Beneath the Surface: Inside Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions’ Guidance for Companies on Environmentally and Socially Responsible Seafood

June 14, 2024

Embarking on the journey to create Guidance for Companies on Environmentally and Socially Responsible Seafood (“Guidance for Companies”) was not just about drafting a document for the Multiplier project Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions (“The Alliance”). It was about igniting a movement, bringing together voices from across the globe to drive transformative change within the seafood industry. We are excited to go beneath the surface to share how this initiative came to be, including how the project team identified the need, collaborated to implement real-world insights, and, ultimately, made this guidance a reliable, accessible resource for seafood companies.

 

Identifying the Need

On a mission to ensure at least 75% of global seafood production is environmentally responsible by 2030, the Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions for the first time calls on the industry to prioritize the human factor across its supply chains for the first time. The Alliance’s action is not just timely, but urgent, as human rights exposés uncover forced labor in the seafood sector in India, China, and North Korea, revealing a clear need for a leading industry group like the Alliance to accelerate efforts to eradicate such human rights abuses.

“The latest human and labor rights investigations confirm that the industry is facing a sea change. While progress is being made, it’s clear that it’s time for the industry to meet this issue with the urgency it deserves. Prioritizing human rights alongside conservation is not just the right thing to do; it’s the best thing companies can do to future-proof their businesses from consumer backlash and reputational damage.”

– Ryan Bigelow, Project Director at Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions

 

Collaboration and Real-World Insights

To address this evident and urgent need, the Alliance leveraged its position as a community builder in the responsible seafood movement, connecting with over 150 organizations across 30 countries. The Alliance developed Guidance for Companies in partnership with a Working Group comprising leading industry experts, practitioners, and academics, including from organizations such as Fishwise, Seafood Watch, New England Seafoods, and Fortune Fish & Gourmet.

With nearly 100 actionable resources, the Guidance provides tools for companies to inform their work and measure progress. These resources include sustainable seafood commitments made by dozens of companies like Aldi and Pepsico, along with 45 real-world examples demonstrating how businesses of various sizes and types across seafood supply chains, including retailers, restaurants, and fish co-ops, have successfully implemented steps to protect the ocean, people, and communities.

“As the focus around social and environmental responsibility and reporting intensifies, the Guidance provides a roadmap for companies of all sizes in the industry, no matter where they are in their journey,”  said Stacy Schultz, Director of Supply Chain Stewardship for Fortune Fish & Gourmet. “The Guidance assists by providing a framework and examples for businesses to help them understand evolving standards, regulations, and consumer expectations, as well as recommendations for goal setting and progress monitoring.”

 

Ideation to Implementation

Available in 5 languages, the Guidance for Companies is a global, internationally relevant toolkit of practical resources with an impact extending beyond its co-creators. The Guidance emphasizes that conservation and human rights are not mutually exclusive and that prioritizing both is not only feasible but the best thing companies can do to future-proof their businesses.

With the release of the Guidance for Companies, the Alliance sets a bold vision for the future of the seafood industry and leads the way toward a more ethical and sustainable future in seafood. Through their responsiveness, collaboration, and global reach, the Alliance has set new standards and pathways for corporate environmental and social responsibility within the seafood industry.

Multiplier is thrilled to uplift the Alliance’s Guidance as a roadmap for creating a world where seafood is not only environmentally responsible but also socially equitable, ensuring a brighter future for our oceans, communities, and planet as a whole.

Join us and the Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions in the movement to transform the seafood sector: