We are deeply committed to making a positive impact on the environment and the communities we serve. We believe that as a company, we have a responsibility to be good stewards of our planet and to give back to those in need.
At Aquaplanet we are both outsiders and designers, so that is how we’ve approached our Environmental and Social Responsibility policies. We are happiest out on the water; be it on canals, rivers, reservoirs, lakes, lochs or the sea. We make products for ordinary people and experts to get outside into nature, onto the water, for relaxation, exploration and exercise. We are also designers and so we are always asking ‘how can we do this better? How can we improve this?’ It’s a big part of a designer’s professional training to constantly question, analyse, review, refine, hone, iterate and improve.
As part of that we are working with several organisations to off-set our unavoidable emissions. We have chosen partners Project Seagrass and Surfers Against Sewage, who focus on the preservation and development of existing nature-based solutions close to home. Ecosystems that are not only powerful and natural Carbon sinks, but also the very places our team and our customers cherish most of all.
We are using the Carbon Trust’s templates and tools to work towards PAS60 Netzero Certification by 2030. We are committed to helping reach the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 13 & 14: “To Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts, and to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. We are also partners with British Canoeing and Surfers Against Sewage, who both work tirelessly to ensure everyone can enjoy paddling in safe and clean waterways.
We love being part of (and hosting our own) events as it gives us a chance to showcase our boards while raising money for a good cause. Most recently we teamed up with Frank Water for their Stand Up For Safe Water event.
We know that what’s good for our environment is good for our business. We know that as a responsible company, we will only thrive and grow if our people and our planet thrive too.
We believe that because we have oversight and control of every process, from design and manufacture, through shipping and fulfilment, to repair, reuse and recycling, we can maximise our positive impact and minimise any potential harm.
Our founders have been working with our manufacturing partners in China for over twenty years, and we now have our own dedicated factory so we not only have oversight of the process, but control as well. They only make Aquaplanet products, so we never have to compromise and they have no pressure from other brands to cut corners.
We’ve visited hundreds of times and know the team and the staff as friends. That long relationship means that we trust them. They can and do change anything we ask to improve our products, often overnight, and they have truly become Kaizen partners in our relentless quest to constantly improve.
This long relationship means that we also have close control and understanding of our whole supply chain. From raw materials and specialist components, to shipping and fulfilment, we leave nothing to chance.
We only work with companies who share our ethos and commitment to maximum efficiency with minimum impact.
As part of our Kaizen approach we’re now tracking and analysing the carbon footprint of our entire operation, from design to end of life. This is giving us constantly evolving insight into how we can minimise and mitigate our impact.