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SOCIAL IMPACT OF MSC’S OPERATIONS                                                                               services. We continuously change our routes and create    in transhipment operations, while supporting the
        AND ACTIVITIES WORLDWIDE                                     We pride ourselves                                 new lines to serve people  on all continents. Despite   modernisation of ports and terminals. We also offer

                                                                     in having a unique                                 our impressive growth, we remain consistent with our   ad hoc intermodal solutions to connect remote areas
                                                                                                                        philosophy, which considers our customers, partners
                                                                                                                                                                      and expand inland  networks. By doing so, we are
        The arrival of the container during the 1960s has                                                               and employees as part of our success. What we call    honoured to partner with national authorities, financial
        profoundly transformed the way goods are transported,        approach to shipping,                              the  “MSC  Difference”  is  our  true  understanding    institutions and other stakeholders to contribute
        contributing to create the highly connected world that       where the social                                   of shipping, our passion and our commitment to    toward  increasing countries’ competitiveness at the
        we know today. Containerisation is usually referred to                                                          constantly adapt to meet our customers’ needs, while   international level and to support their growing
        as one of the most important revolutions of the 20 th        dimension plays
        century, as it led to exceptional growth in world trade,     a crucial role in our                              constantly investing in our staff development.  position in the global trade.
                                                                                                                                                                      MSC also provides cargo-related businesses, including
        by drastically reducing transportation costs and guar-                                                          This explains our investments in emerging, developing    depots and logistics services such as warehouses and
                                                                                                                        and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), along with
        anteeing just-in-time delivery with competitive transit      business strategies                                Small  Island Developing  States  (SIDS), although   maintenance & repair of containers (M&R), contributing
        times, improving efficiency as well as increasing safety     and ethical practices                              trade volumes and GDPs may be lower than in other    to the development of shipping-related industries
        in handling cargo. It also allowed emerging countries                                                           locations. There, we bring our long-standing expertise   in Africa, Latin America and Asia and generating
        to export their own products all around the world and        are promoted                                                                                     thousands of job opportunities for local communities.
        sell them to households at affordable prices. This
        contributed, inter alia, to global welfare and the
        increase of people’s wealth, to the growth of local
        industries and to fast inclusive development. The
        shipping lines had to quickly adapt to these changes
        by expanding their routes and by investing heavily in
        new equipment to respond to a growing demand for
        their services. Container shipping has tremendously
        evolved over the last fifty years, becoming a highly-
        sophisticated business.
        Founded in 1970, MSC was part of this revolution,
        growing from a single vessel operation to positioning
        itself as a world leader in global container shipping.
        Since the beginning of our operations, we have
        provided our contribution to global economic growth
        and to the development of international trade. Yet, we
        are fully aware that bringing economic growth per se
        is not enough to alleviate poverty. We are also aware
        that globalisation may create inequalities, if the right
        policies are not in place and if business is not conducted
        in a fair and responsible manner.
        Thus, we pride ourselves in having a unique approach
        to shipping, where the social dimension plays a crucial
        role in our business strategies and ethical practices are
        promoted. Our own interpretation of shipping operations
        is to bring our vessels where there is a need for our









        24      SOCIAL INCLUSIVE APPROACH                                                                                                                                           MSC SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2016  25
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