The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) has adopted a new conservation measure (CM) related to social and labor practices at land-based tuna production facilities owned or controlled by ISSF Participating Companies.
ISSF Conservation Measure 9.2 – Social Audits for Land-Based Tuna Production Facilities establishes clear expectations for independent, third-party labor audits conducted under internationally recognized audit programs. The measure builds on ISSF’s existing CM 9.1 – Public Policy on Social and Labor Standards, strengthening implementation and verification at land-based operations. CM 9.2 was adopted in November 2025 as a forward-looking commitment and is being announced now to provide early clarity and transparency for Participating Companies and stakeholders.
Under the measure:
- Existing land-based tuna production facilities must complete third-party labor audits by December 15, 2027, and maintain the ongoing validity of those audits.
- Newly constructed or acquired land-based tuna production facilities must be audited by March 15 of the second following calendar year, and maintain the ongoing validity of those audits.
- Audits must be conducted under established third-party programs, including amfori Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI); SEDEX Members Ethical Trace Audit (SMETA) 4 Pillar; SEDEX Members Ethical Trace Audit (SMETA) 2 Pillar; Social Accountability International SA8000; Brand Reputation Compliance Global Standards (BRCGS) Ethical Trading and Responsible Sourcing Standard (ETRS); and other audit programs recognized by the Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative (SSCI).
ISSF’s approach to social and labor responsibility spans both vessel operations and land-based activities. ISSF CM 9.1 requires ISSF Participating Companies to maintain and publicly disclose a policy on social and labor standards that applies across their operations, including fishing vessels. ISSF CM 9.2 complements that policy framework by establishing clear, auditable expectations for independent verification at company-owned or -controlled land-based tuna production facilities.
“ISSF Conservation Measures are periodically reviewed and refined to ensure clarity, consistency, and alignment with evolving best practices,” said ISSF President Susan Jackson. “By building on our existing public social and labor policy requirement, this measure articulates the expectation that such policies are to be implemented and verified at land-based operations. Importantly, it reinforces that addressing social and labor risks is an ongoing responsibility — not a one-time exercise — necessitating continued industry engagement and improvement.”
As with all ISSF Conservation Measures, compliance with CM 9.2 will be independently assessed and publicly reported through ISSF’s established third-party audit and compliance review process.
