ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN MANUFACTURING
Together, the CCA and Ducks Unlimited have more than 800,000 members covering unique demographics and interests. Passionate about these groups, they are likely to support manufacturers who support their interests.
Environmental sustainability initiatives
In addition to sustainable operations, both companies are dedicated to making impactful conservation efforts.
Brunswick partners with industry associations, research institutions, and government entities. It works with REMADE to explore opportunities for design, for disassembly and end-of-life recycling. It also works with the Aluminum Association to measure the carbon footprint of key alloys, and with the Advanced Casting Research Consortium to understand the availability of future scrap metal and maintain its use of recycled metals. Brunswick is also one of the partners working with the European Boating Industry to develop the first marinespecific life cycle assessment( LCA) tool.
Yamaha Rightwaters, founded in 2019, unifies all of Yamaha’ s sustainability efforts. It supports cleanups, invasive species removal through fishing tournaments, and oyster reef restoration, working with non-profits and research organizations. Yamaha Rightwaters has just under 50 partners and is beginning to expand globally.
Under the Yamaha Rightwaters umbrella, the company partners with universities and non-profits like the Coastal Conservation Association( CCA), Ducks Unlimited, and the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable.
In partnership with Ducks Unlimited, Yamaha supports habitat restoration and conservation. Its work with the CCA varies by state, from oyster restoration to invasive species removal projects.
“ We’ ve actually had a lot of success in getting dealers involved with the Yamaha Rightwaters program,” Grier said.“ Lots of those cleanups, we’ ve had dealers present at those. We end up working with dealers when it comes to partnering with different organizations; they need someone who can service their engines or answer a question for them.”
The Brunswick Foundation and Brunswick businesses also contribute to marine conservation and restoration, partnering with organizations that focus on marine research, fish and wildlife conservation, plastic and debris removal, or oyster and mussel bed development.
Alternative power solutions
While product development doesn’ t fall directly under the umbrella of sustainable manufacturing, the advancement of cleaner power solutions plays a crucial role in the industry’ s broader environmental impact.
Several factors contribute to CO2 emissions in the marine industry, with the use of internal combustion engines( ICE) being the most significant. While cleaner power technologies are in development, further advancements and infrastructure are still needed to support widespread adoption.
Technological improvements are especially necessary in battery power density, and Koenig expects alternative propulsion solutions are still years away from broad use.
“ While electric automobiles present a potentially viable option on land, the case is not the same for moving a large boat
14 july / august 2025 www. boatingindustry. com