11th Hour Racing Sustainability Award – spotlight on The Magenta Project

The Magenta Project, founded in 2018 and winners of the 2023 11th Hour Racing Sustainability Award, has taken a unique approach – with incredible success.

Through a renowned nine-month mentoring programme, The Magenta Project advocates for diversity across the sailing industry and supports ambitious sailors to accelerate progress in their chosen field. One-on-one mentoring, seminars from leading experts and a goal setting framework provides the foundation, and international events hosted by The Magenta Project raises awareness and expose successful applicants to career opportunities in the sailing industry.

These events give sailors invaluable experience on the water and give them the confidence to apply to teams and positions that would otherwise be difficult to attain.

The Magenta Project works closely with World Sailing and is fully in line with the Sustainability Agenda 2030 goals. Social sustainability can be overlooked in the face of more visually tangible environmental challenges, yet social sustainability objectives have proven long term impact on all aspects of sustainability – including climate change. Improving access and education to minority groups grows diverse leaders who generate new ideas and solutions.

Mixed sailing crews show that diversity in teams improves their ability to handle stress, perform in the face of challenges and overcome adversity together. By setting ambitious standards to improve diversity, sailing can lead the way in social sustainability, with flow on effects to all Sustainability Agenda items.

The Magenta Project is driven to be a worldwide movement and there is evidence this is gaining traction as the mentee network has now expanded to Asia and Oceania. In time, it is intended that affiliate programmes will be run internationally to provide local support networks for sailors The team has already taught women from across Europe, the US, Canada, Japan and Australia to learn to foil.

During Foiling Week 2023, the Magenta 69F Foiling team was formed by a growing group of Magenta alumni and established a pathway for women to the top of foiling competition. These women are developing valuable leadership and campaign management skills as well as creating a route for themselves and female sailors everywhere to enter foiling competition and to reach the pinnacle of the sport.

The Magenta Project has since hosted its own clinics in the UK and ran development clinics at Foiling Week 2024 to provide opportunities to advance female talent in foiling, both on and off the water with team members serving dual roles in both sailing and campaign management. Other pathway development programmes have also been established in various tracks, such as the Magenta x IMOCA Female Leadership Development Programme which aims to develop more women in leadership roles, including Team Manager, Boat Captain and Skippers.

Magenta Team member Caterina degli Uberti said, “The Magenta Project is a global non-profit collective of passionate volunteers committed to developing pathways and opportunities for female sailors. Our Foiling Pathway is the missing piece. Our first goal would be to race as a full female team in elite foiling classes, such as 69F and ETF26.

“It has already been shown that by giving women greater access to education and opportunity, there would be a positive impact on all Sustainable Development Goals – this is a common goal and driver of The Magenta Project. In the next seven years, our expanding network of allies and alumni will be tenfold in their impact and the organisation expects to have a monumental effect on diversity by 2030.”

With up to 40 mentees graduating each year for the last six years, so far over 230 women have already taken a step towards achieving their goals. Alumni go on to mentor others, take leadership positions in sport governance, and become heroes to the next generation.

“Approximately 10% of our graduates have already gone on to be mentors, coaches, or leaders in the sailing industry. In 2023 alone, we hosted over 10 events in seven countries with an attendance of approximately 1000 people,” explains Meg Reilly, Chief Coordination & Engagement Officer at The Magenta Project.

“This level of contact with the community spreads The Magenta Project mission, unites allies, and encourages more women to apply for the mentoring programme. In The Ocean Race 2023, eight sailors in the VO65 class were former mentees and the majority of female sailors in the IMOCA 60 class were Magenta mentors, founders or affiliates. The Magenta Project has been instrumental in building female talent in this event and the offshore classes through partnerships with The Ocean Race and IMOCA.”

Winning the 2023 11th Hour Racing Sustainability Award has supported The Magenta Project to continue growing diversity globally in sailing through mentoring, events and governance. This investment in developing The Magenta Project has already delivered long term returns; growing diversity in the sport and evolving industry leaders that then support the next generation, making it a truly socially sustainable movement.

For more information about how The Magenta Project is making a difference for women in sailing, please visit the official website.