UNDP Barbados x Oceanic Global

Oceanic Global partnered with the UNDP Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean’s Accelerator Lab to roll out their “BlueDigital” initiative and implement Oceanic Global’s Blue Standard Verification with local hospitality partners in the region.

The BlueDigital Initiative launched in October 2020 with the support of local sustainable consultant partner JustaTAAD and with Oceanic Global as an advising and supporting partner. BlueDigital is a pilot initiative that seeks to enhance sustainability and better connect supply & demand within the Blue Economy value chains in Barbados through the pilot launch of mobile applications and web portals as we bring the Ocean Online.

This project builds off of Oceanic Global’s existing work in the hospitality and tourism sector in Barbados. Oceanic Global launched the TOS: Barbados Edition with a launch event in March 2019 in partnership with local partner Sustainable Caribbean ahead of the nation-wide ban on single-use plastics. Explore more about the Blue Standard Launch in Barbados.

UNDP BlueDigital Pilot: Blue Seal & BlueFish Programs

As part of the BlueDigital Initiative, the Blue Seal program adopts the Blue Standard framework for a sustainability badge verification program to engage the hospitality and tourism sector in Barbados.

The Blue Seal program specifically promotes sustainable and responsible tourism and improved private sector partnerships within the tourism sector. The goal of Blue Seal is to encourage industry partners within the tourism sector such as hotels, restaurants, events and food trucks to make more responsible and sustainable choices. This includes eliminting single-use plastics, improving waste management and directly engaging with fisherfolk to improve sales of locally sourced, sustainable fish and seafood.

Through a series of stakeholder workshops and consulting efforts, this initial launch of the Blue Seal program engaged 11 businesses over a two-month period in November – December 2020 to conduct assessments and develop action plans for businesses to achieve Blue Standard Verification Seals in early 2021.

The Blue Seal Program also works closely with their “Blue Fish”program to develop a direct, end-to-end sales pipeline for fisherfolk and enhancing tourism sector-based access to local, sustainable fish and seafood products.

Blue Verified Businesses in Barbados

In 2022 & 2023, Oceanic Global continued the partnership with the UNDP and oversaw the implementation of the Blue Standard with local businesses in Barbados and Dominica to help achieve their sustainability goals.

Oceanic Global engaged 15+ businesses in Dominica & Barbados throughout this period to support and/or verify their sustainability measures.

As part of this initiative, Oceanic Global worked closely with local consultant, Jalisa King, to fulfill consultations and engagements required for the verification and awarding of the Blue Seal.

Oceanic Global’s Blue Standard (Blue) is a first of its kind cross-industry standard that empowers businesses of all sizes to eliminate or reduce single-use plastics, improve waste management, and adopt comprehensive sustainability measures.

By doing so, Blue is working to empower local businesses to be sustainability agents of change and pioneer sustainable business leadership in Barbados and the Commonwealth of Dominica in the Eastern Caribbean.