It’s not the first time a global brand has ploughed heavy investment into what is known as the ‘blue economy’ – an ecosystem of economic sectors all directly or indirectly linked to the ocean – and given its estimated turnover of $24tn a year and potential to outpace the global economy by 2030, it’s likely Hugo Boss won’t be the last.
But it is the latest. And in a clear-cut statement made by the global fashion brand on the vital importance that companies do continue to invest in the health of ocean biodiversity, the Hugo Boss Foundation’s own comes in at the tune of €1.8m.
Driven by its ‘Bold for the Planet’ programme to support climate and environmental protection initiatives around the world, this investment will be funnelled over the coming years into a select group of scientists, engineers, and creatives known collectively as Coral Gardeners.
Established in 2017 by Titouan Bernicot, this is a non-profit organisation focused on coral restoration and ocean preservation in French Polynesia, Fiji, and soon enough Thailand. Over the coming years, this funding will enable Coral Gardeners’ researchers and conservations to continue their work not only ‘gardening’ coral (by cultivating heat-resilient coral fragments in nurseries) but providing coral and ocean education for local communities and building ocean ecosystems around restored reefs, all of which will be fully AI monitored by Coral Gardeners’ ReefOS system.
It’s this system – a first-of-its kind device running 3D computer vision to continuously track species, sizes, and functions of the fish moving back into restored coral gardens – that will prove vital for Coral Gardeners to provide scientific feedback on its journey towards cultivating and out-planting one million corals around the world.
Any kind of investment in such mission-critical infrastructure and tooling is therefore a welcome addition.
“As we progress towards scaling up production and expanding our international reach, we are thrilled to have the financial backing of the Hugo Boss Foundation,” said Carol Gardeners’ Titouan.
“Without proper action, all corals are at risk of disappearing by 2050 with disastrous consequences for life on Earth. We are looking forward to making a sustainable impact together and working towards our goal of growing one million corals worldwide.”
Over the coming decade, marine energy, biotechnology, coastal tourism, transport, and food production could offer unprecedented development and investment opportunities. There is, however, mounting evidence that through unsustainable economic activity losses in the ocean’s natural capital is quickly eroding the base of resource upon which that growth depends.
Should global warming exceed 1.5C of pre-industrial levels for an extended period, we could see a loss of anywhere between 70 – 90% of the 348,000 square kilometres of coral reef covering our planet. This would have a devastating impact on coastline protection against storms and erosion and worse still for the half a billion people dependent on reefs for food, income, and protection.
Titouan added: “Coral reefs are the most biodiverse and valuable ecosystems on our planet, yet they are one of the most impacted by climate change and human pressures, in peril of going extinct by 2050.”
The good news is that through its efforts in research, development, and cultivation, Coral Gardeners has successfully planted 100,870 corals in the last seven years. With a brand like Hugo Boss now footing the bill for Coral Gardeners’ advances in scientific research capabilities, scaling those efforts appears to be a more than attainable ambition.
Such restoration projects do, after all, have a rich history of success when they capture the attention of the world’s biggest brands.
Over off the coast of Sulawesi, Indonesia and the world’s largest coral restoration project marches on. Having reached its ambition of planting one million corals by 2023, the Bontosua Community Restoration Team – funded by the global snacking, food, and pet care corporation, Mars, Inc – is working diligently to reverse the impact of the last 30 years’ of destructive fishing practices upon its coral reef ecosystem.
The project is so entwined with the brand that even its reef building solution – a hexagonal steel structure used to stabilise loose, dead coral and upon which new coral is grown – is named MARRS (for Mars Assisted Reef Restoration System).
For nearly two decades, Mars Sustainable Solutions (MSS) has been committed to coral reef restoration. Today, it fronts one of the largest programmes in the world extending its reach far beyond Bontosua waters to more than 30 reefs across ten countries and five continents.
In 2023, under the banner Sheba Hope Grows, Mars Inc launched The Big Build, a mission to plant 30,000 corals across 2,500 square metres in one single restoration event. It was a mission that brought together 44 participants from 17 conservation and science partners across government, NGO, business sectors, and local communities.
“14 years ago, I asked a small team of Mars associates a simple question if it would be possible to rebuild a coral reef ecosystem,” said Frank Mars, board member and former board chair of Mars. “I’m proud to say the answer is yes, both technically and scientifically. As we build on two decades of dedication to coral restoration through Mars Sustainable Solutions, it’s thrilling to witness the cross-sector, community-centred collaboration shown in The Big Build, demonstrating that it is possible to deliver resilient coral restoration at a large scale.”
Now, as more brands begin to recognise the vital importance of investing in the ‘blue economy’ by maintaining healthy biodiversity of the world’s oceans and thus its financial value, the tide may just be beginning to turn towards a vision of hope for our planet’s waters.
