ScaleAQ aims to be a knowledge-based advisor to the aquaculture industry, and our products include documentation and follow-up that helps to ensure our customers can create added value. This is done through efficiency, reporting and increased information flow.
Good environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles are key to all activities undertaken by ScaleAQ, and we have tied our work to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. For the team at ScaleAQ, sustainability is about the future. We have to take care of the earth’s limited resources. We have to manage them in the best possible way without destroying opportunities for future generations.
The world is facing major challenges in securing sustainable food sources for a rapidly growing population. The demand for seafood is increasing globally, and aquaculture plays a central role in meeting this growth.
At ScaleAQ, we want to take our share of the responsibility in developing technology with animal welfare in focus. We contribute by developing good and relevant solutions in close collaboration with our customers and by documenting good animal welfare in our work. We are therefore committed to delivering technological solutions that safeguard animal welfare and to investing in R&D projects that promote the green transition both at ScaleAQ and for our customers.
We will work purposefully to ensure that fewer people are injured or become ill at work in ScaleAQ or within our value chain, both on the supplier and customer side. We will achieve this through culture, systems, risk management, and technology. Our goal is to make our deliveries the safest to use.
We are aware of our social responsibility and choose, both for ourselves and on behalf of others, to communicate sustainability in the industry in a clear and open manner through our podcast, ScaleAQ Pod, and other open channels.
Our annual report also consists of a sustainability report. Open or download the report below to read more.
All of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals are significant to our strategy, daily operations and the value chain that we are part of. We have identified eight Sustainable Development Goals that are particularly important to us:
Read more about each development goal by clicking on the boxes.
Sustainability and ESG are both rooted and integrated in our business strategy, both in terms of business opportunities and measures in our internal operations. Our greatest contribution to achieving these SDGs is to supply technological products and services that safeguard fish welfare, reduce harmful greenhouse gas and environmental emissions, as well as guaranteeing HSE.
Overall, our objectives are:
At ScaleAQ, environmental, social and economic sustainability is integral to our operations across all departments. To make sure this is more than just words — and a part of our day-to-day work across the entire company — we have created a multidisciplinary group of sustainability ambassadors.
Our ambassadors will stay updated on the sustainability work being done in our company, showcase it, and implement initiatives within ScaleAQ.
Get to know the ScaleAQ sustainability ambassadors in these short interviews:
Why did you become a sustainability ambassador?
I became a sustainability ambassador because I’m passionate about sustainability. If I can spend my time at work helping the aquaculture industry of the future develop in a sustainable way, it makes my job even more meaningful.
Why is working on sustainability important for ScaleAQ?
Working on sustainability is important because we all have a responsibility for the future. ScaleAQ is taking its share of the responsibility. It’s our duty!
Why did you become a sustainability ambassador?
Being a sustainability ambassador allows our team in Canada to be active in the sustainability work in ScaleAQ. It ensures that we prioritise the sustainability goals we are collectively working towards achieving. Understanding our sustainability commitments will enhance our customer interactions and discussions about current and future innovations, and enable us to further align with our customers’ own sustainability goals.
Why is working on sustainability important for ScaleAQ?
Aquaculture is one of the most sustainable forms of protein production. In a world of food scarcity and resource challenges, I believe sustainable aquaculture has a fundamental role to play in the future of food production. As a key, global supplier to the aquaculture industry, ScaleAQ has a duty to ensure that a high level of sustainability is maintained in the products we supply and service.
We aim to work in partnership with our suppliers and customers to provide a platform for the industry as a whole, to continue to strive towards increasingly high standards. It’s essential that we are committed to working sustainably and continue to develop these practices to preserve the environments in which we all work and live.
Why did you become a sustainability ambassador?
I want to help contribute to change in the industry and to find solutions that create value for both ScaleAQ and our customers.
Why is working on sustainability important for ScaleAQ?
The work we do on sustainability is essential to the growth of the industry and ScaleAQ – and for ScaleAQ to continue to be the leading partner.
Why did you become a sustainability ambassador?
With the demand for healthy seafood and protein continuing to grow rapidly, along with the need to increase aquaculture production to meet this demand, sustainability must sit at the heart of all aquaculture development and growth.
Why is working on sustainability important for ScaleAQ?
As a leading supplier of aquaculture technology and innovation, it’s important that we can demonstrate to our customers and the wider industry stakeholders that sustainability is a key priority in everything we do, across all our activities.
Why did you become a sustainability ambassador?
