As an international non-profit organisation, the MSC is fortunate to benefit from the generous support of donors who share our mission and vision. We also receive funds when our partners choose to use the blue MSC label as a mark of the sustainability of their products.
Our donors
Over our 20-year history, the MSC has always been extremely grateful for the generous support from its donors. Without their help, the MSC would not be able to achieve its long-term vision of ensuring oceans teeming with life. In addition to providing general operating support, donor funding is supporting the MSC’s work in the developing world, science and standards development and pre-assessment projects.
Our other sources of income
We also generate income through charitable activities and investments.
Most of this funding comes from the logo licensing fee paid by brands, retailers and food service organisations which choose to use the blue MSC label on consumer-facing products. It means that every time a consumer purchases a product showing the blue MSC label, they’re helping to safeguard oceans and seafood supplies for the future.
This income supports the MSC’s core activities, including our work to educate people about the importance of our oceans, raise awareness of sustainable seafood, ensure the integrity of the MSC certified supply chain, evolve our standards so that they continue to reflect best practice and support research projects, such as those funded through our Ocean Stewardship Fund.
Over the past 20 years, this funding has become increasingly important to the MSC, reflecting growing consumer awareness and demand for products with the blue MSC label.
Ensuring our impartiality
It’s important to note that the MSC receives no income from the assessment or certification of fisheries to its standards. Fees for these services are paid to third party independent, accredited conformity assessment bodies, and are not passed to the MSC. This ensures that the MSC remains impartial in the assessment and certification process, in line with international codes of best practice.Our income
1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
How we spend our funds
All funds received and generated through our activities are invested in further delivering our vision of oceans teeming with life and seafood supplies safeguarded for the future. This includes work to maintain world-leading standards, raise awareness of the MSC label, support the seafood industry in their commitments to certified seafood and maintain the integrity of our label.
Our expenditure of overseen by a Board of Trustees, made up of representatives from across the science, fishing and retail/brand communities, as well as independent experts. The Board of Trustees ensures that we meet our objectives.
Our expenditure 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
Funds in reserve
As a registered charity and non-profit, we hold funds in reserve. This helps to protect us from potential fluctuations in our income and expenditure, including the loss or withdrawal of certified products from the MSC program. We aim to have 9-12 months of unrestricted free reserves to allow us to continue to deliver our vital work while flexing to meet changing circumstances. This is generally understood good practice for non-profit organisations.
Reinvesting our income
The MSC contributes 5% of its royalty income to support the Transition Assistance Fund, the Science and Research Fund and the Recertification Assistance Fund strands of the Ocean Stewardship Fund (with a small designation made to support administrative costs). These grants open for applications each year.
In addition, the Ocean Stewardship Fund supports a wide range of other projects that support the Fund’s aim of increasing the number of sustainable fisheries worldwide. Funding for these additional projects comes from a variety of sources, including the MSC or restricted and unrestricted donations from external trusts and foundations. Applications for this funding will be solicited by the Ocean Stewardship Fund. The Ocean Stewardship Fund is not open to unsolicited applications.
Non-profit status
- UK: Registered charity 1066806
- USA: Non-profit status 501(c)(3)
- Australia: ABN 69 517 984 605
- Singapore: UEN 201215612M
- Netherlands: geregistreerde Algemeen Nut Bevorderende Instelling (ANBI)
Our latest audited Group Consolidated Financial Statements and Trustees Report are available upon request to [email protected].
How donations make a difference
Without generous support from donors, the MSC would not have been able to build and maintain world leading standards for sustainable fishing, and the positive impacts this delivers.
Improvements made by fisheries working with the MSC are helping to safeguard life in our oceans. Such fisheries are also securing a future for millions of people dependent upon fishing and seafood for a livelihood. Some of their commitments and the transformations they’ve achieved by working with the MSC are captured in our real life stories.
Our aspiration is for more than a third of global marine catch to be certified or engaged by 2030. Support from our donors will continue to play an essential role in delivering this goal.
Our funders
We would like to thank the many donors, including trusts, foundations and statutory bodies, that have enabled our work to deliver progress in sustainable fishing and made an impact for the ocean.
We have received generous core funding from the Dutch Postcode Lottery and are grateful for the years of support it has provided, in particular to our work with fisheries in developing economies.
We would also like to thank the Walton Family Foundation for its significant contributions towards various projects; the Adessium Foundation for supporting our work in the Mediterranean; the A.G. Leventis Foundation for work in Greece; and the Remmer Foundation for a grant to work with fisheries in Kenya. We are grateful for financial support from the Global Environment Facility that enables work on strengthening the management of tuna fisheries in the Pacific Ocean under the Common Oceans Tuna Project led by UN FAO.
We would like to thank the Fishmongers' Company's Charitable Trust for supporting MSC UK and Ireland and our ongoing and future work with Project UK. We are also very grateful to the UK retail sector and members of the supply chain for their dedicated and ongoing financial support of Project UK. Finally, we would also like to thank the Triad Foundation and Holzer Family Foundation for their generous contributions.
In addition to the valuable support given to MSC’s projects, we continue to receive significant ongoing support from funders towards our Ocean Stewardship Fund. This includes generous grants from the MAVA Foundation to help fisheries in the Mediterranean and West Africa; from the Walton Family Foundation to establish a loan guarantee facility, enabling fisheries working towards sustainable management practices to access additional financing; and from the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation. We would also like to thank Carrefour Italy and Delicius for their generous support towards upcoming research projects in 2024/25.
US Foundations
Walton Family Foundation
Remmer Family Foundation
Triad Foundation
Holzer Family Foundation
David and Lucile Packard Foundation
UK Trusts and Foundations
A.G. Leventis Foundation
The Fishmongers’ Company’s Charitable Trust
European Foundations
Adessium Foundation (Netherlands)
Dutch Postcode Lottery
MAVA Fondation Pour la Nature (Switzerland)
Hans Wilsdorf Foundation (Switzerland)
Statutory bodies
Global Environment Facility via the UN FAO
Corporate
Project UK (various)
Project BluFish Italy (various)
Support the MSC
Find out how to support our work safeguarding oceans and seafood supplies for the future.
With your continued support, we can secure lasting improvements to marine environments for future generations.
Make a donation through the Charities Aid Foundation
Trusts and foundations
The support of trusts and foundations is critical to delivering our vision of oceans teeming with life, and seafood supplies safeguarded for future generations. We greatly appreciate the generosity of our trust and foundation supporters that share our vision of productive and healthy marine ecosystems.
Whether large or small, towards our core costs or for a specific project, a donation from your trust will enable us to work with fisheries, businesses and the public to bring about a positive change in the way our seas are fished.
As the most credible and globally recognized standard for sustainable fishing, the MSC provides a platform to incentivize real change in the way our oceans are fished. We provide a unique opportunity to influence both fishers and the market by driving consumer demand for sustainable seafood.
To discuss supporting the MSC through your trust or foundation, please contact [email protected]
Find out more
Our strategy
The MSC has a vital role to play in safeguarding seafood resources. Our Strategic Plans provide essential direction to help us make the greatest improvements to marine environments.
Our approach
Our approach means everyone can play a part in that future while enjoying seafood, not avoiding it.
Reports and brochures
Read or download the MSC Annual Report and other documents. For 20 years we've been part of a team effort to keep oceans healthy and seafood sustainable.