Behind The Gift: Give More By Supporting a B Corporation

Ocean First   Jul 05, 2022

Behind The Gift:

Give More By Supporting a B Corporation

B Corps have a story to tell! From our supply chain to our employees, a lot of partners and people work together behind the scenes to make a positive impact. And there’s more to B Corp products and services than meets the eye.

When you give B Corps, you are giving more than a gift. You are giving workers ethical and safe workplaces. You are contributing to flourishing communities. You are supporting the planet by supporting businesses like us that are working to protect it. Most of all, you are giving a gift that makes a difference.

We’re a Certified B Corporation, which means we care about people AND the planet. We are firm believers that we do not inherit our planet from our ancestors, but borrow it from our children and everything we do reflects this custodial sentiment.

This holiday season we would like to join our fellow B’s in spotlighting different aspects of our business that show we are doing more than just making a profit. Through the B Corporation #BehindtheGift movement, we are inviting you in for a behind-the-scenes look at how we use our business as a force for good.

With action, there is hope.

Fourth Element believes that being ‘OceanPositive’ stems not just from what we do in the ocean, but also what we do in our everyday lives.

From the garments themselves, to the packaging, to the projects they support, everything Fourth Element does leads to ensuring a more sustainable business that is good for the ocean. Becoming Zero Plastic - Currently, 45% of their products are being made from at least 30% of recycled materials, such as plastic bottle waste and ghost fishing nets. By 2030, they are aiming for 90% of their products to be made from at least 30% regenerated materials rather than virgin materials. These OceanPositive Hydroskins are made from 85% recycled polyester and have a UPF 50+ sun protection so you can skip the sunscreen. To learn more about this company and what their products do #BehindtheGift visit the OceanPositive section on their website. To shop our products visit us in the store or shop online.

Ocean First Institute, our non-profit sister organization, is on a mission to spread the knowledge of ocean conservation through research and education. In honor of Colorado Gives Day on 12/7/21, Ocean First will be matching all donations from our staff members who choose to give some of their hard-earned abundance to Ocean First Institute.

By donating to Ocean First Institute, you will help the Institute engage in critical marine research, educate and empower the next generation of environmental conservation leaders! Your donations can inspire conservation and tackle the urgent environmental issues we face with positive action, research, education, and conservation. If you would like to show your support to OFI you can visit their website to donate.

From the goods we sell to the services we provide, everything we do has a purpose.

As divers and ocean lovers we are well aware that our coral reefs are in danger and harmful chemicals like Benzophenones, Oxybenzone, Avobenzone, along with many others play a large role in killing our corals.

Stream2Sea is the only mineral based sunscreen on the planet that’s been tested and proven safe for freshwater fish, saltwater fish, and coral larvae, and has passed the stringent HEL Labs Protect Land + Sea certification.

We love this company because they are on a mission to educate the masses, they value transparency by sharing in-depth info about every ingredient in their products, they are advocates for sunscreen bans across the globe, they became a preferred partner with a cruise ship line and they partner with dozens of non-profits worldwide.

We love this company's mission and we are planning to expand our partnership and product line with them in 2022. Stop by our store today to shop these products. The values embedded within our company are what help us focus on using our business as a force for good.

Giving back to our community is something we promote internally with our staff both on a group and individual basis.

This year our founder decided to increase our staff volunteer policy and now sponsors 60 hours a year per employee to donate their time whether it’s during the work week or on a day off.

We are proud to showcase our connection to our community and give praise to our staff members who go the extra mile. Sometimes the greatest gift you can give is your TIME!

The purchase of your dive computer is the first step to owning your total diving system, the gear that will carry you through outstanding adventures for years to come.

Suunto is just one of the brands we love and they are committed to be BETTER.

“We need the natural world. And now our planet needs us to do right by it. Suunto minimizes its impact through responsible design, operations, manufacturing and delivery of high quality products.” Visit Suunto's website for their full sustainability statement.

With an easy to read color screen and rechargeable battery the Suunto EON Core is a great dive companion whether you are just beginning diving or an active diver exploring new depths. Behind this gift is a brand striving to walk the talk and we fully support that!

Visit our website to shop online or come into the store and we’d be happy to give you a demo.

We hope you enjoyed following our #BehindtheGift holiday series. We enjoyed giving you a behind-the-scenes look at our business models and practices that we feel are what make us stand out in our industry.

We strongly believe that we can use our collective voices to influence industries, businesses, communities, employees and consumers to benefit people and the planet.

This year we were excited to share memories with you where we could give back to our local community as well as to some of the communities of the places we visited. This photo was from our Coral Restoration trip in Roatan, Honduras where our divers helped clean & transplant baby corals back into the ecosystem. This trip was so popular that we've already booked our return in 2022! Click here for more details on how you can join in on this rewarding experience. Stay tuned for many more of these opportunities on the horizon as we look to another amazing year of exciting adventures.

Thank you for joining us for a behind-the-scenes look at how we run our business and what lies #BehindtheGift when you choose to shop at Ocean First. From the products we sell to the manufacturers we work with to the operators we partner with, we strive to be a better business by choosing to join forces with those who share our approach to sustainability and social responsibility. By harnessing the power of business, B Corps use profits and growth as a means to a greater end: positive impact for their employees, communities, and the environment