TO ABU DHABI FROM OCEAN CAY: MSC FOUNDATION CHAMPIONS PHILANTHROPY FOR SCIENCE AND RESTORATION

Geneva, Switzerland – 15 October 2025 – Over the past week, the MSC Foundation joined leaders from government, science, and philanthropy at the IUCN World Conservation Congress. Held every four years, the Congress concludes today as the world’s largest gathering uniting countries, experts, and organisations to set priorities and drive conservation and sustainable development action.  

Across five sessions—including the inaugural IUCN Philanthropy Summit, the Middle East and North Africa Regenerative Coastal Tourism workshop, and IUCN Red List discussions—the MSC Foundation shared its experience in forging public–private collaborations for marine restoration, scientific research, and environmental education. Executive Director Daniela Picco highlighted how corporate philanthropy is amplifying conservation impact, drawing on learnings from the island of Ocean Cay in The Bahamas, a former industrial site transformed by MSC Cruises into a pristine paradise for its guests, where the Foundation leads coral restoration, training for marine science students, and public awareness initiatives with local communities and international visitors at its Marine Conservation Center.

Since 2023, the MSC Foundation has partnered with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to support the global assessment of coral species worldwide for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and coral research for the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems—the global gold standards in conservation science. Much like a health check-up for nature, the Red Lists alert the world to species and ecosystems at risk, guiding action to prevent their decline and support recovery.

“Philanthropy allows us to pilot and scale solutions that connect people with nature,” said Daniela Picco, Executive Director of the MSC Foundation. “On the island of Ocean Cay, we are seeing that restoration and tourism can co-exist—when guided by science, long-term commitment, and respect for local ecosystems. Above all, equity must remain at the centre of every effort, ensuring that philanthropy supports inclusive and sustainable development. These are lessons we’re proud to bring to the global conservation community.”

Dr Grethel Aguilar, Director General of the IUCN, added:

“The inaugural IUCN Philanthropy Summit has laid the groundwork for stronger collaboration and new alliances among like-minded philanthropists. This marks the beginning of a new chapter, one where philanthropy helps shape the future of conservation and fosters a nature-positive, climate-resilient world for generations to come.”

About the MSC Foundation Super Coral Reefs Programme
The MSC Foundation began collaborating with the University of Miami and Nova Southeastern University in 2020 to develop the Super Coral Reefs Programme, offering Florida-based graduate internships in marine science. Since 2022, the Foundation has focused on identifying hardy species of coral at Ocean Cay, conducting research under permits authorised by The Bahamas Department of Environmental Planning and Protection. The work primarily targets the propagation of critically endangered elkhorn coral, building on MSC Cruises’ multi-year restoration of the island’s marine ecosystem, which has transformed a former sand-mining site into a flourishing marine environment spanning 64 square miles.

Since the opening of the Marine Conservation Center in April 2025, the Foundation is scaling up its efforts to restore coral reefs, advance marine science and education.

Among the programme’s key successes to date:

• Identification of high thermal resilience in some genetic populations of critically endangered elkhorn coral
• Established open-water coral nursery
• 100% survival rate of nursery-grown corals during the unprecedented 2023 marine heatwave
• Successful launch of resilient coral outplanting

ABOUT MSC FOUNDATION

Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the MSC Foundation is the philanthropic entity of the MSC Group. Established by the Aponte family in 2018, the Foundation supports environmental conservation, community support, education, and emergency relief. Its mission is to use MSC’s global reach and knowledge of the sea to take action that contributes to safeguarding and nurturing the blue planet and its people.