Scaling the global impact of sustainable ocean business
- The ocean has a key role to play in transitioning to a net-zero, resilient and equitable economy, and delivering on the entire 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The global business community has a shared responsibility, to take necessary action to secure a healthy ocean.
- As part of the UN Global Compact 2021-2023 renewed strategic ambition to accelerate the collective global impact of business, the Sustainable Ocean Business Action Platform is transitioning into the Ocean Stewardship Coalition.
- The Coalition convenes leading governments, companies, NGOs, academic institutions and UN partners to drive action and determine how the ocean, and ocean industries, can deliver on the Paris Agreement and all 17 of the Global Goals.
- As a global forum for cross-sectoral and -disciplinary collaboration, the coalition seeks to drive meaningful change through leveraging cross-sectoral synergies, innovation and knowledge
- By catalyzing partnerships and mobilizing the private sector to take tangible ocean action, the Coalition brings the voice of the business community to UN processes, including the UN Ocean Conference, UN Climate Change Conference (COP) and the UN Food System Summit.
- The transition into a Coalition allows for a broader group of companies - in particular SMEs - to join many leading multinational ocean companies and bring about action to scale-up the collective global impact of sustainable ocean business.
How to Join
- The Coalition is open to all companies signed up to the UN Global Compact at the Participant tier. If you are not already a Participant of the UN Global Compact, please see here for more information on how to sign on.
- To support the work of the Coalition, companies, non-businesses, can become a general Patron at the US $100,000 level or a Sponsor at the US $25,000 level.
- Patrons have a strategic partnership with the Coalition on programme development and implementation, and advise on the broad Coalition strategy.
- Please email currey@unglobalcompact.org if you would like to join or want to know more about sponsorship opportunities.
What are our objectives? Drive thought leadership and broaden engagement
- Bring the business voice to UN processes: Bringing the innovative voice of the private sector - the SDG solution providers - to UN processes, such as the milestone UN Ocean Conference taking place in 2022, the UN Climate Change Conference (COP) process, and the UN Food System Summit.
- Broaden principle-based sustainable ocean business: Raising the profile of the Sustainable Ocean Principles and strengthen outreach - in particular to SMEs - on the sectoral Practical Guidances for the Principles to accelerate their implementation
- Advance the business community’s leadership towards the 2030 Agenda: Driving action through the 5 Tipping Points for a Healthy and Productive Ocean workstream and convening the Ocean Stewardship Annual Review each year on the margins of the UN General Assembly week to take stock of progress.
- Drive science-based ocean-climate action: Strengthening the sustainable ocean business case for climate-nature action, drive thought leadership, advance climate-smart ocean management and undertake policy advocacy through the cross-sectoral Blue Road to COP workstream.
- Scale up blue finance: Scaling-up finance is key to fund sustainable ocean business and recognize corporate leadership. The Blue CFO network will accelerate investment in sustainable ocean business and promote the Blue Bond framework.
What have we achieved so far?
- Established the baseline for a principles-based approach to sustainable ocean business through the Sustainable Ocean Principles. The development of sector-specific Practical Guidances which operationalize the sustainable ocean principles with tangible actions for companies.
- The development of frameworks for Blue Bonds, an innovative financial mechanism that can accelerate the roadmap and financing of sustainable ocean business.
- Supporting maritime industries with tools to prevent and address adverse human rights impacts
- Defining actions and recommendations that business leaders and policymakers can take to harness ocean-based climate solutions as part of the Blue Road to COP.
Relevant resources
5 Tipping Points for a Healthy and Productive Ocean By 2030. UN Global Compact. Available here: https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/5726
The Sustainable Ocean Principles. UN Global Compact, Action Platform for Sustainable Ocean Business. Available here: https://d306pr3pise04h.cloudfront.net/docs/publications%2FSustainable+Ocean+Principles.pdf
Practical Guidances for the Sustainable Ocean Principles. Available here: https://unglobalcompact.org/take-action/practical-guidances-for-the-un-global-compact-sustainable-ocean-principles
Blue Bonds reference paper for Investments Accelerating Sustainable Ocean Business. UN Global Compact. Available here: https://ungc-communications-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/publications/Blue-Bonds-Reference-Paper-for-Sustainable-Ocean-Investments.pdf
Blue Resilience Brief: Towards a more resilient and sustainable Blue Economy. UN Global Compact. Available here: https://ungc-communications-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/publications/Towards-a-More-Resilient-and-Sustainable-Blue-Economy.pdf
Advancing Science for Sustainable Ocean Business (2020) IOC-UNESCO and UN Global Compact. Available here: https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/5744
Ocean Stewardship 2030 (2020) UN Global Compact. Available here: https://unglobalcompact.org/library/5742
Outcome Document of the 2020 CEO Roundtables on Ocean — Ocean Stewardship Annual Review. UN Global Compact. Available here: https://ungc-communications-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/publications/CEO-Roundtables-on-Ocean%E2%80%93Ocean-Stewardship-Annual-Review.pdf
Seaweed Manifesto (2020) UN Global Compact and Lloyd’s Register Foundation. Available here: https://unglobalcompact.org/library/5743
Maritime Transport and the COVID-19 Crew Change Crisis: A Tool to Support Human Rights Due Diligence. UN Global Compact, International Labour OrganizationOffice of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Available here: https://unglobalcompact.org/library/5886
