Saving the UAE’s Coral Reefs: Why Sponsorship is the Only Answer

Sponsor Coral Rescue

For instance, a company or a private individual can play a part by enabling us to rescue a coral from the seabed, plant it on our nursery tables and nurture it so that it gains strength, grows and thrives, ready to take its place back on a reef where it can do what nature intended, providing a safe, healthy environment for marine creatures – and so the natural life of a UAE coral reef goes on. All that is needed is some generous financial help from those who have the means and the will.

Opportunities exist for sponsors to take responsibility for the creation of nursery tables or UAE artificial reefs: this kind of tangible participation shows sponsorship as the very real action it is, rather than a somewhat nebulous gesture in a column of figures. Sponsorship is action, it can make things happen.

Corporate Sponsorship Program Examples

Here in the UAE, businesses and private individuals are very active in their support for environmental issues by means of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Programs and we are proud to play our part in facilitating such initiatives. In a very gratifying regional trend, corporations are developing ESG (Environmental, Social and Governmental) frameworks that give form and meaning to such thoughtful and responsible initiatives.

Look under the Corporate Social Responsibility Programs here on the website for examples of how you could join the growing movement of putting finances to good use in this area of paramount importance. The best news is that because Project REEFrame is a science based project, there is a full monitoring programme in place that delivers quarterly reporting on the impact that your sponsorship has created – perfect for ESG reporting! In addition, we create imagery of every structure, every month. 

So whether you would like to share your project with employees or with the world, you will have some great photo and video footage to rely on.

Discover the Benefits of Corporate Sponsorship Programs

While the obvious benefits of corporate sponsorship programs are felt by the object of the sponsorship – in this case the coral reefs themselves and the marine environment in general – experience has shown that businesses providing the sponsorship gain considerable benefits in terms of morale and employee engagement, as well as public admiration from their customers and stakeholders.

The increasing awareness of environmental issues as something we should be all contributing to in some way is making corporate employees ever keener to see their efforts channelled in a worthwhile direction, rather than purely in pursuit of business success. As a welcome side-effect of this, employees who feel some pride in the actions of their employers are more likely to perform diligently and to remain loyal.

In this way the benefits of corporate sponsorship programs are felt as part of a holistic process in which the doing of good deeds is all part of the way we should and do behave.

Corporate Sponsorship Companies and Non-Profits

Corporate sponsorships are a strategic business relationship between corporations and non-profits. The support given by a corporation enables the non-profit to execute projects, events and programs.

In this article, we’ll explore the most common types of corporate sponsorship, the benefits of corporate sponsorship, famous examples of corporate sponsorship and how to conduct an asset analysis. Let’s dive straight in.

Corporate sponsorship refers to the relationship between the corporate sponsor and the non-profit, which can take many forms depending on the sponsorship agreement. The common types of corporate sponsorship include:

• Financial Sponsorship

Financial sponsorship is the most common type of corporate sponsorship. The corporation makes a donation in exchange for an agreed amount of publicity. For corporations, financial sponsorship is an attractive option as it offers a relatively low-risk way to enhance brand visibility and reputation.

• An In-Kind Sponsorship

The corporation directly donates goods and services designed for a project or event. For example, the corporation might supply catering for an event, promoting its branding while ensuring the non-profit can make the most possible money from the event.

• Media Event Sponsorship

Some corporations offer media sponsorships to non-profit events. This means they cover the cost of promoting the event through various channels like radio, television, or print ads. Media event sponsorship can be extremely helpful for non-profits that frequently run events.

• Corporate and Employee Giving

This type of corporate sponsorship is less defined but offers great customization options. Examples of corporate and employee giving might include:

• Volunteer programs. The corporation might organize group volunteer activities, such as building homes, cleaning parks, or protecting the reef. This can also significantly benefit the organization by fostering teamwork, camaraderie, and a sense of purposefulness among employees.
• Corporate matching gifts, which are philanthropic gestures where corporations financially match donations their employees make to non-profits. Employees might also agree to donate a portion of their salary or wages to a designated charity (a payroll giving scheme).

