Giving back to local community
We have continued our efforts to support human rights and help the local economy's growth. We believe charity begins at home and for us, it is where we operate in
|
UNSDG |
Target 2020 |
Result 2020 |
Target 2021 |
|
We actively work on initiatives to give back to our local community. This is especially so in the seafaring community that is the backbone of the shipping industry. |
Our seafarers has been significantly impacted by the pandemic. We have raised the awareness and donated to charities that focuses on seafarers welfare and communities in need. |
We will increase our efforts to local communities in countries that we operate. |
Each year, employees are invited to make a difference in their community by doing an activity with a local not for profit organisation. Whilst most activities needed to be rescheduled or reshaped due to COVID-19, we still managed to conduct initiatives in India and Philippines, and collected funds globally to help those in need.
India
In Mumbai, we provided essentials like groceries, school supplies, toiletries, clothes and COVID-19 healthcare items such as hand sanitizers, face masks, gloves and temperature scanners to a home for underprivileged children.
Moving forward in 2021, we aim to help underprivileged girls to support their education
Philippines
In 2020, we have donated USD10 for every completed customer survey to Haligi ng Bata, Inc. to support those devastated by Typhoon Ulysses and help rebuild the community that was affected in the Philippines.
In 2021, we will continue to work with local NGOs to look for ways we can increase the living standards of those in rural areas and provide education assistance to children in impoverished areas.
Contributing to the backbone of seafaring - our seafarers
Fund raising for seafarers
In May 2020, we launched a crowdfunding initiative to support Mission to Seafarers (MtS) to help seafarers affected by the pandemic. Funds raised will largely go to food to families of seafarers that are not able to sign on, supporting stranded seafarers and transportation for seafarers from dormitories to their homes after mandatory quarantine. To raise awareness for the fund and our seafarers' plight, the senior management team took a bike challenge and documented their accumulated distance achieved in social media.
The Wilhelmsen head office in Norway held an art sale for the employees in Lysaker where all proceeds would go to charitable causes. The paintings and drawings sold were collected throughout the years by donations, gifts, collections from vessels and even contributions from near and far. The proceeds from the art sale, together with the earlier crowdfunding activities have raised more than GBP 12,000 to be channeled to MtS.
Colouring contest for all employees
In conjunction with World Children's Day 2020, we launched a children's colouring contest with the theme: Sustainable World We Want to Live In. We believe it is important to articulate the awareness of climate change from young.
Lobbying for recognition that seafarers are key workers
On 1 May 2020, at local time 12 noon, our fleet participated in a very special Labour Day event where all ships in port sound their horn in unison. This was initiated by International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) to mark the important contribution of 1.2 million seafarers that are currently working during this pandemic to ensure that food, fuel and supplies continue to flow for all.
Our CEO has been consistently speaking to several media including Tradewinds, Splash and Bloomberg to raise this awareness. We have also published several videos and messages through social media channels to amplify the message.