About The Tool

GSSI’s Global Benchmark Tool provides formal recognition of seafood certification schemes that successfully complete a rigorous and transparent benchmark process, underpinned by the FAO Guidelines. The Tool aims to minimize the overall environmental impact of how we produce, catch and supply seafood to meet a growing global demand.

DOWNLOAD PDF
ABOUT THE TOOL

Download PDF about The Tool

The FAO Guidelines upon which the Tool is based:

The FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF)

The FAO Technical Guidelines for Aquaculture Certification

The FAO Guidelines for Ecolabelling of Fish and Fishery Products from Marine/Inland Capture Fisheries

Internationally accepted reference documents

gssi Benchmark tool

Clarity, credibility and choice through a formal recognition process

We encourage all stakeholder to actively participate in our Global Benchmark Tool Process, including conducting and guiding the benchmark process, providing comments during our public consultations, and taking part in the development of new initiatives including the review of the Tool.

Leave blank and at the top

Participate in our Public Consultations

The Global Benchmark Tool Process is designed to be transparent and a true multi-stakeholder process. Therefore, for every scheme that enters the Benchmark Process and reaches step 5 of the process, GSSI holds a 30-day public consultation. GSSI welcomes comments from all industry stakeholders. Learn more

Learn more about the Benchmark Process

The Tool’s 7-step Benchmark Process is voluntary and designed to be independent, impartial and transparent. The expert-led process involves objective assessments made against performance areas covering scheme governance, operational management (including chain of custody) and standards for aquaculture and fisheries certification.
Learn more

GSSI Global Benchmark Tool User Manual (Version 1, October 2015)

Learn more about the Benchmark Framework

The Benchmark Framework includes 186 Essential Components based on the CCRF and the FAO Guidelines for Ecolabelling and technical guidelines for Aquaculture certification which schemes must meet to be recognized by GSSI. The Framework also includes 137 Supplementary Components, which allows schemes to show their diverse approach and helps stakeholders understand where differences between schemes exist. The Supplementary Components are grounded in the CCRF and related FAO documents, ISO normative standards and ISEAL codes.

GSSI Global Benchmark Tool (Version 1, October 2015)

Benchmark results

Once a scheme completes the Benchmark Process and is found to be in alignment with the 186 Essential Components, it is publicly recognized by GSSI and the Benchmark Report is made available on the GSSI website.

Become a Benchmark Committee Member

To ensure the Benchmark Process remains independent and impartial, GSSI works with a global network of Benchmark Committee Members to provide feedback on the process for each seafood certification scheme. To learn more and apply to be a Benchmark Committee Member, please contact the GSSI Secretariat secretariat@ourgssi.org.
Learn more

Join an Expert Working Group

For the development of GSSI’s tools, we convene multi-stakeholder Expert Working Groups to inform, and shape the products. Currently GSSI is running 3 Expert Working Groups (process, fisheries and aquaculture) for the development of The Global Benchmark Tool 2.0 and Technical Working Groups together with SSCI for the development of the seafood-specific social compliance benchmark.

Vice President Product Integrity, Ahold Delhaize

Hugo Byrnes joined Ahold in 2006 and was subsequently appointed to the position of Vice President Product Integrity. He is responsible for Ahold Delhaize’s food and non-food product policies, which cover product safety and responsible products. This includes social compliance, animal welfare and environmental issues. Hugo Byrnes has a Dutch Law degree from the State University Leiden, the Netherlands. He is a food lawyer whose career has focused on the food business and in particular on quality management and standardization.

Ogston-Gray Food Consulting

Independent Expert for: Sections A & B

Sarah has over 20 years experience in the food industry in manufacturing, retail and audit. Sarah’s expertise is in developing, implementing and auditing technical/quality standards and policies. She worked for Tesco in the UK for over 10 years, implementing standards and managing supplier assurance. She was responsible for implementing global auditor training and consistency in the Tesco Group. Since leaving Tesco she has worked as an independent consultant with clients primarily in the UK & Netherlands.

Sustainability and Accreditation Officer, Petuna Aquaculture

Belinda Yaxley has a PhD in Zoology with over 18 years’ experience in natural resource management in the private and public sector. As the Sustainability and Accreditation Officer for Petuna Aquaculture, Yaxley works with certification schemes focused on responsible farming and sustainable practices. She also works for Tasmanian Salmon Industry. Yaxley is passionate about the application of sustainability efforts and responsible farming practices at Petuna and across all areas of aquaculture globally. Currently, Yaxley consults for GAA as a principle investigator, working with a dedicated team to address cumulative impacts on Australian aquaculture.

Adjunct Faculty, Washington State University, Food Science Innovation Center

Gregg Small is an Adjunct Faculty member and owner of Product Survey International, a consulting firm specializing in post-harvest processing and aquaculture practices. In these roles, Small served as liaison between government authorities, aquaculture certification bodies and the US and Asian processing industries that supply the retail marketplace. Small earned a master's degree: Policy Implications of Seafood Safety from the University of Washington’s Fisheries/Oceanography College. In addition to working for several major processing companies he participated in US and EU Governmental and FAO projects worldwide. Gregg was employed with NOAA’s Fisheries Management Division as a Fisheries Biologist, carried out seafood plant audits and lot inspections for the USDC and the FDA Office of Seafood Policy. He is currently participating with the FAO/GSSI Aquaculture Expert Working Group which developed a Global Benchmark Tool designed to harmonize wild and farmed seafood certified schemes. He lives north of Seattle and when he is not traveling, trying to train his new Lab puppy.

Join our

Global Partnership

About The Tool

The FAO Guidelines upon which the Tool is based:

Internationally accepted reference documents

gssi Benchmark tool

Clarity, credibility and choice through a formal recognition process

Leave blank and at the top

Participate in our Public Consultations

Learn more about the Benchmark Process

Learn more about the Benchmark Framework

Benchmark results

Become a Benchmark Committee Member

Join an Expert Working Group

You have successfully subscribed

Hugo Byrnes

Vice President Product Integrity, Ahold Delhaize

Vasile Rata

Research Intern

Herman Wisse

Managing Director

Eva Mudde

Program Officer

Suzette Rovers

Office Coordinator

Kim Bajou

Partnership and Outreach Officer

Florian Zuber

Benchmark Manager

Sarah Ogston-Gray

Ogston-Gray Food Consulting

Dr. Belinda Yaxley

Sustainability and Accreditation Officer, Petuna Aquaculture

Gregg Small

Adjunct Faculty, Washington State University, Food Science Innovation Center