Forging Purpose-Driven Partnerships: How CDM Helped Launch a New Coral Nursery in Curaçao

At CDM, we believe that great partnerships don’t just happen—they’re built on insight, shared values, and strategic alignment. That’s why we’re proud to have played a central role in facilitating a powerful new collaboration between Fun Diving Curaçao, Papagayo Curaçao, and The Branch Coral Foundation, which has led to the installation of a brand-new Staghorn coral nursery on Jan Thiel Beach.

This project is more than an environmental win—it’s a case study in what happens when marketing meets meaningful matchmaking.

From Market Insight to Meaningful Action

Our role began with research. While supporting Fun Diving Curaçao in building its marketing strategy, we identified a clear opportunity: travellers were increasingly seeking eco-conscious experiences, and Fun Diving had both the expertise and passion to lead in this space.

At the same time, The Branch Coral Foundation was expanding its presence across the island, and Papagayo Curaçao—the resort where Fun Diving is based and a long-standing advocate for sustainability—was ideally positioned to support a local conservation initiative.

We saw the potential to bring these like-minded organisations together around a shared goal: reef restoration.

Making the Connection

CDM, specifically the very talented Charlotte Harrison, managed the process from discovery to delivery. We:

• Researched and vetted local conservation organisations and partnership opportunities

• Initiated contact with The Branch Coral Foundation and led exploratory meetings

• Aligned objectives across all parties and developed a shared action plan

• Supported communications and storytelling to amplify the partnership’s impact
  

Within weeks, the project was live—and just two days (and five dives) later, the coral nursery was installed.

A Partnership With Real Impact

The newly installed nursery, maintained by Fun Diving Curaçao’s dive team and Branch Coral’s volunteers, will help regenerate endangered Staghorn coral off Jan Thiel Beach. It’s now one of six active nurseries supported by the foundation across the island.

Beyond conservation, this initiative opens new experiences for travellers. Visitors can now adopt a coral, take a Coral Restoration specialty course, or simply dive the site and witness marine restoration in action.

It’s a win-win-win:

• Environmental restoration 🌱

• Enhanced eco-tourism experiences 🌊

• Strengthened brand alignment between partners 🤝

The CDM Approach to Partnership Strategy

At CDM, we don’t treat partnerships as a bolt-on. We treat them as a strategic growth channel.

Whether it’s co-creating offers, driving audience crossover, or embedding brand purpose, we help our clients find and foster collaborations that extend reach and deepen relevance.

This coral nursery is just one example of what’s possible when values-led strategy meets practical execution.

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Looking to build your next great partnership?

We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch via www.cdonaldson-marketing.co.uk or book a free 30-minute consultation to explore what’s possible.