The Royal Yachting Association has been crowned winner of the World Sailing 11th Hour Racing Sustainability Award, at the World Sailing Awards in Bermuda.

The award celebrates the effective execution and ongoing delivery of high-impact, highly-replicable sustainability initiatives, aligned to the World Sailing Sustainability Agenda 2030.

The RYA has, through The Green Blue, its joint environmental initiative with British Marine, been delivering cutting-edge sustainability advice to the recreational boating sector since 2005.

“We are thrilled to have won the award to be recognised for the work we have put in to help make recreational boating more sustainable over the past year, building on nearly 15 years of targeted action”, commented Kate Fortnam, The Green Blue Campaign Manager.

World Sailing received 20 applications from Member National Authorities, sailors, sailing clubs, organising committees and marine industry organisations, with The Green Blue making the shortlist alongside The Blake Foundation, CNArenal/RCNPalma/CMSAP Can Pastilla/Federacion Balear de Vela and SailGP.

The RYA was chosen as the overall winner for their significantly increased commitment to achieving the sustainability objectives laid out in the World Sailing’s Agenda 2030.  Key actions in 2019 have included:

  • Increased funding for The Green Blue, in order to reach more of the recreational boating sector and the marine leisure industry with awareness-raising campaigns and best practice guidance
  • The signing of a new Environmental Policy and initiating the development of a cross-cutting Sustainability Strategy for the organisation.
  • A commitment to achieving ISO14001 certification over the next 12 months
  • Recruiting new staff to strengthen the sustainability team and meet the new commitments
  • Signing up to the UN Global Compact, supporting the delivery of the UN Global Goals, a broad set of objectives covering environmental, social and economic issues

The RYA will receive a prize fund of $10,000 as well as an iconic perpetual trophy made from recycled carbon fibre (from an America’s Cup boat) and bioresin.

Phil Horton, the RYA’s Environment and Sustainability Manager, explained how the prize money will be spent: “This additional funding will be used to support The Green Blue’s development of a national volunteer team, who will be fully trained to deliver the environmental programme’s outreach work through educational activities, talks, instructor training and events. This will ensure that the RYA and The Green Blue remain at the forefront of sustainability for recreational boating in the UK.”

To find out more about The Green Blue visit www.thegreenblue.org.uk

For more advice and information about environmental issues from the RYA visit www.rya.org.uk/about-us/rya-policies/Pages/environment-and-sustainability.aspx

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