The Guidelines In Action: Burgess Launches Sustainable Seas

One of the main aims of the Environmental Crew Guidelines was to create a framework for management companies to utilise and make their own for their fleet. Burgess has done just this through its Blue Oceans team, yacht management and charter experts launching the Sustainable Seas project. 

We caught up with Burgess to discover how they have taken the Water Revolution Foundation’s Environmental Crew Guidelines, expanded on them and integrated them into their systems. 

Here, they share their insights, challenges, future plans, and what sustainable yachting means to Burgess: 

What inspired Burgess to utilise the Environmental Crew Guidelines for your operations?

Several important elements were at the heart of founding our original Burgess Blue Oceans movement. Firstly, our industry cannot exist without natural and social capital: people can’t exist on an unhealthy planet, and yachting won’t survive on an unhealthy ocean. So sustainability becomes a strategic business necessity that creates resilience against the growing pressures of the 21st century. 

Second, we believe that business has the power, and the responsibility, to be a catalyst for innovation and, in this instance, deliver the changes we need to see in how yachts operate. We wanted to lead by example and empower people to take ownership of the environmental challenges they witness daily. Finally, we have always believed in the strength of relationships and teamwork, and we knew that our network of passionate, professional crew could help drive real change on board if we, as an experienced team, worked with them to make it happen. 

The guidelines are a fantastic body of work, and the foundation’s decision to release open-source to the industry underscores the potential that exists when we choose to collaborate.

Sustainable Seas is the next iteration of those guidelines and moves beyond a simple handbook to embed best practice directly into how each yacht operates. The Guidelines are phenomenal, but we have the power to do so much more in our position between yacht and owner and operators. We have vast knowledge within our teams, so this t was a chance to bring the Guidelines in-house, rework them, and add to them with our expertise and experience.

Most importantly, we have built the content into a framework within our Burgess Manage yacht management software, so it is fully integrated into daily operations.. This took a lot of time, effort, and commitment, but we found the people within our team who care deeply about this and have a passion for ocean health.  As such we are really able to support our fleet in navigating the challenges of the 21st century. 

How have Burgess’ fleet and crew teams received the rollout of the Sustainable Seas handbook?

Several important elements were at the heart of our original Burgess Blue Oceans movement. First, and quite simply, we rely on a healthy ocean, not just as an industry but for life on earth. It was time to recognise this and do something about it as a group of people who work in this extraordinary industry.

Tangible steps include assessing the framework by department, circulating the handbook among the crew, and integrating it into the new builds before launch. Feedback has been positive, with the crew keen do what they can on a practical basis to minimise their environmental impact. Where yachts are travelling to more remote regions, they'll be implementing change and adapting their operations to the  local conditions. 

As we move into summer, we encourage yachts to nominate their Environmental Officer and gather operational insights to shape improvements and best practices for the next edition. 

Feedback quotes: 

“This is a great initiative with a clear path to implement.  Many thanks for this.  We are currently in the build stage and will be looking to implement it once we get going.”

“…sustainability culture is paramount, and we have implemented over the years a lot of new ideas, procedures, and systems . I will make sure that this will circulate on the crew mess and we will send you feedback soon.’.”

“I really like this initiative and I will make sure that we will have some answers to the below questions.’”

“Always keen to play our part and I know the owner is environmentally conscious.  Considering we may well be travelling to more remote regions in the coming years; we would like to minimize our impact so we will review as the season approaches and see what we can implement and improve.”

Is Burgess coming across any particular challenges when implementing them across the fleet, and if so, can you give any insight into how you are handling these?

The main challenges have been timing, culture, and encouraging ownership. Releasing the handbook in early spring meant limited time for the crew to act before a busy summer season. More importantly, creating a genuine cultural shift on board takes time, education, and confidence. Crews, HODs, and managers already juggle intense demands, so integrating sustainability as a priority is a gradual process - but it will come with time. 

Another challenge is balancing differing sustainability practices across yachts, offering enough guidance for advanced crew while remaining accessible for those just starting. That's where version 2 of the handbook and input from proactive groups like our Eco Fleet will be crucial. Keeping crew engaged during peak season is an ongoing effort. But, overall, the positive reception and growing enthusiasm are encouraging signs that we are laying the groundwork for lasting change - not just for sustainability's sake, but to future-proof yacht operations for the challenges ahead. 

