Carnival Cruise Corp has released its 12th annual sustainability report.
This details the key initiatives and progress made in 2021 toward its 2030 sustainability goals and 2050 aspirations.
Entitled ‘Sustainable from Ship to Shore’, the report was developed in accordance with the widely recognised Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standard.
In addition, once again it incorporated two disclosure frameworks, the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).
Following the achievement of its 2020 sustainability goals, Carnival Corp introduced its sustainability goals for 2030 and aspirations for 2050, which incorporate six focus areas that align with key United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG).
These areas include climate action; circular economy; sustainable tourism; good health and well-being; diversity, equity and inclusion; and biodiversity and conservation.
In the report, Carnival updated the baseline year for its 2030 carbon intensity reduction goals to 2019 from its initial 2008 baseline, measured in both grams of CO2e per ALB-km and kilograms of CO2e per ALBD.
Both 2030 carbon intensity reduction goals now require a 20% improvement from 2019. With the updated baseline year, the company strengthened its goal measured in kg of CO2e per ALBD since the initial 2030 goal would only have required a further 15% reduction from 2019 levels. Its goal measured in grams of CO2e per ALB-km remains the same.
This new baseline year will help the company better communicate recent progress against its climate goals to its investors and stakeholders as well as modernise its disclosures in alignment with developing best practice and reporting standards, the company said.
“Thanks to the dedication, support and proactive efforts of our entire global team, ship and shore, we continue to make strong progress in advancing our sustainability programme across our six focus areas,” said Arnold Donald, Carnival Corp CEO and Chief Climate Officer (pictured).
“This effort includes our deep commitment to climate action and sustaining positive momentum toward achieving our carbon reduction goals for 2030, while working to be part of the solution to establish a path to net carbon-neutral cruising over time.”
Chief Maritime Officer, Bill Burke, added: “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. This commitment has guided our sustainability journey and approach over time throughout all aspects of our global operations as we continue to progress our environmental, social and governance focus areas each year.”
The report underlines that the company is on track to meet its targets for 2030, while increasing initiatives to support its aspirations for 2050.
Detailed below are key highlights and progress made through the end of 2021 under its six focus areas.
Climate Action
Carnival Corp remains focused on de-carbonisation. The company and its brands are committed to continuing to reduce carbon emission intensity and have long-term aspirations to achieve net carbon-neutral ship operations by 2050.
To achieve these goals, the company supports the adaptation of alternative fuels and is testing new technologies as they become available, developing and installing advanced air quality systems, and partnering with various organisations and stakeholders to support and accelerate its de-carbonisation efforts. The 2021 sustainability highlights under the climate action focus area include:
- Carbon Emission Goal: Carnival Corp remains on track to achieve a 20% carbon intensity reduction by 2030 relative to its 2019 baseline, measured in both grams of CO2e per ALB-km and kilograms of CO2e per ALBD. *Shore Power: As of the end of 2021, 46% of the company’s fleet was equipped with shore power capabilities, enabling ships to use shoreside electric power where available while in port
- LNG: As part of its goal to expand its LNG programme, the company introduced additional LNG ships to the fleet in 2021, for a total of six cruise ships currently in operation with the ability to be powered by LNG
- Advanced Air Quality Systems (AAQS): As of the end of 2021, 90% of the fleet (excluding LNG ships) was equipped with AAQS, capable of removing nearly all sulphur from exhaust, enabling cleaner air emissions at port and at sea with no negative impact to the marine environment
- New Technologies: The company is investing in a lithium-ion battery storage system, installing hull air lubrication systems, testing fuel cells powered by hydrogen derived from methanol, and exploring carbon capture and storage.
Circular Economy
As the world shifts towards a circular economy model where materials flow around a ‘closed loop’ system, Carnival Corp and its brands are also moving how the company works with its supply chain partners to reduce waste. Under the circular economy focus area, these include:
- Reducing Single-Use Plastics: Achieved goal of reducing single-use plastic items by 50%, despite the pandemic and the need to continue using many of these type of items for public health and sanitation purposes
- Food Waste Reduction: Achieved a 24% food waste reduction per person in 2021, making great progress toward its 2022 goal of a 30% food waste reduction per person and its 50% food waste reduction per person by 2030
- Biodigesters: As of the end of 2021, the company completed the installation of over 500 biodigesters throughout its fleet, in support of ongoing food waste management efforts
- Advanced Waste Water Treatment Systems (AWWTS): Carnival Corp remains on track to achieve its goal of increasing AWWTS coverage to over 75% of its fleet capacity, with 59% coverage of its fleet capacity as of the end of 2021.
