Empowering Climate Action: Innovative Green Sail Footprint System for Charter Companies
The first-of-its-kind Green Sail Footprint system empowers charter companies to measure and reduce their CO₂e emissions with precision. Read on to discover how we help our partners deliver a customer experience that aligns with their sustainability goals.
Starting with the Problem: Our Impact on the Environment
In the sailing industry, an environmental footprint refers to the impact a person, nautical company, or activity has on the environment. Yachts and sailboats emit harmful substances such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and particulate matter, carbon monoxide and non-methane volatile organic compounds. Practices such as black and greywater discharges, noise pollution, littering and anchoring in sensitive ecosystems also worsen their environmental impact.
Our Solution: The Green Sail Footprint System
Verified by scientists at the Institute for Tourism in Croatia, the Green Sail Footprint program is a per-vessel calculation that measures the CO₂e emissions and sustainability actions onboard a boat. With a clear understanding of their environmental impact, our partners can form strategies that align with both their sustainability goals and business objectives.
Our partners gain access to the resources they need to reduce their impact. These include up-to-date education tools, practical guides and ongoing monitoring and support. With these insights, they can take actionable steps on a robust roadmap to sustainability. Adapting to industry shifts and embracing sustainable changes also ensures they’re well-prepared for future policy and legislative changes. We also assist our partners in promoting their sustainable operations, ensuring their verified status is effectively communicated to clients.
The Green Sail Footprint System - The Rating Process
How is the rating calculated?
We assess 3 key areas to measure the CO₂e emissions of each vessel:
- Emissions produced using onboard engines & generators
- Power usage
- Water usage
We also calculate sustainability actions and renewable energy sources onboard, making this data accessible to potential clients so that they can make informed decisions about the vessels they choose to book.
We collect data on:
- Renewable energy sources
- Water makers
- Solar panels
- Waste produced onboard
- Sustainability actions
- Recycling onboard
- Stickers
- Antifouling processes
Green Sail Footprint Benefits
Yacht Charter companies can use organisations like Green Sail for their footprint calculation, but what are the benefits of doing so?
Prioritising investments into sustainability can be challenging, especially when measuring the return on those investments is difficult. Yet our verified partners recognise that they’re managing risk by investing for the future. By gaining vital information on their total CO₂e emissions, they’re able to create a tailored roadmap to sustainability and track their progress. They understand that the initial cost is minimal compared to the potential expense of ignoring inevitable legislative changes. The Green Sail Footprint program also serves to enhance brand credibility by providing transparent, quantitative data that validates a company's sustainability claims, eliminating any suspicions of greenwashing.
We equip our verified partners with the knowledge they need to operate sustainably. Implementing a Green Sail Footprint assessment is the first step to sustainable operations. Find out more here!