Fred. Olsen Windcarrier (FOWIC) has published a report that tracks our progress across Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues. This is central to our operations and serves as an invaluable guide to ensure that we continuing to make progress in key areas.
The report contains selected topics that are the most significant to FOWIC and its stakeholders. These have been selected and prioritised through processes including internal interviews and market analysis, in addition to considering relevant ESG standards and the business context of our industry.
In accordance with the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) efforts to develop a core set of common
sustainability metrics, this report is structured in four main sections: Governance, Planet, People, and Prosperity.
The following is a summary, but you can download the full report here.
Governance
Governance activities within FOWIC are carried out systematically and effectively aiming to ensuring that any prevailing risks are taken into consideration in the decision-making process and dealt with appropriately.
We engage with stakeholders on several different platforms, who are evaluated regarding their particular interest, involvement, interdependencies, influence, and potential impact by and from FOWIC activities. Close cooperation with clients during projects is maintained and feedback is received via customer satisfaction surveys, client audits, and ‘lessons learned’ sessions.
We operate an internal ‘whistle-blower’ function which approachability and transparency being encouraged. On board, the process for handling complaints is in accordance with the Maritime Labour Convention 2006, and a ‘hotline’ for addressing complaints is available through a Designated Peron Ashore. Employees are made aware of all procedures through e-learning courses.
A comprehensive risk management system has been established and implemented. This covers all parts of our activities, including enterprise risks, climate-related financial disclosures, project risks, operational risks, task risks, and point-of-work risks.
Key fact:
In 2021, we received 72 responses from seven different customers for our customer satisfaction survey, which revealed that 68% were “very satisfied”, 28% were “satisfied”, and 3% were “neutral”.
Planet
FOWIC’s main assets include three Tern vessels that deliver services to the offshore wind industry and are indirectly contributing to renewable energy production by installing and maintaining offshore wind turbines. Our vessels are also used for geotechnical surveys and as accommodation vessels for the offshore wind industry.
Climate risks and opportunities are an integrated part of FOWIC’s Sustainability policy. The corporate risk assessment (including climate-related risks) is presented and discussed at monthly risk management meetings.
Our emissions risks are categorized as Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions.
- Scope 1 is the direct GHG emissions occurring from sources that are owned and controlled by the company, such as emissions from combustion onboard the vessels
- Scope 2 accounted for GHG emissions from generation of purchased electricity consumed by the company
- Scope 3 is indirect emissions that are a consequence of the activities of the company but occur from sources not owned or controlled by the company
We will implement a project to screen our activities according to the EU Taxonomy during 2022 to be able to report on our degree of sustainability according to the Taxonomy in our next ESG report. Furthermore, our environment contribution to nature loss is managed in accordance with strict regulations for discharge of ballast water, sewage, bilge water, and noise pollution.
Efforts are being put in place to improve water quality and to be self-sufficient with water, and we have banned all plastic bottles from our vessels. We sort waste on board in accordance with MARPOL Annex V and have barriers against dropping objects into the sea. Once again, FOWIC has had no environmental spills in 2021.
Key fact:
In 2021, we installed 111 wind turbines with total capacity of 1038 MW and maintained turbines with a total capacity of 205.9 MW, contributing indirectly reducing CO2 emissions.
People
FOWIC creates jobs both within its own corporate structure and contributes to facilitate jobs externally to contribute to growth within the ocean economy at large. We have business activities in Norway, Denmark, Taiwan, and in international waters, and employ 252 people.
We are committed to complying with all national and maritime laws, rules, and regulations, and require our subcontractors to do the same. We do not accept any form of discrimination based on gender, age, ethnic origin, disability, sexual orientation, religion, political opinion, or otherwise, and have a Code of Conduct that covers all employee rights.
The ‘Arbeidsmiljøutvalg’ working environment committee for the FOWIC Oslo office, is organised through Fred. Olsen & Co as a common committee for all Fred. Olsen related companies in the Oslo office. Five AMU-meetings were held in 2021. An ergo-therapist assessment of the working environment conditions in the office was carried out in Q4 2021.
Safety committees are established onboard the vessels with crew and management representatives. Safety committee meetings are held on a monthly basis on board our vessels and we only had one List Time Incident in 2021. We have also gone to extraordinary lengths to meet challenges in Asia in 2021 directly related to COVID-19.
We have a balanced distribution of men and women in the onshore organisation at all levels. FOWIC is a modern company, and as such, is investing in the ongoing movement to highlight and promote higher and sustained presence of women at sea. We also implement training programs to help further employee development.
Key fact:
We are working towards equal gender diversity, with a current split of 38% female and 62% male employees.
Prosperity
Not only does FOWIC support the prosperity its own employees, but we make a significant contribution to several charitable organizations.
In 2016, the Fred. Olsen Social Engagement Group (FOSEG) was established with a view to further strengthen Bonheur ASA’s efforts within social and charitable purposes with more direct engagement from employees across the board of Bonheur-related companies and hence also FOO and FOWIC.
The group has continued its work during 2021 and focuses on supporting qualifying sustainable projects, both globally and locally. Globally, FOSEG has followed up on previous years’ support towards the non-profit organisation ‘Health and Human Rights Info’, which aims to strengthen and develop health and psychosocial work towards people that have been exposed to organised violence, war, and serious violation of human rights.
FOSEG has close relationship to the Development Fund (‘Utviklingsfondet’) and are actively following their specific water irrigation projects in Ethiopia with a view to improve self-sustainability. Further, among several other projects, FOSEG has supported rescue companies in both Norway and the UK contributing to making traffic at sea safer, as well as the World Wildlife Fund for Nature’s fight against plastic in the sea.
Key fact:
FOWIC provides affordable and sustainable shipping services, facilitating economic growth and job creation across industries.
Looking ahead
As we look to the future, we will continue our efforts to support our own stakeholders and partners, and to reduce our environmental footprint.
For the environment, we aim to further reduce impact to life below water related to microplastic from cloth washing and with zero spills, report on Scope 3 CO2 emissions, and actively enable digitalisation. This will be achieved by modifying DPR to include smart functions for CO2 reporting on daily basis related to fuel consumptions and by implementing technical solutions for further development, such as shore power connections on vessels.
We also plan to further our social responsibility initiatives by substituting hazardous chemicals in health class 4&5, and increasing satisfaction with leadership development and skills development. This will be done through a leadership framework and competence program, as well as work environment assessments and surveys.
At FOWIC, we take our ESG responsibilities extremely seriously and will continue to monitor our activities and improve our processes wherever possible. We are in the business of creating renewable energy for the good of our planet, and as such will further our ambitions for sustainability and the safety of our people and partners.