Corruption and bribery happen in the shipping industry every day and represents a major problem. Major shipping companies and insurers take a stand against corruption and work on several arenas to prohibit the use of corruption, bribery and facilitation payments.
One of the latest examples is the decision of marine insurance provider Skuld to join the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN), acknowledging the importance of contributing to the elimination of corruption, and the belief that the collective action of the MACN network will have a positive impact for the maritime industry. Skuld has announced today its decision to be part of the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network.
The Maritime Anti-Corruption Network, established in 2011 by a small group of committed maritime companies, has today more than 180 member companies who own or operate commercial vessels, or are part of the maritime value chain. The network collaborates with governments, non-governmental organizations, and civil society to identify and mitigate the root causes of corruption.
As the insurance provider Skuld explains today “Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions”, is the official commitment of Skuld to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16, which the official wording is: “Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.”
Another shipping major against corruption, as shipping telegraph reported earlier this year, is the Oslo-based Höegh Autoliners, a global provider of RoRo transportation services, who took a stand against corruption and bribery.
Höegh Autoliners, is one of the co-founders and an active member of the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN), which is a global business network working towards its vision of a maritime industry free of corruption that enables fair trade to benefit society and for all.
“All persons representing Höegh Autoliners and its subsidiaries are required to follow our Anti-Corruption Policy and Ethical Rules”, as the top management of the company declares.
If the company´s employees have any concerns regarding other employees’ violations of the law and regulations, this can be reported internally to either the line manager, Legal or to the Chief HR & Communications Officer, as Höegh Autoliners points out.
Corruption is a widespread challenge for companies involved in world trade. It weakens democratic institutions, reduces economic development, and contributes to governmental instability.
The United Nations Convention against Corruption assigned 9 December as the annual International Anti-Corruption Day.
Hilde Søbstad Løvskar, Skuld’s chief legal officer, said today: “We are pleased to announce that Skuld has joined the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network. We will continue to support our members and the global shipping industry in the important work towards integrity and fair trade and look forward to being part of this active network fighting corruption.”
“We need everyone’s support to achieve a corruption-free maritime community. We encourage our employees to report something that doesn’t seem right. We have an anonymous reporting channel, available for anyone through our website. The option to report anonymously is believed to both deter and detect wrongdoing, while at the same time reassuring and protecting the person reporting. Anyone can anonymously report on malpractices, corruption, and other wrongdoings through our whistle-blower hotline,” says Renate Lystad, General Counsel at Höegh Autoliners.
