Sams Appoints Ocean as Trustee at 140-Year-Old Marine Science Group
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 14
Sams Appoints Ocean as Trustee at 140-Year-Old Marine Science Group
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 14
Summary
Helen Mitcheson now represents the ocean in all Scottish Association for Marine Science board discussions, giving ecosystem impacts a formal voice in strategic decisions.
Sams adopted the role to counter what director Nick Owens called human-centric ethics, and is adding the trustee’s remit to its constitution to make the change binding rather than symbolic.
The ocean trustee has no veto, but early meetings already exposed the shift: Mitcheson said she had to intervene after 20 minutes when the ocean had not been mentioned.
About 25 organisations have adopted similar models since Faith in Nature became the first in 2022, and Sams says the approach could eventually influence contracts, industry ties and future funding.
Can a science board truly serve both its industry partners and its new trustee, the ocean?
Is appointing nature to corporate boards a revolution in governance or the next evolution of corporate greenwashing?
Giving the Ocean a Seat at the Table: How SAMS’s Trustee Appointment Signals a New Era in Environmental Governance
Overview
SAMS has taken a bold step by appointing 'The Ocean' as a trustee, moving beyond traditional human-centered governance to ensure the ocean's interests are directly represented in decision-making. This shift emerged from deep internal inquiry and a dedicated working group, leading to a new ethical framework where questions like 'What would the ocean think about this?' guide executive decisions. SAMS is willing to make short-term financial sacrifices for long-term marine health, setting a tangible example for other organizations. This pioneering approach aligns with global 'Rights of Nature' movements and could inspire similar changes in both non-profit and corporate sectors.