Key Traceability
Services
Across the team, our qualified auditors have conducted 100s of audits across the globe for vessel social conditions, traceability and environmental standards. We also possess expertise in ecology and marine resources, undertaking fishery assessments and managing multiple fishery improvement projects. Throughout this experience, effectively engaging stakeholders has been central in achieving meaningful and lasting change.
For any areas where further specialist knowledge is needed, we have strong relationships across a network of consultants, scientists and technical experts ready to collaborate with.
Our experience includes:
- FIP implementation and management.
- Fishery assessments.
- Fishing vessel social assessments.
- Social, chain of custody, traceability and environmental audits.
- Economic and market analysis.
- Company policy and procedure development.
- Stakeholder engagement and strategic partner analysis.
- Industry and fact-finding research.
Projects
Since 2015, Key Traceability has undertaken a variety of projects around the globe and for clients spanning the seafood supply chain, including private fishing companies and seafood buyers, trade unions, governmental agencies and NGOs.
Fishing Vessel Social Audits
Our SA 8000 qualified lead auditors have conducted over 100 third-party fishing vessel social audits to private company standards and supplier codes of conduct. We’ve visited ports across the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans, and interviewed hundreds of fishers. The findings from our audits contribute towards situational knowledge, informing policy and procedural changes, and fleet improvement actions.
The development of our fishing vessel auditing system is expert-driven, created in conjunction with industry specialists, trade unions, and with an incorporation of SA 8000, SAAS, and ISO 19011 principles. Our audits are conducted with a strong focus on independence of auditing and robustness of findings. Most of our social auditors also have qualifications in quality management systems (ISO 9001) lead auditing, an approach integrated across our auditing system.
We hold regular workshops with staff, consultants and industry representatives to exchange best practices and ensure that our training and knowledge is relevant and up to date.
For each standard or code of conduct we are asked to audit to, we develop tailored auditing materials, using our industry and auditing knowledge, assessment of risks, and understanding of the unique demands of fisheries and complexities of national regulations.
Fishery Improvement Projects
A Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) is a multi-stakeholder effort to address environmental challenges in a fishery. These projects utilise the power of the private sector to incentivise positive changes toward sustainability in the fishery and seek to make these changes endure through policy change.
Here at Key Traceability we currently have been involved in over 15 FIPs; carrying out the scientific preassessments, drafting workplans and acting as the FIP coordinator while fisheries carry out the actions on their journey to certification. We have experience in all oceans with both small and large pelagics with multiple gear types. Most of these FIPs are aligned to the MSC Fisheries Standard but we also have experience in the Marin (Formerly IFFO) standard for fishmeal.
Advice
- Policy & Strategy
- Sustainability Report
- Fishery & Aquaculture improvement
Audit
- Second Party audit
- Social Accountability Audit
Research & Assessment
- Desk-based research
- On-site assessment
- Certification preparation/Pre-assessment
- Traceability system
Other seafood service
- Training
- Reporting