ASC credits stakeholder collaboration for ‘transformative’ new standard

A summary report from the final stakeholder consultation on the new ASC Farm Standard has now been published, alongside summary reports on consultations on the Feed Standard and the new Certification and Accreditation Requirements (CAR), the certification programme confirmed.

Between March and June 2024, ASC conducted a range of consultation activities on the ASC Farm Standard, attracting 220 responses from various organisations around the world, including producers, CABs and auditors, NGOs and retailers. In addition, 34 direct interviews were held with producers. A stakeholder survey was also conducted, receiving 622 responses. 

ASC CEO Chris Ninnes acknowledged that the new Farm Standard is the result of extensive consultation, bringing together diverse stakeholder perspectives from around the world.

“The development of the ASC Farm Standard spanned more than five years and has been a monumental effort made possible by the collaboration and hard work of ASC staff, auditors, NGOs, farmers, retailers and many other partners. Their collective input has helped shape a standard that provides greater consistency across the species we certify, embraces the innovation that has become established in seafood farming and addresses shortcomings inherent in the legacy standards. 

“With the addition of dedicated coverage of animal welfare and recognising advances in how to address social and environmental impacts, the Farm Standard will support the industry’s transformation toward greater sustainability and accountability. The ASC Farm Standard is truly a testament to the power of collaboration and industry-wide effort,” Ninnes said.

According to ASC, the new ASC Farm Standard unifies previous species-specific standards into a single, streamlined framework built around four core principles: legal compliance and effective business management; environmental stewardship; respecting and promoting human rights; and responsible animal health and welfare practices.

Since 2019, ASC received 1,111 responses from stakeholders to numerous consultations on proposed standard content. To refine it, ASC focused the 2024 consultation on key areas requiring further input such as greenhouse gas emissions, animal health and welfare and human rights, using a range of consultation methods.

To support the transition to the standard, stakeholders emphasised the need for more tools, training, guidance and greater regional flexibility. Additionally, producers called for simplified requirements, clearer language, and more precise indicators in certain areas to enhance accessibility and ease of implementation.

As such, there is a two-year transition period in place before it becomes mandatory in May 2027. In response to the feedback, ASC is also providing additional support and training and has simplified a number of key requirements. 

The new standard also offers greater flexibility, recognising the importance of local contexts, ASC said.

To align feed to farm reporting data with the standard and EU legislative requirements, ASC launched a stakeholder consultation on proposed updates to the Feed Standard between September and November 2024. The consultation received 44 survey responses, including feedback from 18 feed mills. 

According to ASC, stakeholders broadly supported the proposals for improving environmental accountability, including species-specific GHG reporting and expanded deforestation-free standards. Key discussions focused on feasibility, flexibility and alignment, with clear guidance, transparency, and phased implementation highlighted as crucial for practical and effective adoption.

The Feed Standard v1.1 includes post-consultation changes to greenhouse gas reporting requirements in recognition of data limitations. Other changes include enhancements to the ASC Greenhouse Gas Calculator, adding additional clarity on its methods and data sources, along with added flexibility to deforestation/conversion cutoffs for lower-risk ingredients.

Meanwhile, the CAR outlines the assurance requirements and processes that will support the ASC Farm Standard and the ASC Feed Standard certification programmes. In a stakeholder consultation between September and October 2024, ASC received 22 responses, including feedback from nine Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) and auditors.  

The new version of the CAR includes a number of improvements including streamlining the audit process from application to certification, simplification of Group Requirements, updates to critical non-conformity actions, amendments to auditor and CAB personnel competency, and an amended unannounced audit programme based on number of clients.

All three programmes will be launched this year: The ASC Farm Standard will launch in Q2 with a two-year transition period, the ASC Feed Standard v1.1 will be published in Q2 and take effect in November, and the new CAR version will also become effective within the year to be available to use alongside the new Standards.

ASC Director of Policy and Programme Management Suzi Keshavarz said: “We are very grateful to our stakeholders for taking the time to share feedback. Through our collaborative and rigorous consultation efforts, ASC has been able ensure that our stakeholders’ insights have been fully considered in finalising the new ASC Farm Standard, the Feed Standard and the CAR. We look forward to further insights from the pilot audits as we move forward.”