• Promotional Partner

If an individual has significant influence in certain channels (such as social media), they can provide free publicity for your event or project. This type of sponsorship is similar to a media event sponsorship, except it involves an individual rather than a corporate team. Though working with a promotional partner is not technically a type of corporate sponsorship, corporates can help connect you with influential individuals and sponsor partnerships with them.

The Benefits of Corporate Sponsorships (For Non-Profits and Corporations)

Corporate sponsorship offers various benefits to both parties. These benefits span long and short-term brand awareness and positive publicity. Let’s examine these benefits in detail.

Benefits for the Non-Profit

• Increased visibility via access to a company’s audience can spread awareness of the non-profit’s mission.
• When potential supporters see a reputable company supporting a non-profit, they may have greater confidence in the legitimacy and credibility of your organization.
• Relying solely on individual donations is a risky strategy. Corporate sponsorship can help diversify a non-profit’s funding sources and provide more financial stability, enabling non-profits to execute larger projects and grow.
• In terms of networking, corporate sponsorships can provide opportunities to connect with other businesses, individuals, and organizations within the community. By leveraging these connections, the non-profit can expand its reach and develop its support base.

Though it might seem like most of the benefits are skewed towards the non-profit, a successful corporate sponsorship will provide a wealth of promotional and branding opportunities for the corporation.

Benefits for the Corporation

• Corporate sponsorship can provide high-quality PR opportunities, as supporting worthy causes can create a positive brand image and improve the public perception of the company. Their reputation is strengthened, and trust is reinforced.
• By improving public perception, the corporation can find new avenues to engage clients. For example, a company known for its socially positive initiatives might be more likely to attract and retain socially conscious consumers willing to support its products or services.
• In many countries, corporate sponsorships are eligible for tax deductions, providing financial incentives for businesses to find corporate sponsorships.
• A benefit shared with the non-profit is that the collaboration can provide networking opportunities for the corporation, unlocking connections, partnerships and other opportunities that would have previously been inaccessible to each organization.

Finding the right corporate sponsorship can be difficult for both parties. For the corporation, the right partnership can generate a psychological phenomenon known as the halo effect, where customers subconsciously associate the brand with their positive work. When corporations take accountability for their impact on society and the environment, it can forge stronger relationships with their audiences.

Get In Touch To Find Out More About Coral Sponsorship

We’re Freestyle Divers: a well-established organization focused on conserving one of the planet’s greatest resources: the ocean.

The central tenets of corporate sponsorship with Freestyle Divers and our Project REEFrame include the following:

• Environmental Responsibility

For corporations looking to maximize their brand reputation through environmental responsibility, Freestyle Divers is a winner. A core part of our company is centered around a number of exciting and highly effective initiatives that conserve and expand coral reefs.

• Credibility

We already boast a number of tangible resources and partnerships that showcase our dedication to preserving the reef. For example, we work directly with Government authorities like the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), the Fujairah Environment Authority (FEA) and Fujairah Genetics to achieve the best possible outcomes.

• Personalization

Our environmental initiatives are multifaceted, meaning you can concentrate your sponsorship on the right area for you. For example, if you’re interested in supporting education around marine conservation, you can help sponsor our Project REEFrame Scholarship program, which is sponsored exclusively by generous benefactors. Our program trains volunteers, students, employees, citizen scientists and school children to conserve and expand coral reefs using science-based methods, as well learning how to integrate other ecosystems such as seagrass, mollusks, and mangroves into integrated conservation projects to increase biodiversity.

However, if you’re more interested in supporting a coral reef directly, how about sponsoring an artificial reef? Artificial reefs are structures that we hand-build to attract marine life – and thereby create new underwater ecosystems. However, the development and materials aren’t cheap, meaning you can either sponsor it or provide materials and services (if that’s what your company specializes in).

We are currently open to corporate sponsorship to help us on our mission of preserving the planet’s coral reefs. To find out more, you can sponsor us directly here, or get in contact with us if you have any questions.