Aquaculture Representative for Standards Board

Aquaculture representative for Standards Board
Non-executive, voluntary role

Represent your sector and be at the forefront of Soil Association standards development.

About us

The Soil Association believes that good, healthy produce and products should be the easy choice for everyone. Food and farming products should be produced in a way that protects our natural world.

We’re dedicated to making positive changes to farming and land use and food production and our standards are an important tool to achieve this. Our organic standards were some of the first in the world and with the help of our Standards Board and expert advisors they remain pioneering yet pragmatic requirements.

We developed some of the world’s first standards for organic aquaculture. Our higher standards mean that Soil Association certified aquaculture systems go further to support the welfare of farmed fish and protect the aquatic environment than required by legislation. Our work is now focussed on the continued development of higher standards for the production of farmed salmon in the immediate term, with other fin fish, bivalves and seaweed over the longer term, alongside influencing legislation at both a national and international level.

About the opportunity

This is an opportunity to play an important role in the Soil Association’s multi-stakeholder standards-setting process, as the aquaculture sector representative on our Standards Board.

The Standards Board is an independent committee, overseeing strategy and development of standards for Soil Association, UK & EU organic farming & food and other Soil Association standards schemes.

We are looking for an aquaculture expert to represent this complex and fast developing sector. Your experience and practical knowledge of aquaculture and related industries will help the Soil Association remain a leading influencer and organic standards setter. You will advise on mandates outlining objectives for aquaculture, developed by staff-led steering groups. You will advise on standards development, assessing the impact of our standards, and may be asked to chair meetings of our specialist task and finish group as needed.

This role comes at a crucial time for our high profile work on organic farmed salmon, offering scope to make a significant difference.

About you

The essential qualities we need are that:

• You have practical experience and technical knowledge of issues relating to organic aquaculture;
• You offer an independent voice, with a great understanding of the challenges facing the aquaculture sector
• You are a clear thinker;
• You communicate well and have good interpersonal skills, and
• You have empathy with the Soil Association’s objectives for food, organic products, farming and forestry.

It would also be desirable for you to have some experience of committee work, and/or of monitoring and evaluating the impact of projects and schemes within your sector.

Time commitment

• Able to attend several meetings (online and face to face) per year.
• Preparatory reading in advance of meetings.
• Other involvement as appropriate.
• Reasonable travel & subsistence expenses covered (according to our expenses policy).

Important dates

This advert will close on Wednesday 10th September and interviews will be held on the week of 15th September.

Please note that due to the volume of applications that we receive you must provide a covering letter to be considered for this role.