Charterers are increasingly under scrutiny for their supply chains, yet currently lack access to sufficient information on how labour and human rights risks are addressed – including on the vessels that carry their cargo. Such information is key to inform both chartering-related decisions and due diligence processes.

On 5th November 2020, IHRB together with the Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) and its members announced a new project to deliver on seafarers’ rights. The project will address a widely-recognised industry gap in the area of respecting and upholding seafarers’ labour and human rights, bringing to bear charterers’ leverage in holding the industry accountable through transparency.

Transparency on labour and human rights risks across supply chains will improve charterers’ ability to conduct due diligence and make informed decisions.
 

SSI Members involved: 

  • The China Navigation Company
  • Forum for the Future
  • Louis Dreyfus Company
  • Oldendorff Carriers
  • RightShip
  • South32
  • Standard Chartered Bank
  • Wilhelmsen

 

Objectives

  • To improve respect of the labour and human rights of seafarers and provide safe and decent work for seafarers, leading to more sustainable supply chains
  • To identify mechanisms for seafarers to understand their labour and human rights, report abuse of them and access remedy
  • To improve transparency on actions taken to identify, mitigate and prevent labour and human rights risks within the shipping value chain
  • To improve the ability of charterers to conduct labour and human rights due diligence and make informed decisions
  • To catalyse collective action and leadership by charterers to advocate for more robust human rights protection within the industry

Work 

Shining a light on ongoing efforts to respect and uphold seafarers’ rights, this project will see charterers play an active role in raising the bar through the development of an industry code of conduct for actors joined together across the shipping value chain. Based on international labour and human rights standards and principles, this work brings together charterers, shipowners and operators to bring to bear collective action, increase transparency and drive positive change.

Outputs

  • Industry code of conduct on labour and human rights risks
  • Contractual terms and chartering provisions incorporated in standard industry clauses