The Plastiki Project

Georges Kern: My first YGL meeting was the first ever YGL meeting. Over the course of three days, my fellow YGLs made presentations on a host of topics, but what particularly struck me were those concerning climate change – I was shocked at the information contained in these neutral scientific presentations on the state of our climate and our future. I decided that during my six-year term as a YGL, I would engage in activities to promote environmental sustainability among businesses. The community initiated a campaign to encourage businesses to examine their environmental impact by putting together case studies from around the world in The Book of Love. We sent this motivational book to 1,000 leading companies. It described what sustainability could do for a business, and showed that sustainability and profitability are not mutually exclusive. 

During my tenure, I further developed the sustainability policy at IWC, which was already robust, and by 2007, IWC was the world’s first carbon-neutral watch company. A big highlight of my time as a YGL was IWC’s sponsorship of David de Rothschild’s Plastiki project. When David mentioned the idea of sailing from San Francisco to Sydney (8,000 nautical miles) on a boat made from 12,500 discarded plastic bottles, I was excited. I knew the project would mesh with our ethos in exciting ways – in terms of the technological challenge of something never done before, of the spirit of adventure, and of the message about reimagining plastic waste and promoting a vision of sustainability. The project got great exposure and raised awareness of what plastic does to our environment and oceans, and how to deal with plastic waste.

Being a YGL brings many benefits, one of which is that you are humbled. I, for one, was someone known within my business environment as the smartest, but within the YGL community, it felt like the opposite. That’s natural when you meet unbelievably talented and successful people, and then see what these people are doing for their communities to improve the state of the world, without getting anything out of it. For me, this drives home the point that whatever position you are in, you must use your sphere of influence in the most positive way you can.

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David de Rothschild: When I became a YGL in 2007, I was looking for a sponsor for my Plastiki project, which aimed to draw attention to marine pollution and climate change. I had been hearing fellow YGL Georges Kern’s name a lot, and about his company, IWC, which has impressive green credentials. I finally met him at the World Sports Award, and he immediately offered his support. Often, I meet chief executives with good intentions but, after the initial meeting, reality sets in. But Georges just said, “I like what you do, I like the way you’re doing it and it fits with our brand. Let’s make something happen.”

There’s a certain connection that happens with all YGLs – you get through the process of early-stage relationship building really quickly and what follows is a bond of trust and integrity. Georges helped with the funding and other YGLs helped with the outreach to get the message out there. But really, it was a cumulative result of all the various conversations I had with my peers on a range of topics, from material science to marine ecology. The Plastiki project is about innovation and teamwork, about recasting waste as a resource rather than a problem. This way of reframing problems to turn them into solutions, and working collaboratively is key to YGL thinking. Plastiki demonstrated that the plastic bottles thrown out every year can be pressed into car tyres or flat-pack housing for refugees – anything that needs structural integrity or that currently uses fibreglass. We’ve up-cycled, rather than recycling like for like.

The environment can be quite a negative place to work in – there’s not a lot of good news when pristine forests are being cut down and the climate is not doing very well. To remain optimistic, you have to be involved with the right sort of positive people, which is what the YGL community gives you – people with similar experiences, not letting you get overwhelmed or lost, people who can do anything. It is also good to be connected when you are on the verge of doing something great so you and your peers are energized and reactivated. 

Today, I know more about how to make the most of the YGL community. When you’re younger, you’re busy doing your own thing, but then you realize that you have this community of mentors, people you respect, which gives you an incredible opportunity to further your vision and stretch your knowledge base.