To mark World Oceans Day, PONANT is announcing the launch of its Foundation*. In addition to taking seriously its day to day activities and commitment to promote sustainable tourism, PONANT wanted to take its efforts even further in these areas. That is why in 2018 the company created the Ponant Foundation's preliminary endowment fund, working towards the conservation of the oceans, polar regions and people around the world.
A commitment to the oceans, polar regions and indigenous populations
“Well aware of the challenges and the scale of the task, we remain true to our belief as sailors eager to share our passion for the oceans. Thirty years after the company was created, that same philosophy still drives each and every one of us today: we protect best what we know best,” said Jean Emmanuel Sauvée, CEO of PONANT and member of the Board of Directors of the Ponant Foundation.
The Ponant Foundation wants to encourage the development of innovative solutions to better understand and protect the oceans and the polar regions. It also seeks to bring closer together people that are separated by oceans. To achieve these goals, PONANT is working in three areas:
Supporting innovative initiatives for the conservation of the oceans
Helping with the acquisition of scientific knowledge about the polar regions along the way
Encouraging exchanges with indigenous populations
Support for cultural exchanges and the protection of the environment
Each year the Ponant Foundation will be allocated a substantial budget. One of the first projects that is receiving support is the Aldabra Clean Up, an exemplary and concrete project that aims to fight marine plastic pollution and is led by the Seychelles Islands Foundation and Oxford University. It intends to preserve the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles and raise world-wide awareness.
In 2019, the Ponant Foundation is also supporting projects dedicated to the protection of the coral reef in New Caledonia and the conservation of humpback whales in the Antarctic, led by the NGO Conservation International. Initiatives to recycle plastic waste led by the association Plastic Odyssey, and applied research projects ran by the Pure Ocean fund to protect the oceans and the people who depend on them are also being supported by the Ponant Foundation. Among other initiatives, the Ponant Foundation is also funding a visit by a young Greenlander to the company head office in Marseille to encourage cultural exchanges and offer her a foothold into the commercial world.
An annual call for proposals defined by a Board of Directors
The Ponant Foundation is steered by a Board of Directors that selects the projects that will receive financial support. Almost half of these are examined as part of an annual call for proposals, the theme of which is decided by the Board. It is made of four members: Jean Emmanuel Sauvée, CEO and Co-Founder of PONANT; Véronique Albertini-Saadé, PONANT Deputy CEO; Nicolas Dubreuil, Director of expedition cruises and sustainable development for PONANT; Aurore Asso, World Vice-Champion in team freediving, a documentary maker and an agricultural engineer.
PONANT is committed to responsible tourism
For more than 30 years, PONANT has remained firmly committed to this cause: a deep respect for the aquatic world. From the design of its certified 'Clean Ship' vessels to the planning of shore visits, everything is done to reduce the impact on the environment. Beach clean-up campaigns are also organised with passengers to raise their awareness and convert them into genuine ambassadors for the responsible tourism the company is keen to encourage.
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