G2 Ocean marks International Anti-Corruption Day
9 December is the International Anti-Corruption Day. To mark the occasion, G2 Ocean arranged an Anti-Corruption and Anti-Bribery workshop for our employees in Bergen, Rotterdam, Gothenburg and Livorno.
Bribery and corruption are major challenges in the shipping industry. According to the United Nations, bribery and corruption cost the world economy $3.6 trillion each year.
“Unfortunately, we deal with cases of corruption and bribery from time to time. By working actively to raise awareness, identifying and mitigating the root causes of corruption, we hope to reduce the number of cases we encounter,” says Director Legal and Compliance Cecilie Koch Hatlebrekke.
To increase employee’s knowledge of the matter, G2 Ocean arranges Anti-Corruption and Anti-Bribery awareness training for all employees. On 9 December, the International Anti-Corruption Day, our employees in Bergen, Rotterdam, Gothenburg and Livorno mark the occasion by having such a workshop.
“It is important that all employees recognize situations related to bribery or corruption, and that they know how to deal with them,” says Koch Hatlebrekke.
Received thousand-dollar gift
At the course, G2 Ocean highlighted one example of an employee being subject to a bribe attempt when receiving a Rolex watch from a supplier visiting close to Christmas.
“The employee was at first unaware of the valuable gift he was given – it was gift-wrapped, and he opened it after some days. When he discovered that the gift was a Rolex watch, he reported the case and it was returned to the supplier with a letter explaining our ABC-policy,” says Hatlebrekke.
Rolex is a luxury watch brand and the company’s most expensive watch, the Rolex Pearlmaster, has a starting price of $87,000.
“On this occasion, G2 Ocean also paid a visit to the supplier to explain that this is not the way we build long-term relations,” the Legal and Compliance Director says.
G2 Ocean arranged an Anti-Corruption and Anti-Bribery workshop for its employees on International Day of Anti-Corruption. Legal and Compliance Director Cecilie Koch Hatlebrekke (to the right) in G2 Ocean conducted the seminar.
Strict ABC-Policy
G2 Ocean has a strict Anti-Corruption and Anti-Bribery Policy and as a member of the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network, the company works actively, together with over 100 organisations worldwide, towards the vision of a maritime industry free of corruption.
“It is important to have a day such as the International Anti-Corruption Day. It provides an opportunity for us, as an MACN member, to highlight our collective efforts and achievements, in addition to inviting employees to take part in our work to fight corruption in shipping,” Koch Hatlebrekke says.
The International Anti-Corruption Day has been observed annually on 9 December since the passage of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption on 31 October 2003.