Impact

Sustainability and financial performance are inseparable.

Björg Capital is equally invested in two outcomes: strong returns for our investors, and a healthier ocean.

Why it matters

The ocean is under real pressure.

The share of wild fish stocks fished within biologically sustainable limits has fallen sharply in a generation, while global demand for aquatic protein keeps rising.

90% 1974
62% Today

Share of wild fish stocks within biologically sustainable limits. Source: FAO.

Turbulent open ocean seen from above

Wild supply has reached its limit. Food security depends on investment in sustainable aquaculture.

What we require

Binding sustainability criteria are a condition of every investment. Across the portfolio, we promote five characteristics.

Aquaculture pens in an Icelandic fjord

Sustainable use of ocean resources.

Business models that reduce pressure on wild fish stocks and support the responsible, long term use of marine resources across the value chain.

A glacier lagoon in East Iceland

Reduced environmental and biological risk.

Sound environmental management in every business, and in production, biosecurity, animal health and welfare, containment and effluent control.

Fresh catch at the quayside

Resource efficiency.

More output from less input: feed, energy and water efficiency, and reduced emissions and waste intensity across production, processing and cold chain.

A shoal beneath the surface

Traceability and responsible sourcing.

Verifiable data through the value chain, so claims can be proven rather than asserted, and responsible sourcing of raw materials including marine ingredients.

The coastal communities we work in

Safe, fair and well governed workplaces.

Health and safety performance, fair employment practices, and management accountability supported by real internal controls.

Two ways in

Two paths, one standard.

Sustainable at entry

Already operating to a credible standard.

The company meets the bar on day one.

  • Full regulatory compliance
  • Robust environmental and, where relevant, biological risk management
  • Responsible sourcing with documented chain of custody
  • Recognized certifications where applicable
  • Transparent governance and reporting
Credible transition

A feasible, time bound pathway to it.

Approval requires a transition plan agreed with management before investment.

  • Baseline metrics
  • Quantified targets
  • Committed capital expenditure and resourcing
  • Named ownership of each workstream
  • A realistic timeline, reported to the board and the Manager

Much of the value we create is the transition: taking sound operators and lifting their environmental and operational performance.

Through the process

Sustainability runs through every stage.

01
ScreeningAlignment with our promoted characteristics, regulatory compliance, environmental and biological exposure, labor practices and governance maturity.
OutputScreening assessment; exclusions applied
02
Due diligenceStructured ESG diligence alongside financial, legal and operational analysis, focused on what is material to the specific company.
OutputESG diligence report informing valuation and structuring
03
Investment decisionBinding eligibility criteria and the good governance test applied as conditions of investment committee approval.
OutputDocumented ESG basis for approval
04
OnboardingA tailored ESG action plan agreed with management within the first six months: baselines, quantified targets, owners and timelines.
OutputESG action plan; baseline KPIs
05
OwnershipKPIs monitored quarterly and reviewed at board level: feed efficiency, energy, water and waste reduction, traceability and professionalized governance.
OutputQuarterly KPI tracking; board level review
06
ExitDocumented sustainability performance and certifications presented as part of the equity story, expanding the buyer universe.
OutputESG track record in exit materials
What we measure

What we track, by sector.

A small set of indicators, auditable and directly linked to both sustainability outcomes and financial performance. Baselines are set at entry and progress is monitored quarterly.

Aquaculture and fisheries

Feed conversion ratio Forage fish dependency Antibiotic use per tonne Mortality and survival Containment performance

Processing and cold chain

Energy per tonne processed Water use Waste and byproduct use Cold chain integrity

Aquafeed and alternative proteins

Certified marine ingredients Share of novel proteins Feed performance in use

Marine ingredients, seaweed and algae

Sourcing traceability Byproduct valorization Cultivation footprint Ecosystem interactions
Accountability and alignment

How we govern sustainability.

Björg Capital appoints a Head of ESG and Impact: a single, dedicated owner of the sustainability agenda, responsible for measurement, reporting and compliance, and the voice of ESG in every investment discussion and portfolio review. They are supported by specialist consultants and external advisors for the deeper environmental and biological questions. At each portfolio company, ESG accountability is anchored at board level, with targets and progress reported to the Manager.

Our strategy is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals most relevant to the sustainable blue economy, operationalized through the indicators above rather than treated as a labeling exercise. Our measurement draws on leading ocean frameworks, including the Ocean Impact Navigator developed within the 1000 Ocean Startups coalition.

14Life Below Water
2Zero Hunger
12Responsible Consumption and Production
13Climate Action
Aligned Sustainable Development Goals
A sea stack mirrored in still water at low tide

Sustainability, measured and reported.

Our ESG approach, on request.

The Fund is classified under Article 8 of the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR): it promotes environmental and social characteristics, applies binding criteria, and reports against defined indicators. Exclusions apply in addition to sector exclusions: no investment in illegal, unreported or unregulated (IUU) or destructive fishing; serious or persistent violations of the UN Global Compact; weapons or tobacco; or entities subject to applicable sanctions.