The global paints and coatings company AkzoNobel and the leading global container shipping company Maersk Line have signed a strategic sustainability partnership to reduce carbon emissions per container shipped by 10%.
The aim of the partnership – which reflects the mutual ambition of both companies to jointly elevate sustainability in the maritime industry – is to drive positive change in a number of areas, including:
- Creating transparency on sustainable best practices in the supply chain
- Identifying ways to integrate sustainability into the customer-supplier relationship as a decision-making factor
- Reducing carbon emissions per container shipped by 10%
Both companies serve as customer and supplier for each other, which means the two parties enter into the partnership on equal terms.
“The partnership on sustainability with AkzoNobel is an important step towards a common framework to jointly elevate and promote supply chain transparency and sustainability in our industries,” says Annette Stube, Head of Sustainability Maersk Transport & logistics. “Successful resolution of sustainability issues will rarely occur through the power of one individual company. The fact that we are customers and suppliers to each other and join forces to drive change can have significant positive impact to the customer-supplier relationship.”
“We are proud to partner with Maersk Line. This is pioneering collaboration in the industry where two industry leaders have come together to make the world a more sustainable place, in line with our Planet Possible approach” says André Veneman, AkzoNobel’s Corporate Director of Sustainability. “We live in a world where sustainability is important for the long-term existence of our company, our society and our planet.By working together with customers, partners and suppliers, we can make life more liveable, healthy and inspiring.”
As a part of the agreement which was signed in The Hague, The Netherlands, both companies will continue to cooperate and explore innovations and new ideas that can help improving sustainability and business performance, both within the companies as well as in in the overall marine and logistics industry.
Both parties are also part of the Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI), an ambitious global coalition taking practical steps to tackle some of the sector’s greatest opportunities and challenges. Connecting the shipping industry’s key stakeholders, the SSI works towards sustainable shipping practices.
“This partnership describes the aspirations and activities to support our joint collaboration on sustainability areas. It forms a milestone in sustainability discussions between customers and suppliers and as such will be an integrated agenda item for all meetings between our companies in the future,” says Rutger Heijsteeg, Sales Channel Manager.
Container ship Maersk McKinney Moller - Image courtesy of Hannes van Rijn
Source: Maersk Line