May 16, 2025
The launch of the Ocean Impact Initiative
From data to action: transparency driving sustainable finance.
Key Information
Date: 7 June 2025
Time: 18:30 – 20:00 (CET)
Location: Yacht Club de Monaco, Quai Louis II, 98000 Monaco
On 7 June 2025, the Yacht Club de Monaco hosted the official launch of the Ocean Impact Initiative (OII) — a pioneering effort that placed ocean health at the center of sustainable finance.
The OII was the result of a multi-year research collaboration between One Ocean Foundation, SDA Bocconi, McKinsey & Company, and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC – Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas). Grounded in robust scientific research conducted by 56 oceanographers, it represented the first international framework specifically designed to integrate ocean-related indicators into corporate sustainability metrics and to support informed, responsible investment decisions.
The event opened with insights from leading experts in science, economics, and policy. Carlos Duarte emphasized the ocean’s critical role in human well-being and the growing pressures from industrial activity. Ralph Chami highlighted the economic value of ocean biodiversity and the potential of nature-positive finance. Sylvie Goulard provided an overview of the global policy landscape and how financial flows can be aligned with nature-positive goals.
The core of the event was the formal introduction of the Ocean Impact Initiative, with project partners presenting how science, academia, and the business sector had come together to build a robust and actionable tool for driving positive change.
Through a live demonstration, participants explored the platform’s main features and data capabilities, gaining first-hand insight into how it can support transparency, accountability, and informed decision-making in the financial sector.
“Many companies are still unaware of the direct and indirect pressures they exert on the ocean, as well as the risks that marine ecosystem degradation poses to their own business,” said Jan Pachner, Secretary General of One Ocean Foundation. “The OII was created to fill a gap in sustainability reporting: there is currently no dedicated tool focused on the ocean, despite its essential role for life on Earth and the fact that nearly all pressures come from industry.”
Developed by One Ocean Foundation in collaboration with SDA Bocconi, McKinsey & Company, and CSIC, the Ocean Impact Initiative (OII) is the first science-based framework designed to assess the impact of industrial activities on marine ecosystems. It provides standardised, sector-specific data to support responsible investment decisions and guide corporate sustainability strategies.
At the heart of the OII is a robust methodology that establishes industry-specific baselines and delivers granular, bottom-up insights into the performance of individual companies. This allows for meaningful benchmarking and informed comparisons across sectors.
What sets OII apart is its use of Generative AI to collect, process, and analyse corporate sustainability reports, delivering actionable insights for financial institutions and companies looking to align with a nature-positive economy.
“With the support of our AI-focused firm QuantumBlack, we were able to analyze more than 8,000 pages of documentation from sustainability reports of companies representing 90% of the market capitalization in the maritime transport sector. This approach allowed us to apply the OII methodology and complete the analysis in less than two minutes per company, significantly accelerating data collection and insight generation,” commented Federico Fumagalli, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company.
“Data is essential to support decision-making processes and to accurately assess corporate sustainability-related risks,” said Stefano Pogutz, Director of the Full-Time MBA at SDA Bocconi and Chair of the One Ocean Scientific Committee. “OII was created with the aim of fostering responsible business behavior towards ocean health. To achieve this, it has developed a scientifically solid information platform, integrated with today’s many reporting and rating initiatives, and based on a rigorous and transparent methodology.”
The event featured a diverse panel of thought leaders and experts in science, economics, policy, and sustainability:
- Carlos Duarte – Professor, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
- Ralph Chami – Co-Founder, Rebalance Earth & Blue Green Future
- Sylvie Goulard – Professor, SDA Bocconi; Co-Chair, International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits
- Jan Pachner – Secretary General, One Ocean Foundation
- Manlio De Silvio – Professor, SDA Bocconi
- Federico Fumagalli – Partner, McKinsey & Company
- Ambra Cozzi – Blue Economy Project Manager, One Ocean Foundation
The launch of the Ocean Impact Initiative marked a major milestone in bridging scientific research, data innovation, and sustainable finance. By enabling greater transparency in corporate ocean impact, the initiative empowered investors, companies, and regulators to make informed, future-oriented decisions that help protect the planet’s most vital ecosystems.
