World Sailing proudly supports the Marine Impact Lab at METSTRADE, helping marine businesses cut cost, risk and emissions

Developed by leading consultancies Marine Futures and Foxall Munro, with support from 11th Hour Racing, World Sailing, ICOMIA, METSTRADE, Northern Lights Composites and The St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, the Marine Impact Lab promises to turn sustainability ambition into profitable action for marine businesses.

The Lab offers a rare opportunity to step out of the day-to-day, collaborate with peers, and focus on the practical actions that will define the future of the sector where marine businesses are facing new requirements to adjust their operations due to stricter legislation, increasing material costs, and changing customer expectations.

The Lab provides direct access to proven frameworks that help teams not only reduce environmental impact but build more agile, resilient operations aligned with long-term commercial success.

At its heart are two specialist tracks, each designed to reflect real-world roles and challenges.

• The Product Track, run by Marine Futures, explores life cycle assessment (LCA), sustainable design, efficiency and end-of-life planning through its MarineShift360 programme.
• The Organisation Track, delivered by Foxall Munro, equips internal teams with tools for carbon reporting, stakeholder engagement, governance, and embedding sustainability across operations.

The Lab builds on methodologies already delivering commercial and environmental value across the sector. Participants will work through four structured sessions in their chosen track, supported by expert facilitators, breakout drills, and case-based learning.

Ollie Taylor, Director at Marine Futures and leader of the MarineShift360 programme, said, “The marine industry already has many of the tools and solutions it needs to reduce impact and build future-proof businesses. What’s been missing is a space to bring people together to collaborate, share ideas and inspiration, and turn that potential into real progress. That’s why we created the Marine Impact Lab, to help drive the industry forward, together.”

Damian Foxall, Co-Founder at Foxall Munro, added, “There’s a lot of noise around sustainability, but not nearly enough clarity on what good looks like, the commercial outcomes, or how to actually deliver it. The Marine Impact Lab is designed to cut through that. It gives teams the structure, tools and space to focus on what matters, and to leave with confidence, clarity and a clear plan to move our industry forward.”

Alexandra Rickham, Director of Sustainability at World Sailing, praised the initiative, saying, “Innovation across the marine sector is key to a sustainable future. We are pleased to support the Marine Impact Lab and help to show how advanced technologies, new approaches and collaboration can bring about a long-term positive impact for all involved.”

MarineShift360’s lifecycle modelling has already been used successfully by several organisations, most notably Williams Jet Tenders who used it to launch Evene, a new low-impact tender line, which cuts operational waste by 21%.

Foxall Munro’s Sustainability Toolbox now supports more than 950 professionals across 95 sectors, providing step-by-step free templates for global users to self-audit and customise their sustainability processes.

The Australian Olympic Committee is using the Toolbox to assist national sports federations in the long-term planning and sustainability implementations for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

The Toolbox is also used by the Association of National Olympic Committees, international universities, and small-to-medium size enterprises to help plan events and design comprehensive sustainability strategies for all stakeholders.

Tickets for the Marine Impact Lab are priced at €150, which includes a fully catered day of interactive workshop sessions, expert speakers and resources, as well as a networking lunch and happy hour to close the day. Spaces are limited to 100 seats.

Reserve your place now.