I am proud of our strong focus on sustainability. I want to learn more about how we can improve and what I and others can do to contribute to positive change. This role gives me the opportunity to share knowledge, inspire colleagues, and work together to find sustainable solutions that create value for our industry.
Why is working on sustainability important for ScaleAQ?
It is crucial for us to contribute to a positive development for the industry and the environment.
We aim to contribute to solving key sustainability challenges in aquaculture related to animal welfare, biology, and the external environment, with important elements including combating sea lice, preventing fish escapes, and reducing fish mortality.
For salmon farming, the impact on wild populations of migratory salmonid fish is a key factor in sustainability assessments. The main impacts include the spread of sea lice, which proliferate in sea-based farms, and fish escapes, which can lead to genetic interactions with wild salmon populations. Enhanced escape prevention is a core element in the design of our facilities and components, and we actively contribute to the development of equipment and standards that ensure this.
A key sustainability goal for ScaleAQ is zero fish escapes caused by equipment failure. Over time, reducing the impact of sea lice has been the most important driver for the development of new production methods at ScaleAQ. The development and use of shielding technology and submersible systems have resulted in significantly reduced lice emissions at several sites along the coast. At the same time, the need to treat fish for lice within pens is reduced, leading to positive effects on both animal welfare and climate emissions.
ScaleAQ offers hybrid systems for feed barges that ensure:
Our feed barges are able to tolerate high levels of stress (up to Hs 6.5), include a comprehensive dead fish processing facility that helps to prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria to the surrounding area while also ensuring the total utilization of all raw materials. Our hybrid solutions for feed barges meet upcoming requirements being signaled by the Norwegian government in its 2021–2030 climate plan, including the introduction of low and zero-emission solutions for feed barges and service vessels in the aquaculture industry from 2024.
By lowering the net roof to 25 meters, surface challenges such as sea lice, toxic algae, jellyfish, extreme temperatures, and wave and current forces on the anchoring system and floating collar are avoided. The system can be deployed in exposed locations or at existing deep sites. We use well-known solutions for fish farmers, and the pen system can also be operated conventionally at the surface if desired. The system has an air dome for refilling the swim bladder, winches to raise and lower the pen, a new dead fish removal system, LED lights, cameras, and sensors for monitoring, and a water-based feeding system. This contributes to increased productivity and improved fish welfare, particularly by reducing the need for delousing and fish handling, which can negatively impact growth and well-being.
Shielding fish from surface water reduces the risk of sea lice infestations, toxic algae, and extreme temperatures. This contributes to increased productivity and improved fish welfare, particularly by reducing the need for delousing and fish handling, which can negatively affect growth and well-being. Thanks to the current generators, Vortex® technology ensures deep-water intake, high water exchange, suitable temperatures, and optimal current for swimming and training. Optimized growth and healthier fish are expected as the technology is implemented.
In our closed aquaculture system (CAS), fish are protected from surface challenges such as sea lice, toxic algae, jellyfish, and extreme temperatures. The system is fully enclosed, with deep water drawn through large intake pipes and directed into the pen. By controlling water intake and exchange, we can also manage water quality in relation to biomass. The ability to collect sludge (uneaten feed and feces) results in a low environmental footprint.
Our net matrix provides insights into how the net and its associated volume will behave in strong currents and high waves. We do not offer net systems that fall into the red zone, as we take responsibility for the integrity of the system, considering aspects such as volume and whether the salmon will have enough space. This matrix has been developed through multiple model tests in the Marintek tank from 2011 until today.
Combating sea lice without the use of chemicals is highly beneficial for the environment. We continuously work to improve fish handling during thermal treatment to ensure positive outcomes for fish welfare. Thermal treatment, both alone and in combination/sequentially with other methods, is by far the most preferred and effective non-medicinal sea lice treatment available today.
Moen Marin, part of ScaleAQ, delivers aquaculture vessels with electric and hybrid propulsion. These vessels have significantly lower climate emissions and local pollution. Our site boats can operate as zero-emission vessels at most locations. Electric vessels generate less noise, fewer vibrations, and reduced exhaust emissions compared to conventional vessels, creating a better working environment for employees (especially by reducing noise, vibrations, and exhaust exposure).
We are actively engaged in R&D focused on more energy-efficient hull designs, new energy technology, and operator assistance systems to reduce the total greenhouse gas emissions from aquaculture vessels. Some key examples include:
We have extensive R&D activities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the aquaculture industry. This aligns with upcoming government regulations, as Norway’s Climate Action Plan for 2021–2030 signals the introduction of low- and zero-emission requirements for feed barges and service vessels in the aquaculture industry from 2024.