What advice would Burgess offer to other management companies considering adopting or adapting the Environmental Crew Guidelines for their operations?

Time is running out, but we can do this! It is time for us all to come together. One industry, one ocean, one plan. This affects us all and we must collaborate. The best way for our industry to navigate these changes is to move beyond standard company divides, openly share knowledge, and ideas and develop a united strategy we can all get behind with one voice. 

If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well - and that means investing the necessary time, commitment and care to get it right. This kind of work demands a strong, dedicated team willing to approach it properly from the outset. But a lot of the work has already been done thanks to WRF's commitment to open-source sharing. So, let's use it!

Timing is also everything: crew understand this and need time to plan and implement. 

We need big, effective action now, but it’s important also to avoid overwhelm by tackling projects step by step. We found the key is leaning into your strengths, and for us that’s a first-class team working on this project together and delivering it through an industry-leading management system and software.  

 Looking ahead, what's next for Burgress’ sustainability initiatives? Are there new projects, updates to the handbook, or other ideas in the pipeline? 

On the Sustainable Seas project, it is now all about the people delivering the plan, so our focus will be on education and getting boots on the ground to work with crews and assess where they are now and what needs to happen next. Volume 2 of the Sustainable Seas handbook, shaped by fleet feedback and new ideas, is on the cards and must happen.

Burgess Procurement Services has a vital and really exciting part to play in the future; one of the biggest challenges is for crew is having  the time to research and find practical solutions. Burgess Procurement supports owners, captains, and crews by sourcing parts, spares, and products promptly, cost-effectively, and sustainably wherever possible. The platform also enables us to develop a sustainable product range that puts 'good' products – things we know do the job and have far less environmental impact – directly into crews' hands. We are really excited about the partners and small companies we are working with in this space - many of them ex-crew who’ve identified a challenge on board and are producing the solutions once they move ashore. 

In other areas, we are really excited about the vital marine conservation work we are supporting in Amorgos, Greece.. The AMORGORAMA project is working with Blue Marine Foundation to restore the island’s marine ecosystem through mapping and protecting seagrass meadows, encouraging sustainable fishing practices, tackling ocean pollution and ultimately the creation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). This could become a model for conservation across the Med.  We raise funds through each element of our business operations and invite our clients to join us on this conservation journey. The fact that it's in the Greek Islands, an endlessly appealing yachting destination, is really important for us – not only are we focusing our efforts in areas we directly impact, but it also shows clients and crew that everything we do is really interlinked - understanding systemic  impact across the environment and society is so important if we are going to tackle sustainability challenges effectively.We firmly believe we are responsible for protecting the incredible natural environment where we work and play, and this project is doing just that.

Other ongoing initiatives include our annual Global Clean Up, growing social impact projects like Caribbean Crew and UKSA scholarships, global volunteering trips, and increased emissions tracking, with a goal to report Scope 1-3 figures next year. 

We've just released our 2024 impact report, reporting on our work across environmental, social and governance sectors in the last year to drive a more sustainable model in each aspect of our operations. 

Lastly, what does true sustainable yachting look like to Burgess? What would the team love to see change within the next five years?

Business as usual isn't going to cut it. We all collectively need a rethink on how we drive this industry forward, with a sustainable future at the heart of our business thinking. 

Technology, and the investment to validate new solutions and bring them to market.

Tackling emissions and propulsion but also designing, building and operating with  entire lifecycle and end-of-life considerations in mind. 

Collaboration and communication!

We need a structural and cultural reset to make innovation, technology, philanthropy and brilliant solutions to global challenges part of the luxury space. 

We are midway through the ocean decade where we must achieve the target of protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030, which is a huge mountain to climb, but with the UNOC next month and the power of the 'OCEAN with David Attenborough film', this is a moment in time where real progress can be made.

If left to voluntary, individual steps, change will not move fast enough. We collectively know our industry inside out, we can wait for legislation to come or we can bring all our industry stakeholders together to educate, create and deliver the progress that we must make in order to protect the ocean environment that we all rely on.

Thank you to the team at Burgess for launching Sustainable Seas. We hope this has inspired others to implement the Environmental Crew Guidelines, and for more information, please contact us at ecocrew@waterevolution.com.