Annual Report 2023
The Editorial.
Firstly, we would like to commend the formation of a significantly renewed Board of Directors following the last General Assembly.
Three new female directors have joined this governance body, and the office has been reorganized, including the election of Nathalie Van Den Broeck as the new president.
Also, we wish to pay sincere and warm tribute to Gilles Asenjo, who presided over the organization for 28 years. He expertly guided every phase of the organization’s development while ensuring respect for its history, DNA, and values at every moment. A big thank you to him for all the victories he made possible through his unwavering commitment and leadership in service to the ocean.
As you go through this annual report, you will see that the year 2023 perfectly illustrates the systemic approach used by Surfrider to enhance the impact of its actions.
That is, activating all levers at its disposal to provoke change at all levels. You will naturally discover our advocacy activities with the European Commission (including our campaigns against single-use packaging and microplastics), our work related to the industrial sector (for example, those aimed at reducing pollution related to the use of bio-media and Industrial Plastic Pellets), and our awareness and education efforts for the broader public (with a record mobilization around our Ocean Initiatives program and new educational exhibitions).
You will also find our participation in local battles against proven pollution or harmful projects (such as the Castets surfpark or the judges’ tower for the Olympic surfing events at Teahupo’o) and of course our expert work to develop our knowledge on growing issues (such as the invasive algae Ostreopsis ovata or the ecosystem services of blue carbon).
Furthermore, during the year 2023, Surfrider Europe has continued its efforts to extend our expertise and our battles beyond the borders of Europe. We thus thank Surfrider Portugal, a newly inaugurated national entity at the beginning of the year, which brilliantly organized the 7th edition of the Global Wave Conference. We are also very proud to have supported Surfrider Senegal in the establishment of a beach water monitoring project in Dakar, which lays the foundations and beginnings of a long-term effort to reclaim the good ecological status of waters in Senegal.
And of course, none of this would have been possible without you, without this wonderful community that grows a little more each day and mobilizes for the protection of this ocean essential to our survival.
Thank you, and together, let’s continue the fight!
Nathalie Van Den Broeck, présidente
Florent Marcoux, Directeur Général
Key Figures.
100🛶
rivers monitored as part
of Plastic Origins
10 818👥
people made aware
by the ACT! team during
Corporate Awareness Activities
35🍴
new OFR
(120 in total)
60🌱
sampling campaigns (Mediterranean
and South Atlantic)
as part of the Ostreopsis
monitoring program
148🇪🇺
greeting cards were placed in
the lockers of European deputies to raise awareness of the threat posed by GPIs (Granules Plastiques Industriels)
15⛵
échappées bleues
828💪
local group volunteers
and 445 skill-based volunteers
20🤝
public partners and
133 private patners
+ d’1M🚬
cigarette butts collected in 1 hour as part of the megathon organized with InoxTag
The association.
2023 was a key year for Surfrider Foundation, marked by significant progress in the development of its federal model and in the implementation of its corporate social responsibility action plan. This period saw the consolidation of Surfrider’s presence across Europe with the finalization of the establishment of the Portuguese entity, as well as a significant advance in the application of social and environmental responsibility principles.
A Crucial Year for Surfrider’s Federal Model
The year 2023 marked a crucial stage in the development of Surfrider Foundation’s federal model, with significant progress made following the implementation of the 2022 complementary investment plan. The completion of the establishment of Surfrider Foundation Portugal was an important milestone, thus completing the network of national legal entities which already includes Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain.
➡️ Read more
Towards Enhanced Corporate Social Responsibility
Surfrider actively implemented its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) action plan, developed following the assessment carried out in 2021. The working committee closely monitored the progress of projects in the three key areas grouped under the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria.
➡️ Read more
The highlights
of 2023.
The year 2023 was marked by bold initiatives, impactful awareness campaigns and tireless efforts to protect the Ocean.
From the fight against plastic pollution to educational projects for the very young and the relentless mobilisation of the advocacy team, Surfrider has played a key role in preserving our aquatic ecosystems.
These high points are not just victories for the association, but also for every individual concerned about the future of our blue lung.
Surfrider’s action in 2023.
In 2023, the fight against MARINE LITTER and more specifically plastic pollution remained a crucial priority for Surfrider, underlining the urgent need to act in the face of this growing threat to our oceans and marine biodiversity.
➡️ Read more
WATER QUALITY AND USER HEALTH is a central theme for Surfrider Foundation. In 2023, it was the focus of growing interest among both volunteers and national bodies. The Expertise and Lobby teams also worked hard to promote measures to improve bathing water quality.
➡️ Read more
In 2023, Surfrider Foundation stepped up its commitment to COASTAL DEVELOPMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE and, in particular, to the energy transition, especially around marine renewable energies, underlining its support for the fight against climate change.
➡️ Read more
Surfrider Coastal Defenders
Local Actions.
Surfrider’s fight against pollution and projects that threaten the ocean knows no borders. Whether on the mainland or thousands of miles away, the commitment of the Coastal Defenders has once again this year added a number of major victories to the association’s list of achievements, and raised awareness of the issues involved in protecting the Ocean.
Financial
Report 2023.
Surfrider Foundation is continuing to build on the momentum it established more than 3 years ago, and has seen its budget increase significantly in 2023.
This growth has been kept under control, enabling us to maintain a positive operating result and further consolidate our associative funds, our balance sheet and our macroeconomic indicators more generally.
Use of resources (total 2023)
Use of resources generated by the generosity of the public (2023)
Perspective
2024.
The year 2024 promises to be full of challenges and opportunities for the Surfrider Foundation, with several major events planned that will have a significant impact on its actions and objectives.
🏊♂️
The Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games will provide an exceptional platform to promote eco-responsible sport and respect for the environment. Surfrider will be paying particular attention to the ecological commitments made by the Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. A major focus will be placed on water quality, particularly in relation to the various events scheduled to take place in the Seine, which is known to be particularly polluted. This will also be a strategic moment to highlight the need to revise the directive on bathing water, scheduled for 2025.
🇪🇺
In June, the European elections will represent a key moment for the future of the ocean and the environment in general. Surfrider’s teams will be mobilising intensively around this event, seeking both to raise awareness and mobilise citizens on the importance of going to the polls, and to influence decision-makers to demand commitments to protect the Ocean.
💦
The year 2024 should also be marked by the adoption of several texts linked to Surfrider’s key themes: the reduction of packaging and packaging waste (PPWR), the revision of certain texts relating to the regulation of maritime transport and the vote on the Urban Waste Water Directive (UWWD).
Surfrider’s teams are eagerly awaiting this vote, and hope to see significant progress in this area, particularly in relation to pollution of the ocean by biomedia.
All in all, 2024 promises to be a pivotal year, with many opportunities to advance important environmental causes and where the NGO will seek to maximise its impact and influence in protecting the ocean and marine ecosystems.
