Evaluating the environmental impacts of Improver Programme factories

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Project overview
Key learnings
Impact
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Introduction

Project details

Project lead: MarinTrust

Duration: September 2023 to February 2024

Sector focus: Marine ingredients

Geographical focus: Global

Project overview

This project consisted of a comprehensive impact evaluation to assess whether MarinTrust activities led to improved or protected environmental parameters. It focused on the synergies, challenges and factors driving improvement between MarinTrust-certified and MarinTrust Improver Programme factories. The Improver Programme supports marine ingredient production factories which are not ready for MarinTrust certification to improve their practices towards this. The evaluation involved surveys, interviews, market research, and legal reviews.

The findings of this project will allow MarinTrust to clearly communicate their impact with a stronger acknowledgement of the challenges and limitations of their activities.

Key learnings

The findings suggest that MarinTrust activities contribute to improved environmental parameters in marine ingredient production. MarinTrust activities have led to improvements in responsible traceability and responsible sourcing of fishery materials. Impacts vary across regions.
Customers play a significant role in driving engagement with MarinTrust activities. Other stakeholders, such as competitors, also influence the decision to engage with MarinTrust. Non-governmental organisations and workers are more influential depending on the context.
There were unintended effects of MarinTrust activities, such as a heightened sense of stewardship and pride among participants, potential increases in product prices, and attracting more investment. Further research is needed to better understand these unintended effects.
The evaluation recommends further work to capture improvements, build a feedback loop, understand legal requirements, work with multiple languages, and be proactive with customers.

Impact

Adding value

Responsible sourcing, traceability and responsible manufacturing were all identified as being key areas of positive impacts influenced by the MarinTrust programme. This shows that the raw material sourcing elements of the programme, as well as the traceability of these throughout the production process is an essential area to continue developing and improving. This also allows MarinTrust to focus their messaging and engagement in these areas to potential new applicants and regions.

Measuring and reporting

The key findings from this project will be used to review and adapt MarinTrust's current monitoring, evaluation and learning system to feed into relevant organisational elements, such as their Theory of Change.

Find out more

Main contact: Nicola Clark, Impacts Manager | nclark@marin-trust.com

Read the reports

Evaluating the environmental impacts of Improver Programme factories

Evaluating the environmental impacts of Improver Programme factories

Adding value

Measuring and reporting

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