Chain of Custody Certification

CoC (Chain of Custody) certification is a certification that proves that proper management is carried out at all stages, including production, processing, and distribution, with the aim of preventing the mixing of non-certified products and ensuring that certified products are delivered to consumers.

Each certification scheme has its own CoC certification, and the required assessment standards differ for each scheme. The CoC certification system is not only applied in the fisheries industry, but also in forest certification schemes such as PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) and FSC forest certification.

The businesses that require certification are diverse, spanning the entire supply chain from certified fisheries and aquaculture sites to retailers and restaurants.

MSC CoC certification and ASC CoC certification are available in three versions: standard, group and consumer-facing. Each has the following five principles (six for group).^{* XNUMX}

Principle 1
Certified products must be purchased from certified suppliers
Principle 2
Certified products must be identifiable
Principle 3
Certified products must be segregated
Principle 4
Certified products must be traceable and quantities must be recorded
Principle 5
The management system of the business operator must comply with the requirements of this standard.
Principle 6 (for groups only)
Additional requirements for Group Chain of Custody

The CoC certification process has five steps: "selection of an auditing body," "preparation for the audit," "taking the audit," "obtaining certification," and "using the MSC/ASC label." The entire process from application to obtaining certification is managed by a third-party auditing body accredited by an independent conformity assurance organization.

Once certified, the certification is valid for three years, and during that period, the company will be audited annually (or every 3 months if conditions are met).
Through these rigorous inspections and controls, we ensure that reliable products reach consumers.

*1 Guide to the MSC/ASC CoC certification process for certification
https://www.msc.org/jp/forbusinessesjp/supply-chain/msc-cocJP