Blancpain Continues Its Commitment to Ocean Preservation at the 12th World Ocean Summit
Involved in the exploration and preservation of the oceans for more than 20 years through its Blancpain Ocean Commitment programme, the Manufacture has supported The Economist's World Ocean Summit since 2012 as the Founding Partner. Once again, the Brand shows its continuous dedication by supporting the 2025 edition, joined by renowned underwater photographer Laurent Ballesta.
Since the creation of the Fifty Fathoms in 1953, Blancpain has been deeply and genuinely connected to the ocean. For over 20 years, the brand has strongly supported ocean exploration and preservation projects under the Blancpain Ocean Commitment programme. Among these initiatives, Blancpain is proud to be the Founding Partner of The Economist's World Ocean Summit, a major international conference that brings together leaders from governments, academia, NGOs, and the private sector to discuss and advance sustainable ocean practices. Having taken place in Tokyo, Japan, from 12 to 13 March, the 12th edition of the summit was attended by the Prime Minister of Japan who underscored the event's significance and the country's commitment to ocean sustainability.
In addition to supporting the summit, Blancpain and The Economist have been collaborating on the "Beyond the Surface" programme, which was launched at the 11th edition of the summit in 2024. This year, the two organizations presented the continuation of this programme, which aims to create a scorecard to assess the effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) around the world, providing comprehensive insights into their design, implementation, and results. More information – including an interactive map, case studies, and a film – can be found on the Beyond the Surface website.
"Funding for the ocean is limited, and we need to make sure it is well spent," emphasized Blancpain's Vice President Alexios Kitsopoulos, addressing the audience about the importance of efficient funding for ocean projects. "With Blancpain's strong focus on the creation of MPAs, we wanted to develop a tool allowing us to make the right decisions on the projects to support."
On the Beyond the Surface website, two other flagship initiatives of the Blancpain Ocean Commitment are highlighted: the PADI x Blancpain Adopt the Blue programme and the Sea Academy project. On the one hand, Adopt the Blue aims to significantly increase the number of marine protected areas worldwide, supporting the global 30x30 commitment to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030. On the other hand, the Sea Academy project – recently in the spotlight with the release of Blancpain's new Fifty Fathoms Tech Ocean Commitment IV limited edition – focuses on creating a network of community- and locally-managed MPAs. Emphasizing protection and restoration, this initiative has proven to be a successful pilot programme, that is replicable and that should inspire other regions around the world.
The Manufacture is also the Founding Partner of Laurent Ballesta's Gombessa Expeditions, a centerpiece of the Blancpain Ocean Commitment. One of the most awarded and celebrated underwater photographers, Ballesta leads these expeditions which bring unique scientific data and images, unveiling ocean secrets. During the summit, he amazed the audience with his presentation, showcasing spectacular underwater photography. Together with him, Blancpain believes it is important to have such sessions at the summit to remind delegates of the "real world", beyond discussions in closed rooms and offices.
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