Vaccination against a range of infectious diseases is a key part of ensuring good fish health and welfare. At the same time, the vaccination process must be gentle and efficient, adapting technology to new vaccine types and individual registrations of the animals’ general health status.
The ability to categorize and sort fish during the vaccination process is continuously being developed, laying the foundation for an individualized production strategy.
The vaccination system from Maskon optimizes fish vaccination. This fully automated vaccination machine can be operated by a single operator and is capable of vaccinating and sorting up to 40,000 smolt per hour (modular-based). The machines can administer up to four different vaccines simultaneously, either in the abdomen or intramuscularly. The fish quickly return to the water (under 30 seconds), the machine has a 99.5% injection accuracy with no organ punctures, and there is no risk of self-injection. This gentle and efficient method has been developed in close collaboration with fish farmers.
The aim of the SirkAQ green platform project is to promote the transition from a linear to a circular economy in aquaculture by establishing sustainable circular value chains for plastics from decommissioned equipment by reusing, repairing, extending the life and using recycled materials in new products. The aim is to optimise resource usage and reduce aquaculture’s environmental and climate footprint. The vision for the project is “zero plastic waste by 2030”. The project has a strong consortium involving partners from the whole value chain, i.e. producers, suppliers, farmers and recyclers. It also involves strong R&D partners in the relevant disciplines. Scale Aquaculture AS is the responsible company and is managing the project.
We are committed to taking a leading position in the industry through a sustainable value chain, where good working conditions with safety, learning, and development are central, and where fundamental human rights are upheld. Our work with the double materiality analysis and its findings align with this and highlight the importance of maintaining strong control over our value chains.
The Norwegian Transparency Act requires ScaleAQ to carry out due diligence assessments and report on these assessments on a regular basis. This means, among other things, that we must examine and control risk in relation to negative impacts on human rights and decent working conditions throughout our supply chain.
At ScaleAQ, we work in accordance with an overarching process which is as follows:
Requirements for compliance with human rights and decent working conditions are embedded in our own ethical guidelines as well as those that apply to our suppliers (excerpts form the ethical guidelines for suppliers). Additionally, both an internal and an external whistleblowing channel have been established, allowing unethical conditions to be reported with a high degree of anonymity. Decent working conditions are a natural part of our procurement processes and an integral part of our supplier follow-up regime throughout the year.
Parts of the company are ISO 9001/14001 and Global GAP certified, which impose strict requirements for continuous supplier follow-up and auditing. This includes audit plans, procedures, and systems that support our dialogue with suppliers. Additionally, our value chain follow-up is closely supported by dedicated structures in various countries, through either our own personnel or agents who monitor the conditions we consider important on our behalf.
Beyond this, we conduct ongoing risk assessments (at a minimum annually) to help us prioritize which companies to focus on. As a result, we have established a structured supplier follow-up program. All our suppliers are assessed at an overall level based on four criteria:
Based on this assessment, suppliers with the highest risk profile receive a self-assessment questionnaire where they document their work and status on key areas such as governance principles, HSEQ, sustainability efforts, and the processes they follow in their own value chain.
The responses are evaluated, and each supplier receives an updated risk profile. Depending on the risk profile, customized follow-up is initiated, where we may require additional documentation, implement specific measures, or carry out more detailed follow-ups. We utilize system support from Cemasys.
As the first equipment supplier in the aquaculture industry, we published our first EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) in 2023 for the floating collar FR-560-157 in the category “Sea-based aquaculture infrastructure and components”. With a published EPD for our sinker tube, we are now working towards having environmental declarations covering a complete pen system from ScaleAQ.
We have also published an EPD for recycled HDPE from our own facility in Frøya. In our efforts toward a more circular aquaculture industry, we ensure that ScaleAQ-produced floating collars do not become waste when they reach the end of their lifespan in the sea but instead remain a valuable resource. Before recycling, we always assess whether they can be reused – because the most sustainable solution is to use things for longer!
Our long-term goal is to develop EPDs for all our product categories.
EPDs provide a comprehensive overview of the environmental profile of the equipment. These documents follow strict guidelines defined by PCR (Product Category Rules) and ISO standard 14025, based on thorough life cycle assessments. This standardized approach ensures:
To transition toward a low-emission society, we believe that transparency about emissions at the equipment level is essential. We provide our customers with the opportunity to make responsible and forward-thinking decisions.