Good Health & 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 Corp and its brands. As part of this commitment, the group remains focused on expanding its well-being programmes to support the physical and mental health of its employees, encouraging social connectivity with family and friends, and promoting a balanced lifestyle. Health and well-being efforts in 2021 included:
- Employee Outreach and Well-Being: Increased focus on employee outreach and wellness, as it relates to the unique needs of shoreside and shipboard employees
- Job Creation: Increased the number of employees on board a number of its ships from reduced levels during the pause in guest cruise operations, in addition to opening a significant number of shoreside positions
- Company Culture Metrics: As part of its ongoing effort to establish measurable company culture metrics and set annual improvement targets, in 2021 the company continued an employee survey programme and introduced training sessions and internal communications designed to promote its ‘Culture Essentials’ programme focused on further strengthening corporate culture
- CSMART Academy Training Update: During 2021, the CSMART Academy – officially the Centre for Simulator Maritime Training Academy, part of the Arison Maritime Centre – continued to provide online and on board training to the fleet while also advancing preparations for the restart of onsite training in 2022. The CSMART team has made advances in developing and delivering online curriculum through courses, tailored events such as remote ‘newbuild training,’ and through ongoing webinars.
Sustainable Tourism
As a global company, Carnival Corp and its brands recognise the collective responsibility to respect and help maintain the culture, history and natural resources of the communities in which it operates. The 2021 highlights under the sustainable tourism focus area included:
- Disaster Relief: Supported disaster relief efforts to the victims of the La Soufrière volcano eruption in St Vincent and the Grenadines, as well as communities in Barbados impacted by volcanic ash
- Destination Partnerships: The company’s Italy-based Costa Cruises kicked off its ‘Traditions in the Future’ project, which supports the preservation of traditional arts and crafts to a new generation of artisans
- Community Relationships: Carnival Corp’s P&O Cruises and Cunard brands partnered with Travelife, a leading certification initiative supporting tour operations and travel agencies toward sustainable tourism. Additionally, in 2021 the company’s European brands donated over 20 tonnes of food items to address hunger throughout communities in need, in partnership with three regional initiatives, including the European Foodbank, UK Harvest and the Banco Alimentare.
Biodiversity & Conservation
As part of this focus area, the company’s efforts focus on implementing best practices across its operations, investing in programmes that support biodiversity and conservation, working with its supply chain and partnering with the communities it visits to help maintain and improve their ecosystems. Biodiversity and conservation efforts included:
- NGO Partnerships: In the first quarter of 2022, Carnival Corp joined the Ocean 100 Dialogues, an initiative supported by the World Economic Forum that accelerates ocean stewardship with a focus on climate change, biodiversity and equity
- Ports & Destinations: The company continued its efforts to support biodiversity and conservation, including creating a new mangrove nursery, planting trees and ornamental plants, and collecting waste through coastal clean up initiatives in the ports it owns and operates.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
As a global company with employees from over 100 countries worldwide, Carnival Corp is committed to providing an inclusive and supportive work environment with equal opportunities for professional growth, as the company’s success depends on the diversity, talent and dedication of its global employee base. As part of the diversity, equity and inclusion focus area, 2021 highlights included:
- Catalyst: Carnival Corp continued to work with Catalyst, the leading US non-profit with the mission to expand opportunities for women in leadership
- Awards & Recognitions: In 2021, the company received a series of recognitions for its company wide operations and dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion, including honours from Forbes on the publication’s annual listings of the World’s Best Employers and World’s Top Female-Friendly Companies. The company was also recognised as a Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Award Winner, honouring the best 100 US places to work, and on Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Responsible Companies, in addition to earning a fifth consecutive perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, designating the company as one of the Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality.
