When done sustainably fishing can benefit people and local economies, support food supply and maintain balance in the marine environment.

To this effect, Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs) are multi-stakeholder processes to improve the management and practices associated with fishing so that marine species and people can all thrive.

We bring our essential practices to help actors in fisheries improve the effectiveness of these collaborative processes.

Despite the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), the transport of goods and people continues to generate negative impacts on the marine environment. Beside the crtical needs to decarabonise the global fleet of commercial vessels, other pollution issues from ships and offshore activities affect biodiversity and the marine environment. These include the poor management of ballast water containing invasive species, the use of antifouling, oil and chemical spills, dry bulk cargo releases, garbage disposal, underwater noise pollution, collision with marine fauna and deep sea mining.

We work with maritime actors to help promote collective approaches that improve the governance and management of these global issues.

What

We help crew management companies improve gender equality, diversity and inclusion in the policies, processes and practices used for recruiting, selecting, deploying, scheduling, training, and managing seafarers.

We also help improve the gender responsiveness of administrative processes related to payroll services, travel, health, career guidance, communication with family, etc.

How

• Research & analysis | We analyse, map, and create a shared understanding of the areas where a crew management system is not gender-responsive and restrict diversity and inclusion. This diagnostic is used as a framework to identify leverage points for long-term improvements.

• Technical support | Based on findings, we advise companies on developping and implementing solutions to strenghten gender equality, diversity and inclusion. This can include the development of client-specific gender inclusive strategies, identifying suitable gender KPIs, improving policies and processes, profiling benefits of gender equality, advising on hiring process, promoting career pathways, developing awareness-raising and bespoke management training programmes, etc.

What

We support the work of the Just Transition Maritime Task Force by promoting gender equity, diversity, and Inclusion on board ships as both a driver of better performance and a systemic approach to address seafarer attrition.

We support maritime training and educational institutions embed in crew training the concepts and good practices of gender equity, diversity, inclusion, modern management, inclusive leadership, and sustainability.

How

• Collaborative research | We design and facilitate collaborative inquiries that explore interlinkages that exist between women participation, equity. diversity, inclusion, safety and other key sustainability issues for the maritime industry.

• Capacity development | Our learning design is action-oriented and collaborative. It seeks to help educational providers prepare seafarers to understand, promote and uphold sustainabilty and responsible working practices to face sector change, on top of their essential technological, scientific and nautical knowledge.

• Leadership development | Shaping a skilled workforce of seafarers and leaders for the future, our learning solutions engage maritime learners (women and men) with concepts and practices related to ESG. Beyond diversity, inclusion, gender equality they also help unravel the issue of balancing hierarchy with participatory management and inclusive leadership. Regardless of age, experience and seniority, our learning solutions help learners develop an inquisitive mindset and the ability to champion critical economic, social, technological, and environmental imperatives for the sector.**

What

We work with governments and international organisations on strengthening international ocean governance processes and initiatives on:

• Seafarers' and fishers’ human rights
• Crime in fisheries and other maritime activities
• Protection and sustainable use of marine biodiversity
• Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the maritime

How

• Research & analysis | We research strengths and weaknesses of different processes and initiatives, and their alignment, using a systems approach.

• Technical support | We facilitate dialogue, collaboration and co-creation between multiple stakeholders.

What

We work with governments and other stakeholders at national and subnational level to identify governance opportunities and challenges (e.g. around transparency, accountability and participation) that will help or hinder progress on:

• Seafarers' and fishers’ human rights
• Crime in fisheries and other maritime activities
• Protection and sustainable use of marine biodiversity
• Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the maritime

How

• Technical support | We provide technical support for inter-ministerial cooperation and facilitate dialogue, learning and co-creation between multiple stakeholders.

What

We help companies develop integrated sustainability strategies to reduce negative impact of maritime activities on climate, the marine environment, and the safety and well-being of seafarers.

How

• Research & analysis | We engage with the senior leadership teams to understand the company’s principle challenges, ambition and commitment to sustainability. We map alignment, synergies and trade-offs between the company’s current vision, mission, values, business models and the requirements of sustainability reporting frameworks and UN SDGs targets. We make recommendations on how these may need to transition in support of a coherent sustainability strategy that can meet and evolve with market expectations.

• Technical support | We design and facilitate robust consultation and co-creation with internal and external stakeholders to identify and prioritize issues that matter most and that would add value to business. We then identify leverage points and innovative approaches that cut across the prioritized issues and offer different sustainability scenarios. Once validated. we develop goals, targets, key performance indicators and an oversight system before elaborating the initial draft strategy document. We then facilitate inputs on the draft strategy from stakeholders and propose required adjustments.

What

For companies with an existing sustainability strategy, we assist with the development of an integrated sustainability programme.

How

• Research & analysis | With a task force identified with the client, we study and guide a design thinking process ensuring alignment of the future programme with key normative platforms such the principles of the UN Global Compact. Working in several iterations along a non-linear process, we map stakeholders' expectations, brainstorm new ideas, define programme scope and boundaries, prototype different scenarios and test the preferred design with stakeholders.

• Capacity development | We create briefings, guidance documents, awareness raising activities and training programmes for staff and key actors along the value chain to build ownership and buy-in for the new programme in support of implementation.

• Technical support | We provide advice on necessary adjustments to align existing policies and processes with the claims of the new programme. We help with communications and partnership building with NGOs and UN agencies.