Royal Caribbean Group (RCL) has published its 2021 Seastainability Report.
This report updates the Group’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) framework and highlights its efforts to reduce emissions on ships and at ports and ex[plained the various activities across its three wholly owned brands – Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises.
New for 2021, RCL has revamped its ESG framework to better reflect the company’s contributions to a more sustainable cruise industry.
This framework focuses on five distinct ways to deliver great vacation experiences responsibly: Champion communities and the environment; provide unforgettable cruise experiences; foster human rights and be an employer of choice; advance net zero innovation; and govern responsibly.
“All of us at Royal Caribbean Group are focused on delivering the best vacations possible and doing so responsibly,” said Jason Liberty, RCL CEO (pictured). “This report reflects our commitment to continuous innovation and building a sustainable cruise industry while growing our business for good.”
The release of the 2021 Seastainability Report follows the recent announcement that the Group has signed up to another five-year partnership with World Wildlife Fund (WWF). WWF will help the company continue to establish sustainable business practices in areas including emissions, sustainable tourism and more.
This year’s ESG report also highlights the company’s efforts to de-carbonise, especially through the company’s ‘Destination Net Zero’ strategy, which aims to establish science-based targets (SBT) and achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
‘Destination Net Zero’, along with other ESG initiatives, will ensure that RCL develops ambitious and measurable goals for continued carbon emissions reduction, sustainable business development and growth, sustainable tourism, and waste management. Developments include:
> Introducing a fuel-cell hybrid design that allows for zero emission in port
> Future-proofing the company’s shipbuilding portfolio through fuel flexibility and innovation that ensure each new ship class is 20% more energy efficient than its predecessor
> Developing waste management technologies that can convert waste to energy. Currently 100% of the fleet is equipped to be landfill-free
> Being ready, through shore power, to connect to local power grids as soon as it becomes available.
The report was shaped by RCL’s 2021 materiality assessment and references the Global Reporting Initiative’s (GRI) 2020 core reporting standards. The report is also aligned, as far as possible, with the Sustainable Accounting Standards Board (SASB) standards.
