Our commitment to promoting sustainable development
A sustainable message
By Jørgen Tang-Jensen, CEO of the VELUX Group
Climate change is real. Everybody needs to take responsibility. B eing a major, global sporting event, it is natural for VELUX 5 OCEANS to be committed to fighting climate change. Under the banner of TAKING ON THE ELEMENTS, the race aims to inspire people to think and act, because every contribution counts when it comes to reversing climate change.
Just like the VELUX G roup, the race supports sustainable development in many specific ways. In our company we work with sustainable building principles to inspire the future of modern living and integrate daylight as a natural renewable source of energy through the roof to make houses carbon-neutral.
This effort links us directly to the challenge of the race. In VELUX we are breaking new ground when we strive to unite daylight, fresh air, appealing architecture and good indoor climate with the need to eliminate CO2 emissions from buildings. In the race the skippers are not only meeting The Ultimate Solo Challenge. They also carry the message of sustainability with them as they aim to minimise their carbon footprint on the route around the world. In several aspects, this is an enormous challenge which contains a truly universal inspiration about acting and achieving.
Neither the VELUX Group nor the race claims to be sustainable or carbon neutral. B ut through activities and actions we will demonstrate how it is possible to work against climate change and thereby raise awareness of this global challenge.
Our Vision
The climate is changing for the worse. Climate change is man-made and is a serious challenge for society – it is our responsibility as humans to reverse this trend. Because we care about the environment of the race, we need to handle it with care, for the benefit of the world and mankind.
That’s why we have launched TAKING ON THE ELEMENTS, our commitment to the planet and our challenge to the world on sustainable development. The ocean, sun and wind are our shared universe, and protecting them is our common objective.
This edition of the race sees the introduction of the Eco 60 class of yachts, an innovative recycling of older Open 60 yachts. Having given birth to the Open 60 offshore racing class through the 1980s and 1990s, the VELUX 5 OCEANS team recognised that the modern generation of boats were becoming prohibitively expensive and detrimental to the environment. The Eco 60 class seeks to address that imbalance, providing skippers and sponsors with an affordable solution to ocean racing campaigns while underlining the key messages of TAKING ON THE ELEMENTS.
But it’s not just about what we are doing to help the planet – through TAKING ON THE ELEMENTS, the VELUX 5 OCEANS will spread a message of sustainability around the world as our skippers sprint through five oceans and visit as many continents. We hope to educate and inspire race followers from all corners of
the globe to live a more environmentally friendly lifestyle.
