MEMBER BENEFITS

The overall benefits to business of the World Ocean Council include:

•	*Reduced risks from better tracking and participation in policy and decision making processes.* The WOC will monitor, analyze and report on policy developments affecting ocean industries, especially those occurring in multi-stakeholder, non-sectoral processes. WOC will create "early warning" to alert members to the need and opportunity for providing timely information or involvement. This will preventing the need for reactive, defensive, confrontational actions. Early, informed engagement will help avoid unbalanced, ill-informed, unworkable policy decisions and will help achieve "win-win" ocean sustainability solutions, based on science and educated stakeholders.
•	*Increased participation in international ocean policy developments.* To build on policy tracking efforts, the WOC will facilitate member involvement in key national and international ocean policy and management fora and coordinate industry participation, as needed and appropriate.
•	*Reduced risks through improved understanding of issues and relationships with stakeholders.* The WOC will work with its members to generate better understanding of the marine environmental issues and processes important to other stakeholders and the public. Improved, more trusting relations with those stakeholders, will reduce the possibility of unforeseen campaigns and negative publicity affecting business operations.
•	*Collaboration in developing solutions to shared issues.* The WOC will foster collective efforts to improve the science, research and development of solutions to issues affecting a range of industries in ways that improve the efficiency and leverage other funds needed to address the challenges to sustained ocean activities.
•	*Proactive, early mover actions to address environmental concerns.* Companies that act in advance of future regulations and societal demands will gain first-mover reputation and mitigate the need for last minute responses to future regulations or "social license" needs.
•	*Increased credibility and recognition of industry actions on ocean sustainability.* The WOC will generate credibility, visibility and global presence for the marine environmental science, education and sustainability programs and activities we engage in, adding to the recognition and ability to interact constructively with government and non-confrontationally with stakeholders.
•	*Sharing of best practices in marine environmental responsibility.* Companies and industries will be able to learn from the experience and practices of other ocean industries in addressing environmental and social issues, stakeholder relations, partnerships, etc.
•	*Reduced user conflicts with other industries.* WOC members will benefit from the opportunity to meet and interact with colleagues from other ocean industries on common environmental issues. Increased and improved relationships among ocean business sectors will enhance the potential for inter-industry conflicts to be avoided or minimized.
•	*Improved ocean industry education with the media and public.* Members will benefit from proactive WOC outreach and communication to the public and media, providing factual and science-based information on positive industry efforts and results to address marine environmental issues, and on collective industry leadership to address environmental concerns.

Specific member benefits:

•	Access to the 2-monthly members-only WOC newsletter and ocean policy monitoring.
•	Direct access to WOC expertise and advisory services on ocean issues, stakeholders and policy developments.
•	Access to the members-only content of the WOC website.
•	Member logo and link on the WOC website homepage.
•	Reduced registration fee for the WOC "Sustainable Ocean Summit".
•	Direct participation in WOC platforms and projects.
•	Direct participation in WOC forums and meetings, studies, and workshops.
•	Receipt of WOC publications, documents and promotional materials.
•	Opportunities to network with other WOC members at national, regional and international levels.