MIAMI, Sept. 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Carnival
Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the world's
largest cruise company, today released its 11th annual
sustainability report, developed in accordance with the widely
recognized Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standard. The company
has incorporated into the report for the first time two additional
disclosure frameworks, the Sustainability Accounting Standards
Board (SASB) and the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial
Disclosures (TCFD). Titled "Sustainable from Ship to Shore," the
full report is available on the company's sustainability website at
www.CarnivalSustainability.com.
Carnival Corporation's sustainability report provides updates on
current sustainability initiatives through the end of fiscal year
2020, and relevant 2021 updates. The report also includes an
overview of the comprehensive COVID-19 response from the company
and its nine cruise line brands. Additionally, following the
achievement of its 2020 sustainability goals, the company's
latest report establishes sustainability goals for 2030 and
aspirations for 2050 in six focus areas, which were initially
announced in June 2021 as a preview
of the company's strategic direction for sustainability efforts
over time.
Developed to align with the United
Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, the six focus areas
that will guide Carnival Corporation's long-term sustainability
vision include: climate action; circular economy (waste reduction);
sustainable tourism; health and well-being; diversity, equity and
inclusion (DEI); and biodiversity and conservation. In each focus
area, the company is announcing key goals, targets and aspirations
that will guide its actions to further strengthen its
environmental, social and governance performance, as outlined in
its 2020 sustainability report.
"At Carnival Corporation, our highest responsibility and top
priority is always compliance, environmental protection, and the
health, safety and well-being of our guests, the people in the
communities we touch and serve, and our shipboard and shoreside
personnel," said Bill Burke, chief maritime officer for
Carnival Corporation. "This comprehensive set of 2030 goals
and aspirations for 2050 being introduced for the first time
reaffirm our ongoing commitment to sustainability and will guide
our actions to further strengthen sustainability performance
throughout all aspects of our global operations, while supporting
opportunities for sustainable growth across our organization over
time."
The six focus areas guiding Carnival Corporation's
sustainability approach are detailed below, including key
highlights on current initiatives, short- and long-term commitments
and future aspirations.
Climate Action
Carnival Corporation remains focused
on its commitment and efforts to establish a pathway to
decarbonization. Following a peak in absolute carbon emissions in
2011 despite a 20% capacity increase between 2011 and today, and an
additional 19% capacity increase on order with new ships, the
company will continue initiatives to reduce emissions over time and
identify a pathway to decarbonization. As part of this commitment,
the company is working toward transitioning its energy needs to
alternative fuels, investing in new low-carbon or zero-carbon
emission technologies and partnering with various organizations and
stakeholders to support and accelerate decarbonization efforts.
As part of its strategic plan for carbon footprint reduction,
the company leads the cruise industry's use of liquefied natural
gas (LNG) to power cruise ships with a total of 11 next-generation
cruise ships that will have joined the fleet through 2025, which
will represent nearly 20% of its total capacity, including four
ships already in operation. The company also pioneered the use of
Advanced Air Quality Systems on board its ships and over 80% of its
fleet has been equipped with such systems. In addition, 40% of its
fleet has been equipped with shore-power capabilities, enabling
ships to use shoreside electric power where available while in
port.
Sustainability commitments and aspirations under the climate
action focus area include:
- Achieve a 40% carbon intensity reduction by 2030, relative to
its 2008 baseline measured in both grams of CO2e per
ALB-km and grams of CO2e per ALBD. The grams of
CO2e per ALB-km goal aligns with the International
Maritime Organization (IMO) requirements and the industrywide goal
set by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).
- Expand an alternative fuels strategy that includes its LNG
program and battery, fuel cell and biofuel capabilities.
- Deliver a 50% reduction in absolute particulate matter air
emissions by 2030, relative to a 2015 baseline, despite more than a
10% capacity increase since 2015 and the additional 19% capacity
increase on order.
- Increase fleetwide shore power connection capability to 60% of
the fleet by 2030.
- Reduce Scope 3 (supply chain) emissions associated with food
procurement and waste management.
- Aspire to achieve 100% fleetwide shore power connection
capability by 2050.
- Aspire to achieve net carbon neutral ship operations by
2050.
Circular Economy
Carnival Corporation and its brands
are focusing on a circular economy model where materials flow
around a "closed loop" system, rather than being used once and then
discarded, shifting how the company works with supply chain
partners to reduce waste. Operations Oceans Alive, the company's
environmental stewardship program, has been supporting this focus
area by continuing to reduce non-essential single-use items,
including plastic cups, lids, cutlery, straws, toothpicks,
sweetener packets, butter foils and many others.
Additionally, the company is continuing to install food waste
biodigesters throughout its fleet to minimize the volume of food
waste, in support of food waste reduction and management efforts.
As of the end of its fiscal year 2020, food waste biodigesters had
been installed on 32% of the company's fleet.
