Cruise industry ignores CSR, report claims
Research by Leeds Metropolitan University claims that the cruise industry is ignoring its corporate social responsibility towards the environment, society and the destinations visited.
The study, published this month in the journal Tourism Management, analyses the industry’s corporate social disclosure and ranks companies through analysis of their corporate social responsibility reports and websites to provide the first cruise sector sustainability reporting index.
The study found that 65% of the 80 cruise companies worldwide which were analysed do not mention corporate social responsibility on their websites, and only 12 brands publish corporate social reports – belonging to only four companies: Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean International, TUI and Disney Cruises.
Dr Xavier Font, the lead author of the study from Leeds Metropolitan University in the UK, said: "Most companies report soft data, such as statements from their CEOs, that are easy to copy and do not show real change.
"Companies mostly report on their corporate vision and strategy, their credentials and their governance and management systems, but they fail to report on actual performance data on many key environmental and socio-economic indicators.
"Reporting on emissions, effluents, waste or water is the result of eco-saving strategies and regulatory pressure.
"But not one of the 80 companies reports on the sustainability of the resources consumed or biodiversity actions, and few disclose their positive social or economic impact on destinations," said Dr Font.
Ian Jarrett
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