Sustainable superyachting

Within days of becoming members of the Wood Forever Pact, Viareggio Superyachts hosted a workshop on sustainability. The Pact is a project of Prince Albert II

from sustainably managed forests.

Viareggio Superyachts (VSY) focuses on sustainable products in shipbuilding. The company has been using recyclable material for some time and[ds_preview] has presented a so-called green anchoring system via GPS. Now Viareggio is searching for new ways in eco-friendly design. Quotes were forthcoming at the round table meeting aboard »Stella Maris« moored in Monaco’s Port Hercule, hosted by her builders VSY. Cristiana Longarini, Director VSY, kicked off with »the world will be sustainable in the future – there is not an option B!« Vienna Eleutari, chairing the workshop, added that »the yachting industry could influence the shipping industry«. »The best thing to do is not to buy a yacht at all, the second best thing is to buy a sustainable yacht,« stated Thomas Kolster, of Goodvertising, with a reminder that »dangers come from the human race, not some Martian« from Fabrizio De Pascale of the Italian Nautical Trade Union (UILA) who added »most steps are made by individuals, not by companies«. With Jean Jaubert – member of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation – at the table, protection of coral reefs as a high priority for superyachts could not be overlooked, but Stefano Donati, Director of the Egadi Islands Marine Protected Area, also pointed out that »the human race on some coastlines is one species that needs to be protected!« Professor CB Bhattacharya emphasised that »the message ›it’s cool to be sustainable‹ must be spread in the media while businesses must tap into emotion for stakeholders to feel good about themselves«. Changing markets are inevitable but »you can’t change the world by stopping things,« Cristiana Longarini said, adding »buy – but think about it!«

VSY presented its »Declaration of Sustainability«. The setting, overlooked by the Palais Princier on Le Rocher, was appropriate as the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation (FPA2) was set up to encourage sustainable development with action required in response to three issues: climate change, biodiversity and water. Joining the Wood Forever Pact demonstrates VSY has made a first conscious step towards environmental and social responsibility.

But VSY Managing Director Longarini was quick to point out that this was just one step. VSY shares values with FPA2 and claims »to have at its heart the values of man in his natural, social habitat: the diversity of life, the quality of soil, water and air, the care of resources, the bio-diversity of our planet, the health and justice for the human beings who inhabit it«. The declaration is a formal act and guarantees responsibility towards internal staff, territory and local community, clients, suppliers, the international community of the sector and future generations. Increasing clients’ awareness extends to explaining that a demand for the best teak for decks might not necessarily be the best solution, if it involves cutting down the last 180-year-old tree in a Burmese plantation for example. »To satisfy the needs of the present generation without jeopardising future generations satisfying theirs« is a commendable position to take.

Bhattacharya, who had flown in from Berlin where he is E.on Chair Professor in Corporate Responsibility at the European School of Management and Technology, emphasised that it is not just the environment but also social responsibility that comes into the equation: »people, planet and profit«. He recommends four »C«: »Communication«, internal and external; »Co-Creation«, engage all stakeholders; »Calibration«, measure results, and »Commitment«, from the top of an organisation to the bottom. Usually less than half the people know about a company’s sustainability drive and ad-hoc or half-hearted approaches can mean expenditure without much return. The successful formula is to look long-term and be integrated. Whether buying a superyacht or selecting a product taking into account what type of shipping company brought it half way around the world, future generations are going to demand transparency. Sustainable superyachting and shipping has started. It is great for those who are comfortable being in tune with their inner selves and it pays for corporations that wish to be profitable.

At one point in the discussions Wood Forever Pact and Goodvertising got confused and the Professor, who had joined mid workshop, wrote two words on the whiteboard that perhaps summarise best the energy pervading the decks of »Stella Maris« in Monaco: Good Forever.