For the Sea of Change Foundation, a marine conservation nonprofit backed by Aggressor Adventures, it’s vital to support ocean restoration everywhere. It’s not just about protecting where Aggressor operates. “Wherever we make a positive impact anywhere on the world, the reverberations are going to be there for the rest of the world,” says Aggressor CEO Wayne Brown.

Brown recently talked to Scuba Diving magazine about the foundation’s inception and work. This conversation has been edited for clarity and length.

Q: Why did Aggressor decide to launch the Sea of Change Foundation?
A: I’ve tried to have a nonprofit outlet related to the business for all of my companies. Looking at a lot of the marine conservation charities around the world, I was extremely unhappy with the amount of funds that went to admin and overhead, versus what actually went to conservation projects. After a while I thought of the old adage: If you want it done right, do it yourself. I started my own to make sure that 100 percent of the funds go to conservation projects

Q: What do you consider the foundation’s greatest impact to date?
A: We’ve funded some big projects for $30,000, and we’ve funded some projects for $500 that I think have made just as big an impact locally as a $30,000 one. It’s been a great avenue to fund projects that wouldn’t get a second look around the world. Probably the most unique is the Reef Rescue and Rapid Response Fund. One of the issues we found early on is if a ship grounding, a dragged anchor or a storm comes through and turns over some coral heads, by the time something gets funded, it’s too late. We started this rapid-response fund for up to $5,000 that people can get within two days, to get out there with local boats and lift bags to save 90 percent of what otherwise would never have survived.

Q: What would you say to other dive operators that want to support ocean conservation but are worried about the impact of taking resources away from their core business operations?
A: I don’t care whether you’re a dive operator or what business you’re in—part of your allocation of resources should be how can you be a better company. So I don’t think it’s taking resources away from it; it should be baked into their everyday operations.

Q: What is the best way for a diver to get involved to increase the impact of the Sea of Change Foundation’s work?
A: We have coral nurseries in different places around the globe. They’re welcome to come to some training, to learn how to harvest corals, hang them on the trees and outplant them. We also have internship programs, or if they have local projects that they think are impactful, they can certainly take the lead on managing that with us, helping with funding and direction.