The WOC is an international nonprofit organization administered by a secretariat, under a Board of Directors comprised of senior industry representatives from around the world.
Paul Holthus, organization founder, in the 1990s led the Global Marine Program of IUCN, the World Conservation Union. Outreach to ocean industries confirmed the business community’s interest in ocean sustainability issues, but revealed the limitations of what responsible companies could achieve individually. Companies were interested in developing inter-industry leadership and collaboration as a way to better address ocean sustainability issues.
Programs:
- The Sustainable Ocean Summit is an annual convening of the industry, starting in 2010.
- The website links to numerous news releases regarding industry and ocean sustainability issues.
