Sponsor Spotlight – Thomas Gailly

Tell us a bit about yourself 🙂

You represent the Lagoon brand. What is its activity?

Lagoon is a French manufacturer of cruising catamarans and a subsidiary of Groupe Bénéteau. Founded in 1984, the brand is now the world leader in its field. Its boats, ranging from 38 to 83 feet, are designed to combine comfort, reliability, and innovation. The hulls are designed by VPLP Design, and the interiors by Nauta Design. Production takes place in Vendée and Bordeaux (France), depending on the size of the models. Lagoon celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2024 and now has over 7,000 catamarans sailing worldwide, supported by a network of experts across 233 international contact points.

Why did Lagoon decide to partner with Coral Guardian to protect coral reef ecosystems?

As a global leader in the catamaran industry, we’ve taken on the responsibility—something I firmly believe in—to also lead the transformation of our industry towards greater environmental responsibility. This translates into a wide range of concrete actions, primarily around the design and construction of our boats.

But with such a large community of Lagoon owners sailing all over the world, and with our brand’s strong reputation, we must also act to protect the oceans. This is the meaning behind our support for Coral Guardian, with two main objectives: firstly, to raise awareness among boaters about the fragility of coral ecosystems; and secondly, to take tangible action in restoring and protecting coral reefs, which are essential to ocean balance.

Coral reefs are vital ecosystems for marine biodiversity, housing over 25% of marine species. Yet they are threatened by climate change and pollution.

We have a passionate community that truly cares about preserving the natural spaces they explore. They are proud to sail on catamarans from a brand committed to sustainable boating and aligned with their values.

In short, we want to go beyond mere awareness and have a real, positive impact on the ground: by partnering with Coral Guardian, we are committing to a healthier ocean and more environmentally friendly sailing.

How does this commitment take shape? 

We are committed to making a donation to Coral Guardian for every boat delivered, with payments made every six months. This way, each boat sold contributes to the replanting of corals in areas identified by Coral Guardian.

How do you approach the changes and threats facing the ocean?

At Lagoon, we are aware of the environmental challenges impacting the ocean, and we address them with a proactive and responsible approach.

We integrate eco-design into our catamarans through several levers:

• All our factories are eco-certified with ISO 9001, ISO 50001, and ISO 14001—internationally recognized standards for quality, environmental management, and energy performance.

• We prioritize more sustainable materials (bio-sourced resin, hemp fibers, etc.).

• We reduce our carbon footprint by developing alternative solutions like solar energy and onboard water purifiers.

• We invest in R&D to explore alternative propulsion solutions.

• We support associations and participate in initiatives aimed at protecting marine ecosystems, while encouraging our customers to adopt more environmentally responsible sailing habits.

We see these changes and threats as opportunities to rethink our industry and innovate for a more sustainable future.

You’ve been part of Groupe Bénéteau for several years. Have you noticed a shift in environmental awareness among your colleagues and clients compared to when you first joined?

Yes. The Group has launched a program called B-Sustainable, which includes several initiatives:

• Certification of all Group factories.

• Raising awareness internally by offering free training on climate issues, such as the “Climate Fresk” and “2 Tonnes Workshop”. B-Sustainable webinars are also held regularly to update teams on the Group’s progress in this area.

• The design and engineering teams are increasingly focused on eco-design, using more sustainable, recycled, bio-based, and recyclable materials.

As for customers, yes—they ask more questions: about the ecological impact of the materials used in construction, about sustainable energy solutions on board (like solar panels, lithium batteries), and about responsible sailing. You can tell that new generations are more educated on the topic, and our role is to provide solutions for the sailors of tomorrow.

To conclude, do you have a personal connection, memory, or story related to the ocean?

After my studies, I embarked on a 14-month trip around the world with two friends, in search of positive environmental initiatives. We later published a book (“Des Idées Plein La Terre”) and gave several talks on the topic. Among the many projects we encountered during this inspiring journey, many were related to marine ecosystems.

I then started my professional career at Veolia Environnement. But as someone who has always been passionate about sailing and water sports, I wanted to join the nautical industry that I love, and so I joined Groupe Bénéteau.

Today, I’m happy to combine this passion with concrete actions for the environment, within a Group that is deeply committed to these issues.

Thank you for your testimony!