Success in the automotive manufacturers’ world isn’t simply measured by the number of vehicles they sell. Increasingly, it’s reflected in how those companies invest in the communities and environments that shape our future.
That philosophy was on full display in Huntington Beach, California, where Hyundai Motor America expanded its global Healthy Seas partnership by bringing environmental education directly to Hyundai employees and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley.
The event was part of Hyundai’s broader “From Sea to Shore” initiative, a comprehensive ocean conservation program that combines underwater ghost-net recovery, employee volunteerism, and youth education throughout Southern California.
Since launching its global partnership with Healthy Seas in 2021, Hyundai has helped support the recovery of more than 320 tons of marine litter across 10 countries, demonstrating that environmental stewardship requires both global commitment and local action.
“The health of our oceans depends on the actions we take today and the solutions we build for the future,” said Randy Parker, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor North America. “Through our ongoing partnership with Healthy Seas, we are helping drive environmental remediation by recovering and repurposing waste to protect ecosystems and reduce environmental impact.”
Turning Ocean Waste into Opportunity
Working alongside Ghost Diving USA volunteers, Healthy Seas removes abandoned fishing nets—commonly known as ‘ghost nets’—from the waters surrounding Catalina Island, including the wreckage site of the Midnight Hour squid boat that sank in 2011. These nets continue trapping marine life long after they’re abandoned, making their removal critical to ocean health. Some of our intrepid journalist colleagues ventured out to Catalina Island to witness Ghost Diving USA’s divers take the Pacific Ocean plunge to the shipwreck site.
Rather than sending the recovered material to landfills, suitable nylon fishing nets are regenerated into “ECONYL” yarn, transforming marine waste into a premium recycled material used in new consumer products. The process illustrates the principles of the circular economy by eliminating waste while creating new value.
From the Ocean…
Hyundai employees and their families also volunteered during a beach cleanup at Huntington State Beach.
The mission for our morning was laid out by a California State Park employee, who described to us what was trash and what was part of the marine ecosystem and should remain untouched by our cleanup team.
So with our trash bags and pick-up wands, we scoured the expansive beach to help keep the mighty Pacific Ocean cleaner.
What was super special was the participation of Hyundai employee families, from mom and dad to toddlers and teens, who were quite aware of the importance of keeping our world clean.
Over 70 pounds of trash was collected. Great experience!
To the Classroom…
The next day, Hyundai Hope brought the Healthy Seas ‘Ocean Heroes’ educational workshop to children attending the Boys & Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley.
Through hands-on activities, recycling exercises, and interactive creative projects, children learned how abandoned fishing gear threatens marine ecosystems and discovered simple ways they can help protect the world’s oceans in their own communities.
For Art Groeneveld, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley, programs like these create opportunities that extend far beyond environmental awareness.
“Our mission is to invest in young people,” Groeneveld said. “When organizations like Hyundai come alongside us, they’re helping eliminate summer learning loss while inspiring kids to explore, create and discover new passions.”
Building Tomorrow’s Ocean Advocates
Healthy Seas also believes education is every bit as important as cleanup efforts. “Continuing our partnership with Hyundai Motor North America in California is especially meaningful because it allows us to build consistency—not only through clean-up action, but also through education and awareness,” said Veronika Mikos, Director of Healthy Seas. “With ‘From Sea to Shore,’ we are connecting different parts of the same story: removing litter from the coast, recovering ghost fishing gear from the ocean, and inspiring children to understand and protect marine life.”
Progress for Humanity
Corporate partnerships like Hyundai’s make experiences possible that nonprofits often cannot provide on their own.
“Our kids are the ones who benefit most,” Art Groeneveld said. “We’re fortunate to partner with organizations that truly believe in investing in young people.”
Ocean conservation represents one component of Hyundai’s broader sustainability strategy. The company also partners with One Tree Planted to support global reforestation efforts and continues expanding its IONIQ Forest initiative, reflecting Hyundai’s long-term commitment to environmental stewardship under its ‘Progress for Humanity’ vision.
But perhaps the greatest measure of success isn’t the number of ghost nets removed or beaches cleaned. It’s the spark of curiosity ignited in a child who begins to understand that protecting our planet starts with individual action.
For the young participants at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley, Hyundai’s Healthy Seas program delivered far more than an afternoon of fun. It offered a lesson in responsibility, possibility and hope—one that could shape the next generation of ocean advocates for years to come.
