Apex Group Ltd has entered into a three-year sponsorship deal with SailGP to accelerate gender equity and sustainability in sport.

The Bermudian-based global financial services provider said it becomes the exclusive financial solutions partner of the global sailing league, forming a powerful cross-industry partnership.

With their united commitment to having a positive impact, and focus on women’s empowerment on a global scale, SailGP and Apex Group are working together to bring Apex Group’s change-making women’s accelerator programme into the world of sports.

The programme is designed to drive equity for female progression in male-dominated environments, and with Apex Group’s support, will enable SailGP to further empower its employees and female athletes in the same way Apex Group is doing in financial services, the company said.

The initiative has proven to break down gender-related barriers in traditionally male-dominated industries, with more than 50 per cent of Apex Group financial services participants securing promotions, progression or new roles in its inaugural 2022 programme.

Apex Group will tailor the accelerator programme for roll-out across SailGP to promote gender equity within the business and broader sailing industry.

Ultimately, the company said, the partnership will support SailGP's ambition of creating an inclusive sporting championship with gender equity at its heart.

The company said the shared ethos of innovation, purpose, sustainability and impact mean that joining forces will also create opportunities to drive and influence global sustainability and environmental initiatives, including supporting SailGP’s ground-breaking Impact League.

Introduced for SailGP Season 2, the Impact League tracks the positive actions that teams make to reduce their overall carbon footprint and help to accelerate inclusivity in sailing.

Peter Hughes, the founder and chief executive of Apex Group, said: “I’m really excited about our partnership with SailGP, a partner that is truly aligned with our own commitments to innovation, sustainability and women’s empowerment.

“We couldn’t have found better parity of purpose than in our partnership with SailGP. We have been disrupting our industry with a new era of service through driving positive-change initiatives — similarly SailGP is at the forefront of innovating for one of the most sustainable sports in the world and that’s a key reason for our collaboration.

“With our shared ethos of tech and data-enabled innovation, purpose and sustainability, we look forward to this unique opportunity to engage and inspire, encouraging action to create a more sustainable tomorrow.”

Fiona Morgan, chief purpose officer of SailGP, said: “We are passionate about ensuring that any partnership we enter into aligns with our own ethos and commitment to changing the future of the sport.

“We have a unique opportunity to harness the power of sport and financial services to form a united, cross-industry alliance that can have a tangible impact on the world around us.

“This partnership is built on a mutual commitment to facilitating sustainable growth as well as advocating for our Impact League and Women’s Pathway, which are going from strength to strength.”

Apex Group’s branding will be visible across all SailGP’s race events, and will feature for the first time at the Rolex United States Sail Grand Prix, when SailGP returns to Lake Michigan for the opening event of Season 4 on June 16-17.

The Bermuda Sail Grand Prix will take place on May 4-5, 2024.