An aquaculture improvement project (AIP) is a way for a group of stakeholders to come together to tackle high priority sustainability issues by improving the management practices and policies of all farms operating within a specified area defined by the shared use of a waterbody. After the successful formation of the Hainan Tilapia Sustainability Alliance (HTSA) that established a code of good practice on best management practices at the farm and zonal levels, further AIPs have been introduced in major shrimp producing regions in Indonesia, Thailand and Viet Nam. These AIPs have multiple objectives, but all ultimately aim to better understand and manage shared risks such as disease outbreaks and cumulative environmental impacts, and to support effective policy. AIPs can help to raise the environmental performance of multiple farms, including small-scale farms and support an individual farm’s journey towards certification.