On the occasion of Posidonia 2016, SAFETY4SEA is pleased to announce the release of the Shipping CSR500 Survey report which assessed the level of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of maritime industry.
Based on a survey which was conducted in Q1 2016 involving 500 companies of the industry, operating in more than 30 different countries, the report revealed that industry needs to increase CSR awareness as on average less than 50% fully commits to related activities. Shipping CSR500 Survey examined 15 sectors and 10 factors chosen in accordance with ISO 26000 requirements and EU CSR strategy.
For the CSR500 Survey, information used was found in reports available online and published between 2014 and 2015. All findings were based on analysis of publicly available information. Research conducted for this survey shows the most commonly used terms globally are ‘corporate responsibility’ or ‘corporate social responsibility’ and ‘sustainability’ report. Reporting under these terms was included in this survey and data from ‘environmental reports’ as well.
The CSR500 Survey was initially conducted in a total of 1,867 shipping related companies; 500 of them were ultimately chosen to provide a representative sample of the industry composition. Ten factors were examined in accordance to ISO 26000 requirements and EU CSR strategy, relevant to the shipping industry.
The survey methodology was based on a ‘’Yes-No’’ method to clarify whether the companies have or have not implemented the factors under review.
Shipping CSR500 Survey Key Findings
- The five top rated sectors are: Oil Companies (80%), LNG Operators (62.3%), Drilling Companies (60%), Tanker Operators (56%) and Container Operators (54.7)
- Companies illustrate their CSR performance mostly via: publishing CSR policies on their corporate websites (93.2%); conducting education training & awareness (76.9%); pro-bono activities and donations (61%); implementing transparency as a Code of Conduct (53.8%) and; acquiring certification of ISO 9001 (53.7%)
- Only 5.9% of the companies have published Annual CSR Reports, meaning that the industry has not realized how important is to communicate their CSR strategy.
- The underperforming sectors are: Bulk Carrier Operators (32.2%), Associations (35.3%), Ports (36.9%) and P&I Clubs (36.9%).
- Regarding standards implementation, the 53,7% of the Companies are being certified with ISO 9001 which is a widely used standard, while the 47% and 18.7% are being certified for their environmental performance by ISO 14001 and ISO 50001 accordingly. Also, only the 27.2% are being focused on occupational health and safety conditions (OHSAS certification); this is a worrying trend for the industry where safety is of the outmost importance.
Shipping CSR500 Survey Highlights
- Industry needs to understand the importance of CSR reporting. Taking into account that shipping is responsible for the transportation of the 90% of world trade, companies need to develop sustainable business and build trust by communicating and supporting cooperation to motivate stakeholders to become more active in CSR.
- CSR reporting ensures transparency and has positive effect not only on the company’s image itself but also on the industry`s image as a whole
- The industry should integrate corporate sustainability into their business. It is important to engage in CSR by prioritizing the focus areas: 1) occupational health & safety ; 2) environmental protection; 3)anti-corruption & business ethics
- Operating in a high competitive environment in which maritime safety and environmental protection are of the outmost importance, companies are expected not only to communicate their CSR strategy but to actually engage in CSR activities.
- In terms of prioritization the most prominent target should be to raise awareness across the industry with respect to CSR
The CSR500 Survey Infographic depicts key findings of the report which also includes data, industry and sector focus, materiality matrix analysis, Shipping Industry Perspectives and CSR best practices (click image below to enlarge)
Apostolos Belokas, Managing Editor, SAFETY4SEA commented:
‘’The survey identifies critical areas that must be addressed to chart the path to success with respect to CSR implementation. While positive developments have been witnessed in many sectors, industry as a whole has not realized Corporate Social Responsibility importance. Significant challenges lie ahead to preserve people, planet, profit while shipping which plays a critical role in driving world trade, needs to fully embed CSR in all its activities’’