Traditional certification audits often rely on company-reported data, infrequent inspections, and standardised methods that poorly reflect local contexts. This can exclude voices of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) living near certified entities, and overlook environmental, social and cultural realities.
The Aquaculture Stewardship Council will pilot a new approach that integrates data collected by IPLCs directly into the audit process. Through the MyASC digital platform, community-defined indicators will be monitored and shared alongside audit and farm data, creating a continuous and locally relevant picture of performance. The pilot in Chile’s salmon sector will test the model, build community capacity, and refine the digital system.
By embedding community knowledge, the aim is to build an inclusive and context-sensitive approach that strengthens trust and accountability between producers and local communities with potential to scale across ASC and other sustainability systems.
