Advice – Monitoring and reporting
Global
- On-the-ground monitoring: Monitoring of production units and primary processing sites.
- Area-based monitoring: Monitoring of sourcing areas or jurisdictions.
- Supplier monitoring: Monitoring of suppliers’ management and control systems.
Depending on their position in the supply chain and approach to supply chain management, companies can use one or more of the following approaches to monitoring and reporting:
For example, those who buy directly from producers may be able to conduct on-the-ground monitoring, while downstream companies may rely on a combination of monitoring strategies, including the use of certification and similar tools that incorporate on-the-ground monitoring.
Irrespective of the approach adopted, monitoring should be based on clearly defined metrics against which compliance or performance may be assessed, and a company’s performance must be validated through independent, third-party verification processes that follow norms of good practice for credibility, rigor, and independence.
The results of monitoring and verification (or summaries of these) should be produced annually using metrics and indicators aligned with credible reporting methodologies and made freely available to the public in a variety of formats and languages.
The company should also publicly disclose information on its suppliers and supply origins, including the nature and status of non-compliances and grievances (business-related negative impacts on human rights or the environment).
To learn more, view the AFI in this Toolkit or download the AFI’s operational guidance on monitoring and verification, its guidance for companies, and its guide to reporting on agricultural and forestry supply chains.
The latest version of the guidance aims to help businesses develop and implement sustainable seafood policies. It is intended for any business that wants to begin or further its journey towards environmentally and socially responsible seafood, regardless of where it may be in the supply chain or sustainability journey.
It was developed with comprehensive input from industry experts and the nonprofit community.
It is intended for any business that wants to begin or further its journey towards environmentally and socially responsible seafood, regardless of where it may be in the supply chain or sustainability journey.
Although focussed on seafood products and not specifically on aquaculture feed and the ingredients it contains, the guidance provides a valuable resource and framework that 1) could be easily applied and adapted to aquaculture feed and feed ingredients, and 2) applies to certain feed ingredients – namely byproducts or trimmings from fisheries and aquaculture.
Its section “Monitor and Report” provides useful advice on understanding the effectiveness of improvements activated under action plans to tackle the environmental and social impacts of your company and supply chain.
The guidelines also provide anonymous real-world examples of, and resources for, monitoring and reporting the progress of actions to reduce environmental and social risk provided by a range of seafood supply chain stakeholders, NGOs, and international governance organizations that can be applied, adapted, or provide inspiration in addressing the climate change and environmental impacts of aquaculture feed and the ingredients it contains.