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Shipping companies are meeting this month to decide how best to raise social and environmental standards in their industry.
The companies are being brought together by classification and certification organization DNV, which recently collaborated with the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association and the Scandinavian shipping companies Eidesvik and Jebsens to suggest CSR policy initiatives for the sector.
Last month DNV published a report which concluded that while the shipping sector is ahead of land-based industries in areas such as wage negotiation mechanisms, it is lagging behind in others. Report author Petter Vilsted told EP that there were some examples of good practice in the sector, but there was also considerable room for improvement. ‘We need more codes and values in place, and shipping companies should make more explicit support for human rights,’ he said.
Shipping is one of the few industries with a high degree of regulation on employment matters, largely overseen by global bodies such as the International Labour Organization and the International Maritime Organization. However, DNV says shipping companies with responsible practices rarely communicate their good works.
‘This is a new topic for the industry,’ said Vilsted. ‘There is a Quality Shipping movement in place, but this is a tough industry and the problem is how hard you can sell the business case.’
Most of those attending the meeting will be representatives of Norwegian companies. DNV says all shipping companies should engage more with stakeholders, in particular NGOs.
The companies are being brought together by classification and certification organization DNV, which recently collaborated with the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association and the Scandinavian shipping companies Eidesvik and Jebsens to suggest CSR policy initiatives for the sector.
Last month DNV published a report which concluded that while the shipping sector is ahead of land-based industries in areas such as wage negotiation mechanisms, it is lagging behind in others. Report author Petter Vilsted told EP that there were some examples of good practice in the sector, but there was also considerable room for improvement. ‘We need more codes and values in place, and shipping companies should make more explicit support for human rights,’ he said.
Shipping is one of the few industries with a high degree of regulation on employment matters, largely overseen by global bodies such as the International Labour Organization and the International Maritime Organization. However, DNV says shipping companies with responsible practices rarely communicate their good works.
‘This is a new topic for the industry,’ said Vilsted. ‘There is a Quality Shipping movement in place, but this is a tough industry and the problem is how hard you can sell the business case.’
Most of those attending the meeting will be representatives of Norwegian companies. DNV says all shipping companies should engage more with stakeholders, in particular NGOs.
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