by royalties from seafood processors, raising questions about its independence and completeness due to a dearth of information on harvest impacts. Additionally, the company allegedly prevented verification of its ownership structure by the Maritime Administration. The company has a formal Whistleblower Policy with an Ethics and Compliance Hotline, available 24/7 for anonymous reporting, and explicitly prohibits retaliation. However, there is no evidence regarding the independence of the investigation processes following a report.

Kind to Animals

Omega Protein's operations have directly contributed to significant wildlife mortality and habitat degradation. In 2019, the company intentionally exceeded the menhaden catch cap in the Chesapeake Bay by approximately 33%.

From 2008 to 2010, it violated the Clean Water Act by discharging fish waste and oily wastewater, leading to a $7.5 million fine. Documented incidents include a 12,000-pound red drum spill and 400,000 dead menhaden dumped into waters due to net failures. These impacts occur amidst reports of starving osprey chicks , a 90% decline in nesting osprey , and a 90% plummet in menhaden populations over 30 years , with menhaden forming nearly 75% of osprey diets. While the company states it donates reef-like structures, no measurable biodiversity impact from this initiative is provided. Furthermore, Omega Protein's lobbyists actively opposed and delayed funding for menhaden research in Virginia's General Assembly for two years , watered down legislation in 2023 for a comprehensive science effort , and opposed revisions to the Chesapeake Bay harvest cap in 2017, 2018, and 2019. In 2025, the company actively blocked efforts to fund a critical menhaden study.

No War, No Weapons

No evidence was found in the provided articles to assess Omega Protein Corporation against the 'No War, No Weapons' ethical value. The articles discuss the company's community involvement

, hurricane relief efforts , and a federal lawsuit concerning alleged violations of maritime law and foreign ownership . None of these topics provide specific data points related to arms manufacturing, military contracts, dual-use technology, peacebuilding initiatives, or any other criteria relevant to this ethical value.

Planet-Friendly Business

Omega Protein pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Water Act by discharging a fish waste-and-water mixture containing caustic pollutants for 17 months, ending September 2010.

This resulted in a $7.5 million fine and three years of probation. Additionally, a prior lawsuit concerning PCB contamination in fish oil supplements led to a settlement in 2010. At its Reedville, VA facility, the company reduced fossil fuel consumption by up to 80%, sulfur emissions by 80%, and greenhouse gas emissions by 85%, partly by using over 3 million gallons of Renewable Diesel Oil since 2012. Company-wide, carbon emissions were reduced by 39% over 10 years, and electricity usage by 22.5% over 3 years. Omega Protein also reclaims approximately 18 million gallons of water annually and holds Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for sustainable menhaden sourcing. However, Omega Protein lacks publicly available data for most other key environmental performance indicators, including total Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, science-based targets, renewable energy percentage for overall operations, water use per revenue, waste diversion rates, and climate-related financial disclosures.

Respect for Cultures & Communities

No specific, concrete data points were found in the provided articles regarding Omega Protein Corporation's formal partnerships with indigenous or local community groups, revenue reinvested in local community development, cultural appropriation incidents, cultural impact assessment protocols, local employment ratios, grievance mechanisms, FPIC participation, community governance inclusion, cultural preservation investment, local procurement, indigenous supplier engagement, cultural site protection, social license to operate, charitable giving to cultural organizations, community fund allocation, language inclusivity, cultural incident response, or cultural training completion. The articles primarily discuss employment

, board nominations , sustainable fishing practices , and regulatory compliance , none of which provide direct evidence for the specified KPIs.

Safe & Smart Tech

No specific, concrete evidence was found in the provided articles to assess Omega Protein Corporation (OME.US) against any of the 'Safe & Smart Tech' KPIs. The articles either discuss general industry compliance without company-specific data, refer to different companies (OmegaSecure

, Omega Systems ), or are terms of service documents lacking relevant information . An environmental violation and associated fine mentioned in one article are not relevant to privacy or cybersecurity metrics as defined by the rubric .

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

Omega Protein reported a 100% beneficial use of solid waste in 2021, diverting 30 tons per week from landfill to industrial composting.

The company conducts annual waste audits and manages hazardous, regulated non-hazardous, and universal wastes in compliance with applicable rules and regulations. However, Omega Protein paid a $7.5 million fine for Clean Water Act violations related to discharging waste in unpermitted areas.