Ashley Biamby
Nova Southeastern University H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship
Guenola Nonet
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Performance Power Systems is company comprised of 22 employees that perform maintenance work on large yachts located around the world. Since their inception they have had a commitment work to achieve UN Global Goal 14 – “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development”. They have adopted work methods and materials that do not damage the oceans. Manufactures of marine maintenance products are offering biodegradable products, but they will have no value unless companies such a Performance Systems become early adopters and use these products consistently.
In the marine industry, many of the products used for boat maintenance contain a lot of acid and various chemicals that are harmful to the environment. Those products create high toxicity in the water and increase pollutant concentrations in aquatic organisms and sediments. According to the EPA (2015), water pollution from boat maintenance is linked to poorly flushed waterways.
One of the main services provided by Performance Power Systems is boat maintenance. As part to their commitment to the cleanliness of oceans and conservation of marine life, the company has made the choice to use eco-friendly products wherever possible. For example, Performance Power Systems was the first company in the marine industry to use an innovative, eco-friendly marine descaler, the Hammerhead Marine Descaler.
A marine descaler is a fluid used to dissolve problematic fouling mediums including calcium, rust, mussels, barnacles, tiger shells and other scale formed mineral deposits that hinder the performance of vital water systems (Bottompaintstore.com, 2015). The Hammerhead Descaler is formulated with bio-based building blocks derived from renewable resources, making it a significant contributor to the quality and sustainability of life (Bottompaintstore.com, 2015). Only Hammerhead Marine Descaler starts with EPA recognized environmentally friendly elements. This product is non-acidic and very safe to be disposed into the water. It does not cause harm to the technician or marine life.
Almost all employees at Performance Power Systems are boaters according to Mr. Rafael Betts, Vice President. Therefore they want the water to be clean, because it is a part of their lifestyle and it touches nearly every aspect of human life. As a result, they take the conservation and cleanliness of the marine life very personally they feel a great responsibility in taking all the necessary steps to sustain the marine life. As the company business model is very family-oriented, they work together to ensure that marine life is preserved and protected.
Performance Power Systems technicians sometimes respond to clients that are experiencing issues with their vessels out in the water. The client may be in a different country and a technician has to be flown out to provide service. As a result, the only way to dispose of any fluids used for repair has to be thrown out in the water. Because Performance Power System uses eco-friendly products, they are able to dispose of the fluid into the water without harming the marine life and human life as well.
Using eco-friendly products through their daily business practices, Performance Power Systems contributes to “reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, […] to prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution” (Globalgoals.com, 2015).
Mr. Betts explained that all their customers and suppliers understand their eco-friendly business model. Their suppliers do their best to ensure that all products provided are eco-friendly. Many of their customers are eco-friendly as well and appreciate their business model thus strengthening their customer loyalty. The business model at Performance Power Systems has allowed them to establish great relationships with their customers. It is not often that customers find a company that shares the same values and beliefs as they do. In today’s society where social media has been the greatest marketing outlet for a lot of companies, Performance Power Systems does no marketing whatsoever. Business development comes from word of mouth and the good old-fashioned face-to-face marketing.
In promoting an eco-friendly approach of their activity and sharing this commitment with their employees, suppliers and customers, Performance Power Systems ensures their business model is sustainable and can be used as a reference for others, while protecting and sustaining marine life.
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Rafael Betts, Vice President
