The Manta Trust is encouraging a new way of corporate team-building – by asking forward-thinking employers to allow staff to swap their desks for plum dive-sites around the world. These temporary diving or snorkelling teams contribute to marine conservation while continuing to earn their pay.
The UK-registered marine-conservation charity says that its Volunteer Time Off (VTO) scheme is offering companies the opportunity to combine corporate social responsibility with morale-boosting and life-changing experiences for employees.
Also read: Divers, get behind saving the mantas!
The one-week trips are designed to turn participants into citizen-scientists equipped to contribute directly to the conservation of manta and devil rays, which are classified as Endangered or Vulnerable through overfishing, habitat destruction and climate change.
Led by Manta Trust marine scientists, VTO expeditions offer hands-on research opportunities: photographing rays for identification databases, surveying habitats and collecting data to inform conservation strategies. They also embrace beach clean-ups, local community outreach and marine-conservation workshops.
Iconic manta habitats covered by the programme include the Maldives, Indonesia’s Raja Ampat and Komodo, Ecuador’s Isla de la Plata and Mexico’s Revillagigedo archipelago.
More than 200 employees have already participated in 10 pilot expeditions, so big teams averaging 20 people have been getting involved, sometimes including senior management representatives.
A typical funding model has staff make donations towards the trip that are then matched by their employer. Aligning with ocean conservation showcases a company’s commitment to sustainability and its sense of social responsibility, maintains the trust.
“Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive,” it reports, with participants describing their experiences as both professionally enriching and personally transformative.
“Our company partners with the Manta Trust to offer volunteering expeditions, where our staff can take time off to participate in manta ray research in project locations around the world,” says account executive Rainbow Cheung from software company Salesforce. “This unique opportunity allows us to come together as a team and make a meaningful impact on conservation efforts.
“We have had over a hundred staff-members from around the world join us in our eight expeditions, have collected valuable data and also made significant contributions financially to the Manta Trust.”
After joining a Manta Trust VTO group trip, Salesforce employee Hideyuki Komaki says: “Participating in manta ray research expeditions has not only allowed us to learn new skills and collect important data, but it has also strengthened our bonds as colleagues.
“Stepping out of our office environment together for these expeditions has been a truly transformative experience.”
Businesses can either join a scheduled trip or come up with a bespoke expedition for their team, with employees using either VTO days or holiday leave to participate. The trips cater for all levels of experience, says the trust, and can include scuba certification opportunities for beginners if required.
“Swimming alongside these majestic creatures is not just an incredible experience – it’s a chance to make a real difference,” says Manta Trust CEO and co-founder Dr Guy Stevens. “By combining conservation with adventure, our expeditions inspire a deeper understanding of the ocean’s challenges and the power of collective action.”
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