NAMEPA Launches Holistic CSR/ESG Program for the Maritime Industry

NAMEPA (North American Marine Environment Protection Association) has launched the first known comprehensive CSR/ESG (Corporate Social Responsibility/Environment, Social, Governance) program designed expressly for the maritime industry, with its corresponding “Maritime Sustainability Passport” (MSP) awarded to companies, organizations and individuals who meet the requirements of the platform. The program encompasses the three pillars of CSR/ESG: corporate governance, environment and the human element.  

The first company to qualify for NAMEPA’s Maritime Sustainability Passport is Cargill’s Ocean Transportation Group. They successfully completed all three phases of the program, including supplying supporting documentation for their claims.  Their submission was then evaluated by a team of assessors to determine whether they met the criteria of the CSR/ESG program and were eligible to receive NAMEPA’s MSP Certificate and Seal. Cargill successfully demonstrated to the assessors their eligibility to qualify for the Maritime Sustainability Passport.

“The maritime industry is rapidly recognizing the importance of demonstrating its commitment to sustainability” stated NAMEPA Chairman Joe Hughes of the American Club. “NAMEPA identified the need to provide the industry with a standard guideline of expectations relating to a company’s efforts in CSR/ESG. We are pleased to provide this tool for the industry to support its efforts towards sustainability.”

“Cargill has made a significant commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) developed by the United Nations”, remarked Jan Dieleman, Head of Ocean Transportation for Cargill. “We look forward to other companies in this sector joining us in demonstrating the marine industry’s intention to operate in a sustainable fashion.” 

"Our industry is changing at an unprecedented rate, with societal demands driving regulatory requirements driving technological change,” observed NAMEPA Co-Founder/Executive Director Carleen Lyden Walker. “With an operating climate that is increasingly transparent, industry needs to match that transparency and demonstrate its commitment to core values contained in the CSR/ESG program. The program contains a set of standards plus a toolkit for achieving them. Completion of the program results in the issuance of NAMEPA’s Maritime Sustainability Passport, which is renewed annually.”  

NAMEPA’s CSR/ESG program can be found at NAMEPA CSR/ESG Program.