SOS 2019 Program & Executive Summary

With the theme of “Investing in Ocean Futures: Finance and Innovation for the Blue Economy”, the Sustainable Ocean Summit 2019 (Paris, 20-22 November) represented the most comprehensive edition of ideas and exchanges for ocean sustainable development since the creation of the SOS in 2010.

The SOS 2019 recorded historical participation, with more than 350 participants from 30 nationalities gathering in Paris for the summit. “The SOS connects all private and public actors to intensify a constructive dialogue for the sustainable development of the oceans through responsible “blue” growth”, said Paul Holthus, WOC Founding President and CEO. “This conference has attracted those interested in industry leadership and collaboration to address ocean sustainability, science and stewardship.”

“This is the first time that a secretary of state, from the host country, speaks during one of the conferences”, said Holthus. “This is, to my mind, a sign that the dialogue we have established over the last ten years is becoming stronger and credible, and that our transversal approach has a real impact on the preservation of our environment.”

Christine Valentin, WOC COO, added, “The SOS allows the possibility to meet international and national governments, the NGOs with the economic and industrial actors of the oceans. The sea generates a great diversity of activities and many environmental problems can only be solved by establishing a transversality between all the responsible economic actors in order to act effectively because nothing is worse than regulations that can not be put in place.”

 

The SOS 2019 theme recognized:
  • The role of finance in addressing the complex, long term challenges of ocean sustainable development
  • The need for a global structure and process to bring the investment community together with major ocean use companies and the entrepreneurs providing solutions to ocean sustainable development challenges

 

Since 2010, the Sustainable Ocean Summit (SOS) has been bringing together leaders from the diverse ocean business community – shipping, fisheries, oil and gas, aquaculture, offshore renewables, tourism, seabed mining, marine technology, law, insurance, finance, etc. – as well as ocean stakeholders from the government, inter-governmental, science and environment communities – to focus on industry-driven action on “Corporate Ocean Responsibility”.

Download the SOS 2019 Program here.

Click here to access the SOS 2019 Executive Summary.

Click here for a list of CEOs/Senior Executives who have attended past editions of the SOS.

For more information about the SOS 2020 (dates and venue TBC): https://sustainableoceansummit.org.