Bunker Holding has made sad headlines about a two-year-old case about the sale of jet fuel to Syren. It was not a case that was tried to be swept under the carpet when the company opened its ESG tent with a focus on (ESG) environment, social and governance at the Climate People's Meeting in Middelfart.
- You may ask why we are here today. We are here because we want to tell you why ESG is important to us. We are also here because we want to hear your ideas and thoughts. We are here because we are a Middelfart company, and we would like to support the Climate People's Meeting. We are here because we have had the case that we are not happy to have been on television with, says group CEO Keld Demant, who has clearly come to meet the people.
It is no secret that marine fuels are still fossil fuels, but that is also one of the reasons why the company is actually standing at the Climate People's Meeting.
- The entire world's shipping industry accounts for three percent of all climate emissions, and after COP 26 we will no longer discuss whether there is actually a problem. At the same time, there is a need for a shipping industry to transport goods around, says Keld Demant and gives a specific example:
- 71 percent of the earth is covered by water, of which one percent is drinking water. A country like Indonesia has 13,677 islands, and there is a need to transport food, waste and people between the islands, he says and elaborates:
- I hope and believe that in 25 years we will be sailing around on something that is far less environmentally damaging than today. I am a father and grandfather myself, which is also why I think we should all ask ourselves every day: What can I do for the environment today, says Keld Demand, before handing over the floor to Bunker Holdings head of ESG Mette Østerskov.
Friends: How does this fit in with ESG?
Mette Østerskov has had her position for a year. And there was a question that her friends asked her when she became Bunker Holdings head of ESG. It had something to do with fossil fuels.
- My friends asked how this fits in with ESG. We are in an industry where it is difficult to change. But the time is right, because a lot is already happening, for example with efficiency improvements. Now we are standing here and have to produce these green fuels, she says about the environmental part of her work.
But changes are already happening today on that front.
- Today you can refuel with bio-fuel in over 70 ports worldwide. We believe that it will be a mix of fossil and green fuels for a long time, says Mette Østerskov.
"S" as the social part of it has also been taken care of.
- Among other things, we have introduced 20 weeks of maternity leave at all of our 34 offices around the world, both for men and women. It may not sound like a big deal to us in Denmark, but for our employees in Dubai, it was a big deal. We have also introduced a senior and stress policy in the company, she says and adds:
- We currently have 73 points on our board.
At management level, the company is already making great strides with its gender policy in the board.
- Today, 44 percent of our board is women, says Keld Demand and returns to the purpose of being at the Climate People's Meeting:
- We want to open up, we want to hear your opinion.
- You want to have an aha experience and take something home, concludes Mette Østerskov.
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