Oceans of responsibility: Advancing corporate accountability in the seafood industry

International frameworks establish widely recognized principles for responsible business conduct. However, many remain high‑level and require interpretation before companies can implement them in day‑to‑day operations. As a result, companies often rely on a patchwork of standards, certifications, and initiatives to understand expectations in practice.

Across NGOs, buyers, financial institutions, and regulators, there is broad agreement on the importance of sustainable fisheries, biodiversity protection, human rights, and traceability. Differences arise in how these expectations should be met—for example, the depth of human rights due diligence, approaches to procurement reform, the role of certification, and the level of detail required in public reporting. This creates variability in what companies are asked to do, depending on which stakeholders they engage with.

More companies are publishing sustainability reports, participating in traceability platforms, and sharing data through certification and NGO collaborations. At the same time, reporting requirements are not yet harmonized, and hundreds of different indicators are used across frameworks. This limits comparability and makes it difficult to assess progress across the sector. Newer frameworks—GRI 13, TNFD seafood metrics, and the Market Commitment Evaluation Framework—offer potential pathways toward greater alignment.

Benchmarks, rating systems, investigative research, and certification audits all contribute information about corporate performance. However, these assessments differ in scope, methodology, and frequency. Many focus primarily on large, consumer facing companies, leaving much of the sector—especially mid chain actors and smaller companies—less frequently evaluated.

Three complementary forces influence corporate action:

• Market expectations, including consumer interest in responsible sourcing and retailer policies
• Financial sector engagement, as banks and investors begin to incorporate ocean related risks and expectations into lending and stewardship practices.
• Regulations, such as due diligence laws and import controls, which are expanding in several major markets.
• Together, these levers support accountability, though their impact varies depending on geography, company size, supply chain position, and regulatory exposure.
   

Retailers, brands, processors, and producers have adopted sustainability commitments, joined collaborative platforms, and increased their use of traceability and certification. Progress is evident in several areas, while others—such as full-chain transparency, human rights due diligence, and standardized reporting—continue to develop. Improvements tend to be strongest where expectations are clear and accountability mechanisms are well established.