International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) Chairman and Managing Director of Grimaldi Group, Emanuele Grimaldi, was awarded the Honorary Recognition Award at the ESG Shipping Awards in recognition of his significant contribution to the global maritime industry. The second annual awards ceremony took place at the Grand Hyatt in Athens on the 20 May.

Speaking at the event Mr Grimaldi said:

“Being recognised as a significant contributor to the global maritime industry is truly an honour and I feel privileged to be standing here before you…I would like to take a moment to thank Greece’smaritime community for the support you have shown for the International Chamber of Shipping, our proposals and initiatives. It is thanks to your support and engagement that we are forging aheadwith our work to shape the future of shipping.”

Environmental, Social and Governance factors and the impact that they will have on our work and our decision making as we navigate the future are becoming increasingly important, and rightfully so.”

The ESG Shipping Awards were established to celebrate the efforts and achievements of companies in the shipping industry worldwide that exhibit remarkable commitment to sustainability and responsible business practices. Organised by the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping and the Greek Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy, the Awards aim to foster knowledge sharing and collaboration within the maritime industry while promoting ethical, socially and environmentally conscious decision-making.

During Mr Grimaldi’s address, he commented on how far the industry has progressed in the field of ESG:

“I must highlight that even in the absence of a formal ESG strategy, many shipping companies are already working towards fulfilling a number of ESG factors. Promoting diversity and inclusion in the
workplace, practicing sustainable ship recycling, working towards decreasing greenhouse gas emissions are just a few examples of the good work I am seeing”.

Mr Grimaldi concluded:

“Prioritising ESG factors just makes good business sense…We are all on a journey and I believe we are heading in the right direction. For our next steps we must remember that ESG is going to be an important part of this journey too. In light of the good work already underway, we should be more vocal about what we are already doing. Our proactivity should not go unnoticed. We need to be louder about the hard work already underway. We do take commitments to environment, social and governance seriously and work is taking place to build on this.”