OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH sustainable BUSINESSES

Friends of the Ocean is proud to partner with responsible and forward-thinking businesses that recognise the link between a healthy ocean, a strong economy, and thriving coastal communities. Our goal is to connect their sustainability leadership and brand values directly with policymakers — ensuring their voice is heard in the conversations shaping the UK’s environmental and economic future.

A previous example of this approach was our partnership with The Portsmouth Distillery Co., a premier UK rum distillery based at the historic 18th Century Fort Cumberland — an iconic coastal site surrounded by centuries of maritime heritage. Founded by former Royal Navy officers Vincent Noyce and Giles Collighan, Portsmouth Distillery combines craftsmanship, sustainability, and a deep respect for the sea. Working together at Conservative Party Conference, Friends of the Ocean helped Portsmouth Distillery showcase its story and products to a packed audience of Cabinet Ministers, MPs, Peers, and senior party figures. The event strengthened the company’s visibility among political and industry leaders and demonstrated the powerful role of coastal enterprises in driving growth and sustainability.

If your business is committed to ocean and coastal sustainability, we would welcome the opportunity to explore how a Friends of the Ocean partnership could strengthen your policy engagement. We invite you to explore the partnership benefits below and discover how they can support your organisation's priorities. To request further information or arrange an opportunity to connect, please complete the contact form below.

Logo for Portsmouth Distillery Co. featuring the text 'Handcrafted Spirits' and 'Est 2018', with the location 'Hampshire' at the bottom, decorative stars, and lines.
Logo for Portsmouth Distillery Co. featuring the text 'Handcrafted Spirits' and 'Est 2018', with the location 'Hampshire' at the bottom, decorative stars, and lines.

"Partnering with Friends of the Ocean was a really positive experience. Their professionalism and political reach gave us the opportunity to showcase our brand directly to policymakers and influential audiences. It was a great platform to share our story, and we’d highly recommend other businesses to get involved.”

Vincent Noyce, Co-Founder
The Portsmouth Distillery Co.

Partnership Benefits

  • A crowded indoor event with many people in formal attire gathering in a decorated banquet hall, some holding glasses of wine, with wooden paneling and artwork on the walls.

    Party Conference Events

    Partners participate in all three major party conference drinks receptions each year — each attended by 75-100 guests including MPs, Peers, and senior party figures across:

    • Conservative Party Conference

    • Labour Party Conference

    • Reform UK Party Conference

    Your partnership includes brand visibility at each event, agenda input, and curated introductions to the politicians and officials most relevant to your priorities.

  • Big Ben clock tower and the Houses of Parliament in London under a cloudy sky, with a bridge and pedestrians in the foreground.

    Parliamentary Events

    Partners participate in our flagship parliamentary drinks receptions, including our annual World Oceans Day Reception in June and our Year-End Parliamentary Reception in December — each attended by 75 or more guests from across both Houses of Parliament.

    These events place your organisation at the heart of the most important ocean and coastal policy conversations in Westminster, with co-host visibility and tailored promotion of your priorities to attendees.

  • Three business professionals, two men and one woman, engage in a serious discussion at a meeting table in an office. They are surrounded by documents, charts, and cups of coffee.

    Private Political Engagement

    Partners benefit from exclusive access to senior parliamentarians and political decision-makers through a carefully curated blend of private meetings and focused roundtables on ocean and coastal policy.

    These engagements offer meaningful, high-level political access that secures a credible and sustained political presence for your organisation throughout the year — connecting your expertise and priorities with the decision-makers who can turn them into policy change for our oceans and coastal communities.

  • Close-up view of two people shaking hands over a table with documents, pens, and a flower in the foreground.

    Ongoing Political Partnership

    A Friends of the Ocean partnership is built on collaboration throughout the year — working closely alongside our partners to navigate the political landscape, identify emerging opportunities, and ensure that the issues most important to your organisation remain firmly on the agenda.

    This ongoing relationship is designed to ensure your priorities are championed throughout the year — giving your organisation a consistent, purposeful presence in the conversations that shape policy for our oceans and coastal communities.

Ready to explore a corporate partnership?

Simply fill out the form and we’ll be in touch with everything you need to know.