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BUSINESS ETHICS AND
PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
MSC fully supports the Ten Principles of the United
Nations Global Compact. MSC reiterates its commit- Human Rights
ment in the areas of Human Rights, Labour, Environ-
ment and Anti-Corruption. MSC is dedicated to the
respect and the implementation of corporate ethical
practices within its business activities, relationships
with its partners, internal and external stakeholders as
well as within its supply chain.
MSC respects internationally recognised human rights
defined by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
ILO conventions, including the ILO Maritime Labour
Convention, 2006, domestic laws, as well as interna-
tional humanitarian laws such as the Geneva Conven-
tions of 1949 and their additional protocols of 1977.
MSC’s commitment towards the protection and the
promotion of human rights is endorsed by the Aponte
family, who has incorporated the Ten Principles of
the UN Global Compact into MSC’s core values.
Accordingly, MSC is re-assessing the Group’s strategy
and there is an ongoing centralisation process within
MSC’s headquarters. This aims to enhance the trans-
parency of the actions that have already been taken
worldwide on these topics. The global harmonisation
process is presently being led by MSC’s senior man-
agement at the headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
MSC’s strategy includes, but it is not limited to,
the global implementation of the MSC Code of Busi-
ness Conduct, the insertion of specific contractual
requirements imposed upon MSC’s business partners,
the creation of a reporting channel and strong collab-
oration with the Corporate Internal Audit department.
In the coming years, MSC plans to further improve and
promote the integration of the Ten Principles into its
business strategies and policies.
74 BUSINESS ETHICS AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
THE MSC CODE OF
THE UN GLOBAL COMPACT’S
TEN PRINCIPLES
1 Businesses should support
and respect the protection
of internationally proclaimed
human rights; and
2 make sure that they are not
complicit in human rights
abuses.
Labour
3 Businesses should uphold
the freedom of association
and the effective recognition of
the right to collective bargaining;
4 the elimination of all forms of
forced and compulsory labour;
5 the effective abolition of child
labour; and
6 the elimination of discrimination
in respect of employment and
occupation.
Environment
7 Businesses should support
a precautionary approach
to environmental challenges;
8 undertake initiatives to promote
greater environmental
responsibility; and
9 encourage the development
and diffusion of environmentally
friendly technologies.
Anti-Corruption
10 Businesses should work against
corruption in all its forms,
including extortion and bribery.
Source: www.unglobalcompact.org
BUSINESS CONDUCT
Over the years, MSC has earned the trust of its the MSC Code of Business Conduct was held in the
customers and business partners by conducting its headquarters for the first time in September 2015.
business with integrity, in a fair and responsible manner. Since then, it has become mandatory for all newcomers
MSC relies therefore on its employees to act the same as part of their onboarding programme to properly
way in their daily work. The MSC Code of Business transmit MSC’s family values.
Conduct reflects the principles by which MSC does A dedicated team of compliance experts within MSC’s
business and is a strong top-to-bottom message from headquarters, the Compliance department, provides
MSC’s senior management to all employees. The MSC regular training to all MSC agencies on the MSC Code
Code of Business Conduct communicates to employees of Business Conduct. Employees are made aware of
the correct way of doing business and empowers human rights issues. They are required to exercise
managers with a role model responsibility. It sets forth care and control, especially over MSC’s suppliers and
the common standards of approved behaviours that to escalate any suspicious or non-compliant situations.
should lead MSC’s conduct in all its business dealings An e-learning programme specially dedicated to the
worldwide and that should guide employees when MSC Code of Business Conduct is currently being
interacting with each other or with MSC’s stakeholders developed to facilitate a better reach globally. It will be
in the area of human rights, environment and business made available during 2017.
ethics. In many countries where MSC operates, such Within each MSC agency, one employee was appointed
standards may go well beyond compliance with laws as the Code of Business Conduct Coordinator. This
and regulations. MSC aims at preventing miscon- person is responsible to make sure that all the MSC
ducts and behaviours which are not in line with MSC’s agency’s employees have read, understood and have
values from happening and at protecting the employees been trained on the MSC Code of Business Conduct.
and communities’ rights. This person is also responsible for monitoring the
The MSC Code of Business Conduct was introduced in observance of the MSC Code of Business Conduct
January 2015 with the strong support of MSC’s senior locally and reports to the Compliance department. The
management, who made its implementation one of Code of Business Conduct Coordinator has the full
the company’s main priorities. The MSC Code of Busi- support of the Agencies’ Management, the Regional
ness Conduct is available on MSC’s public website Management and the Compliance department. In
(https://www.msc.com/che/sustainability/governance) 2016, there were 141 Code of Business Conduct
and Intranet. It constitutes a framework to help all em- Coordinators worldwide. These coordinators represent
ployees maintain the highest business ethics standards. a robust global network reporting to the headquar-
MSC expects all employees to fully adhere to and abide ters in Geneva, safeguarding and promoting the MSC
by the MSC Code of Business Conduct. It has been cir- values around the world. The aim for 2017 is to focus
culated throughout the company and translated into on MSC’s external stakeholders with the creation of an
20 languages, to facilitate a better understanding and MSC Supplier Code of Conduct for the MSC’s supply
a global implementation. chain.
To enhance employees’ awareness, MSC invests in
training and e-learning processes. Specific training on
MSC SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2016 75