A Journey of Responsibility and the Sea – PromoCollection

At the end of April 2025, Russell McKenzie, our Business Development Manager here at PromoCollection UK, visited our Head Office in Guangzhou, China.

Part of this trip involved global team members and our partners at Laotu (老土) coming together in Dongshan Island, Zhangzhou, for a special journey—an immersive experience exploring the delicate balance between commerce and ecology, between action and responsibility.

Over three days and two nights, we walked alongside scientists on the front lines of marine research, transformed ocean waste into art with our own hands, and explored how purpose-driven business can align with environmental protection.

Field Notes: Searching for Answers in the Waves

P1: Touching the Ocean’s Lifeline

At the Gulei Experimental Base of the Third Institute of Oceanography under China’s Ministry of Natural Resources, researchers offered us a glimpse into the intricate process of coral reef restoration. From coral cultivation to ocean release, from the fascinating “monogamy” of clownfish to the eerie beauty of artificial “blue tears,” we experienced the ocean’s breath—fragile, yet full of resilience.

P2: From Waste to Wonder—The Second Life of Sea Glass

When the instructor from the Mutsu Marine Workshop handed us a smooth shard of “sea glass,” it had already lived a past life—as a broken bottle or scrap fishing net. Now, it was a blank canvas for creativity. In our DIY workshop, PromoCollection team members painted new artistic life into these fragments, transforming the ocean’s scars into shimmering stars on a fridge magnet.

P3: World Café—When Business Meets Ecology

“How do we balance environmental investment with financial cost?” “How can employee engagement in sustainability become a norm?” At the “World Café” table designed by Laotu, we set aside job titles and hierarchy. Through open dialogue and mind mapping, we sketched out paths toward purpose-driven business. One colleague raised a powerful question: “If our clients are willing to pay a premium for eco-conscious solutions, can we innovate to make those costs manageable?”

P4: An “Imperfect” Beach Clean-Up

Strong winds and crashing waves forced us to shorten our scheduled beach clean-up. We collected only a few cigarette butts and plastic bottle caps in a rushed 10 minutes. And yet, we were uplifted—this “underwhelming” result was proof of the sustained efforts by local organisations. The beach was cleaner than expected. Isn’t that what we hope to achieve? Our actions may not be perfect, but change is clearly happening.

Closing Reflections: The Road is Long, but We’re on It!

This journey was a moment of clarity. It reminded us that environmental protection isn’t a stage performance—it’s a continuous process of learning, iterating, and improving.

Short-term actions might not change the ocean. But they can reshape how a team thinks. At PromoCollection, we’re learning how to converse with the sea. From using reusable cutlery at breakfast to replacing printed brochures with digital ones, from prioritising eco-friendly packaging in client proposals—change is already quietly happening through everyday choices.

This trip was not the end—it was the start of introspection. Time softens conflict. Action breaks stalemates. PromoCollection’s mission is to find that sweet spot where both commerce and ecology can thrive. As our banner read: United Across Oceans. This is more than PromoCollections’s path to globalisation—it’s a shared promise between humanity and the sea. We may not be able to turn the tide overnight, but we can be the determined drop in the wave, always moving forward.

Exploration Breeds Growth. Action Inspires Change.