Goals and aspirations for 2030 and beyond under the circular
economy focus area include:
- Achieve 50% reduction in single-use plastic items by the end of
2021.
- Achieve 30% unit food waste reduction by 2022 and 50% unit food
waste reduction by 2030.
- Increase fleetwide coverage of Advanced Waste Water Treatment
Systems to more than 75% by 2030.
- Send a larger percentage of waste to waste-to-energy facilities
where practical by 2030, and aspire to send 100% by 2050.
- Partner with primary vendors to reduce upstream packaging
volumes, and aspire to near 100% reuse of packaging materials by
2050.
- Aspire to build zero-emissions ships by 2050.
Sustainable Tourism
As a global company, Carnival
Corporation recognizes that its success depends on supporting
sustainable tourism practices, and the vitality and sustainability
of the communities in which it operates. It is the company's
collective responsibility to respect the home ports and communities
it visits around the world, and to help those communities maintain
their culture, history and natural resources.
Goals and aspirations under the sustainable tourism focus area
include:
- Establish partnerships with destinations focused on sustainable
economic development, preservation of local traditions and capacity
management.
- Continue to support disaster resilience, relief and recovery
efforts.
- Build stronger community relationships in the company's
employment bases and destinations through employee volunteering
programs.
- Aspire to be recognized as a leader in global sustainable
tourism.
Health and Well-Being
Providing a safe environment
and working conditions for all employees, and all others working on
the company's behalf, is at the core of all operations for Carnival
Corporation and its brands. As part of this commitment, the company
is working to expand its well-being programs to support the
physical and mental health of its employees, encouraging social
connectivity with family and friends, and promoting a balanced
lifestyle while continuing to create more career opportunities.
Health and well-being goals and aspirations include:
- Continue the company's commitment to ongoing job creation.
- Establish measurable company culture metrics in 2021 and set
annual improvement targets.
- Implement global well-being standards by 2023.
- Continue to reduce the number of guest and crew work-related
injuries.
- Aspire to be a leader in employee well-being measures.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
As a global employer
of team members around the world from over 100 countries, Carnival
Corporation is committed to building a diverse and inclusive
workforce and providing its employees with a positive work
environment and equal opportunities for professional growth. As a
testament to that commitment, in 2020 the company received a series
of recognitions for its companywide operations and dedication to
diversity, equity and inclusion, including honors from Forbes on
the publication's annual listings of America's Best Employers for
Diversity and America's Best Employers for Women.
Carnival Corporation was also recognized on 3BL Media's listing
of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens for 2020, in addition to earning
a perfect score in the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate
Equality Index, designating the company as a Best Place to Work for
LGBTQ Equality.
Diversity, equity and inclusion goals and aspirations
include:
- Ensure the company's overall shoreside employee base reflects
the diversity of the world by 2030.
- Expand shipboard and shoreside diversity, equity and inclusion
across all ranks and departments by 2030.
Biodiversity and Conservation
Among the focus areas
for Carnival Corporation is to further enhance its commitment to
biodiversity and conservation practices, as the health and vitality
of the marine and land ecosystems in the places the company's ships
visit is essential to providing memorable guest experiences. To
support conservation efforts, the company is focused on continuing
to implement best practices across its operations, investing in
programs that support biodiversity and conservation, working with
its supply chain and partnering with the communities it visits to
help maintain and improve their ecosystems. In addition, the
company will be partnering with non-governmental organizations that
support these goals as part of the company's long-term aspirations,
which include:
- Support biodiversity and conservation initiatives through
select NGO partnerships.
- Regularly conduct audits and monitor animal encounter
excursions.
- Aspire to have deep NGO partnerships embedded in the business
and supporting strategy execution.
- Aspire to supply 100% of seafood needs through sustainable
fishery programs.
These efforts, along with a series of others underway, support
and strengthen Carnival Corporation's long-term
commitment to sustainability, responsible operations and
protecting the environment. The company's full sustainability
report, including a detailed summary of its goals and aspirations,
recent sustainability highlights and its comprehensive response to
the COVID-19 global pandemic, is available at
www.CarnivalSustainability.com.
About Carnival Corporation & plc
Carnival
Corporation & plc is one of the world's largest leisure travel
companies with a portfolio of nine of the world's leading cruise
lines sailing to all seven continents. With operations in
North America, Australia, Europe and Asia, its portfolio features Carnival Cruise
Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, P&O
Cruises (Australia), Costa
Cruises, AIDA Cruises, P&O Cruises (UK) and Cunard.
Additional information can be found on www.carnivalcorp.com,
www.carnival.com, www.princess.com, www.hollandamerica.com,
www.seabourn.com, www.pocruises.com.au, www.costacruise.com,
www.aida.de, www.pocruises.com and www.cunard.com.
View original
content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/carnival-corporation-releases-annual-sustainability-report-301375276.html
SOURCE Carnival Corporation & plc