A Partnership that Matters

Oceanographers have estimated it would take 79,000 years to remediate it, but in 2011, at age 16, a young Dutch inventor and entrepreneur, Boyan Slat, discovered that with the use of advanced technologies, he might be able to clean up 50% of the garbage patch in just five years. Two years later, Boyan started the non-profit, The Ocean Cleanup, which has created a system that will take advantage of natural oceanic forces to catch and concentrate the plastic, allowing the ocean to clean itself safely and sustainably. The system will launch on September 8th out of the San Francisco Bay and sail to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. This event will be livestreamed on Facebook for all to watch.

At Deloitte, our purpose is to make an impact that matters, making this partnership a natural fit. Last year, the Deloitte Netherlands’ Impact Foundation and The Ocean Cleanup signed a three-year agreement allowing Deloitte Netherlands to become a knowledge partner. The team offered The Ocean Cleanup a broad range of support from Tax to Business Strategy Consulting.

With a cause this worthy, it is no surprise that the team members working on the project share a sense of passion and pride for the impact they can make. Consulting Partner, Jorg Schalekamp and Senior Consultant and initiator of the partnership, Vera Sonneveld shared these thoughts:

“Looking back on the first year of the partnership, I notice people are extremely proud and committed to being able to support. We all look forward to continuing the partnership, and hoping to contribute to make The Ocean Cleanup successful.” – Jorg Schalekamp

“It has been a fantastic experience to work together with The Ocean Cleanup. We have always admired what they have set out to do, and have watched their accomplishments closely over the course of years. We are grateful to have been given this opportunity, and encourage our colleagues from all functions to contribute to the partnership going forward!” – Vera Sonneveld

Deloitte is dedicated to helping our clients and partners solve their toughest challenges. The Ocean Cleanup has enabled us to be a part of something that will not only impact their business growth, but the world at large.

Please watch the livestream footage of the launch and stay tuned as we continue our transformational journey with The Ocean Cleanup.