Friend of the Sea

Name

Friend of the Sea

Legal name

World Sustainability Organization S.r.l.

Website

https://friendofthesea.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Friend of the Sea is a global sustainability certification program operated by World Sustainability Organization S.r.l., certifying fisheries, aquaculture operators, seafood processors, nutraceutical producers, marine tourism operators, and shipping lines across more than 1,000 enterprises worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Sustainability Certification

NAICS

Aquaculture (11251), Finfish Farming and Fish Hatcheries (112511), Other Marine Fishing (114119), Other Support Activities for Water Transportation (48839)

akta.pro primary industry

Seafood & Aquaculture Certification Services (MSC/ASC/BAP) (AFALAMAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI), Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH), Guided Diving & Snorkeling Excursions (boat/shore trips) (THAAAIAB), Aquaculture & Fish Health Services (AFAEANAE)

Keywords

• Sustainable seafood certification
• Marine sustainability standards
• Fisheries certification programs
• Aquaculture certification services
• Marine conservation certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Milan

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Certification Fees: Companies pay for certification assessments, audits, and annual renewals. Fees vary by company size and scope of certification (fisheries, aquaculture, processed products, tourism services).
2. Audit Services: Third-party certification bodies conduct audits on behalf of Friend of the Sea, with fees charged for assessment services.
3. Sustainable Products Marketplace: Buy/Sell Bid platform connecting certified sustainable seafood buyers and sellers, generating transaction visibility and market access.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Friend of the Sea is a global sustainability certification program operated under the World Sustainability Organization S.r.l. It certifies fisheries, aquaculture operations, seafood processors, omega-3 and collagen producers, marine tourism operators, shipping and cruise lines, restaurants, and other companies against sustainability standards covering environmental, social, and animal welfare criteria. Third-party accredited certification bodies (DNV, SGS, Bamber & Bruce) conduct audits, and certified companies gain use of the Friend of the Sea eco-label for their products and services.

Product overview

Friend of the Sea is a sustainability certification organization operated by the World Sustainability Organization (WSO), offering a comprehensive portfolio of certification programs for marine sustainability. The portfolio includes core certifications for sustainable seafood, aquaculture, fisheries, and omega-3 products, along with specialized certifications for dolphin-safe practices, reef-safe sunscreens, collagen, alternative proteins, sustainable tourism (hospitality, diving, beaches, wildlife watching), shipping/cruise lines, ports, aquaria, restaurants, salt, cleaners, and events. The organization also conducts marine conservation projects including whale protection (ship strike reduction), seahorse conservation, shark protection, dolphin conservation, penguin protection, turtle conservation, coral reef preservation, sturgeon conservation, and frog protection. Friend of the Sea is complemented by sister programs Friend of the Earth (terrestrial sustainability) and Sustainable Friends, all under the World Sustainability Foundation umbrella.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Whale-Safe: Certification standard for shipping and cruise lines that implement measures to prevent whale ship strikes, identifiable by the Friend of the Sea WHALE-SAFE logo.

Products and services

• Sustainable Fisheries and Fleets Certification

Quantifiable outcome

• 88% green stocks verification rate per German Research Foundation DFG study
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• World Sustainability FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025The World Sustainability Foundation is the parent organization supporting Friend of the Sea conservation projects. They jointly conduct marine conservation initiatives including coral reef restoration, penguin protection, and whale conservation. The foundation handles fundraising and project implementation while Friend of the Sea provides certification services.
• International Accreditation Forum (IAF)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Signed scheme endorsement agreement with IAF, providing international accreditation recognition for Friend of the Sea certifications.
• World Shipping CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Friend of the Sea has engaged with the World Shipping Council to advocate for moving shipping lanes near Sri Lanka to reduce whale ship strikes. Proposed shifting lanes 15 miles south to reduce collision risk by 94%.
• International Maritime Organization (IMO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Friend of the Sea urged the IMO to consider shipping lane modifications near Sri Lanka to protect whale populations in the Indian Ocean feeding grounds.
• 1% for the PlanetcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWorld Sustainability Foundation announced strategic partnership with 1% for the Planet to strengthen global environmental action, connecting businesses with conservation funding.
• Aquaculture Development for the Environment (ADE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organization developing coral reef conservation and research projects in Fiji with local community involvement for the Reef Propagation Project.
• KoolFriends Toys BVminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with KoolFriends Toys BV to support penguins through the FridgeBuddies Pengi toy, with proceeds supporting penguin conservation.
• DNVcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerThird-party certification body conducting Friend of the Sea audits for companies including Lapi Gelatine and other seafood producers.
• SGScoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerThird-party certification body conducting Friend of the Sea audits including Norwegian krill trawler and tuna fishery assessments.
• Bamber & BrucecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNew collaboration with Bamber & Bruce Certification Body to carry out Friend of the Sea sustainability audits.
• ArcticSource1minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArcticSource1 continues as distributor for Seagarden's responsibly sourced marine ingredients in the US market, where Seagarden holds Friend of the Sea certification.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Rainforest Alliance: Rainforest Alliance is a broad sustainability certification spanning agriculture, forestry, and seafood-adjacent supply chains. While not a direct seafood competitor, it competes for retailer sustainability budgets and shelf-label real estate alongside Friend of the Sea-certified products.
• B Lab (B Corporation): B Lab certifies companies on broad ESG performance. It is a broader incumbent operating in the corporate sustainability certification space where Friend of the Sea also engages with enterprise customers seeking market differentiation.

Direct peers

• GlobalG.A.P. GlobalG.A.P. is a global certification program for aquaculture and fisheries covering responsible farming practices, food safety, and traceability. It overlaps directly with Friend of the Sea's aquaculture certification in target customers and standards architecture.
• Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC): ASC is the leading aquaculture sustainability certification program, directly comparable to Friend of the Sea's Sustainable Aquaculture standard. ASC and FoS compete for the same fish-farm certifications across salmon, shrimp, and other farmed species.
• Marine Stewardship Council (MSC): MSC is the world's leading sustainable seafood certification program, certifying wild-capture fisheries and the seafood supply chain. It is the most directly comparable peer, competing head-to-head with Friend of the Sea for fisheries certification contracts and shelf recognition globally.
• Green Key: Green Key is an eco-label for hospitality and tourism establishments, comparable to Friend of the Sea's Sustainable Hospitality certification. Both target hotels, resorts, and tourism operators with sustainability verification standards.
• Friend of the Earth: Friend of the Earth is the terrestrial sustainability certification sister program of Friend of the Sea, both operated under World Sustainability Organization. It certifies agriculture, cosmetics, and other land-based sustainability claims using a parallel standards-and-audit model.
• EarthCheck: EarthCheck is a sustainability certification program specifically for the travel and tourism industry, directly competing with Friend of the Sea's Sustainable Tourism, Hospitality, and Diving certification verticals.

Others

• IFOAM - Organics International: IFOAM sets organic agriculture standards globally and overlaps thematically with Friend of the Sea's aquaculture and alternative-protein certifications. It represents the adjacent organic certification ecosystem that informs sustainability standards architecture.
• DNV (audit partner): DNV is a third-party certification body that conducts Friend of the Sea audits. While also a competitor in adjacent standards (ISO, etc.), it is most relevant as the channel partner delivering FoS audit services and a co-creator of the certified-company experience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/friendofthesea
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC65VDblZP5tLCZpJA-XjQaA
• Facebookfacebook.com/friendoftheseaorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friend-of-the-sea
• Instagraminstagram.com/friendofthesea_official

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Friend of the Sea