PADI has recently been spotlighted on Fast Company’s 2024 Most Innovative Companies list. This accolade is no small feat; it places PADI alongside giants and pioneers across various industries, all recognized for their groundbreaking contributions to business, culture, the environment, and innovation strategy.
For over a decade and a half, Fast Company has been curating this list, a benchmark of business excellence that highlights entities at the innovation vanguard. Whether it’s fresh-faced startups or time-honored brands, the list celebrates those redefining the marketplace and societal norms with novel products, services, and methodologies aimed at fostering purpose-driven innovation.
“Our list of the Most Innovative Companies is both a comprehensive look at the innovation economy and a snapshot of the business trends that defined the year,” said Fast Company editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan. “We saw extraordinary innovation across the board in 2023, but we also saw a handful of clear patterns: the growing footprint and impact of AI, the triumphant return of live events, and great leaps forward in climate tech. We face daunting challenges on many fronts, but the solutions we celebrate in MIC give me plenty of hope about the future.”
PADI stands tall at #5 in the Travel, Tourism, and Hospitality category, joining the ranks of YouTube, Taco Bell, and Nvidia. The recognition comes in light of PADI’s unwavering dedication to empowering its vast network of dive centers, professionals and divers towards fostering positive change for our oceans. A significant highlight of their innovative streak is the introduction of the PADI Eco Center™ designation. Launched on Earth Day 2023 and in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Program and the Reef-World Foundation’s Green Fins program, this initiative aims to spotlight the planet’s most environmentally dedicated dive operators.
In response to a Green Fins study indicating a strong desire among dive travelers to engage in impactful, regenerative travel — with a willingness to pay a premium for such experiences — PADI launched the Eco Center designation. This move not only caters to the demand for sustainable diving but also aids PADI’s global membership in effecting positive environmental action locally.
“PADI is committed to doing our part in protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030,” says Dr. Drew Richardson, CEO and President of PADI Worldwide. “This is fueled by creating innovative partnerships, re-envisioning the way people travel and encouraging daily changes we all can make for a better – and healthier – ocean planet.”
PADI’s community, a vibrant and dynamic force for good, embodies the spirit of individual and collective action towards marine conservation. Activities, such as diving with a PADI Eco Center contribute to a larger, measurable positive impact on our oceans. PADI’s community is making waves in ocean conservation. Together, they have:
- Protected over 100 endangered species of sharks and rays, now listed on CITES (Convention of International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).
- Established the largest underwater marine debris citizen science database through PADI’s Dive Against Debris program, which has enlisted divers to remove and report over 2.3 million pieces of plastic from the ocean.
- Adopted over 2,000 Adopt the Blue dive sites to monitor and support becoming Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
- Released more than 35,000 entangled marine animals from human-induced marine debris to live and perhaps reproduce their species for another day.
With over 100 PADI Eco Centers accredited in 32 countries within its inaugural year and a target to accredit over 10% of its membership by 2030, the program’s burgeoning success has captured the attention of global travelers and conservationists alike. This success story has not only earned PADI a spot on Conde Nast Traveler’s Travel Trends for 2024 but also underscores the urgent need for innovative solutions in preserving our marine ecosystems.
As PADI prepares to be further celebrated at Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies Gala in New York City this May, the recognition serves as a reminder and a call to action. The future of our shared blue planet hinges on our capacity to innovate, make informed decisions, and prioritize the ocean’s well-being. PADI’s journey, marked by this significant accolade, illustrates a collective mission to restore and cherish the vast, blue expanse that sustains us all.
