How we're creating impact

Developments in our Research division help to broaden the intelligence available to clients.

• Growth of data streams on every vessel type, supporting clients in selecting the most environmentally friendly ships.
• Enhanced provision of market-leading data on alternative-fuelled vessels, Energy Saving Technologies, vessel speed and CII ratings.
• Release of market impact assessments around fuelling transition, IMO short-term measures and the EU ETS.
• Development of a new dashboard on ship repair and green technology retrofits.
• Further enhancements of Renewables Intelligence Network, providing leading data on offshore renewables generally, including the fast-growing offshore wind market.
• Development of the Clarksons Research energy transition model, which supports our clients in planning for the coming decades around changes in the energy mix.
• Increasing use of data and intelligence by the global shipping industry, academic research and policymakers as a trusted source.

Investment in divisional teams to better support our clients in their decarbonisation strategies.

• Acquisition by the Support division of DHSS, a leading provider of integrated logistics services to the offshore renewable industry, based in the Netherlands.
• Focused the Gibb Safety and Survival business in the Support division on meeting the needs of the industry which supports the construction and maintenance of offshore wind farms.
• Significant amount of business won by the Support division to support offshore wind farms.
• Significant investment in new resources in US offshore wind in order to attract more investment in the development of offshore wind vessels in the US market and support the expansion of the offshore wind market.
• Continued training of our people so that they can raise awareness and understanding amongst clients of changing IMO and EU regulations around decarbonisation.
• Further development and expansion of the Green Transition team, launched in 2021.
• Continued investment in a carbon capture presence within both the Green Transition and gas teams.
• Investment in the car carrier team, which works with clients to meet the needs of Electric Vehicle manufacturers and their customers to deliver sustainably produced and transported vehicles.
• Enhancement of expertise within the newbuilding team to support clients in their decisions regarding alternative-fuelled vessels, thereby evolving the tonnage on the water towards lower-emitting vessels.
• Deal-flow within the Securities business across renewable and clean technology.

We are evolving our technology offering to provide clients with the tools to inform cleaner decisions.

• Acquisition by the Maritech business of both MarDocs and Recap Manager, software which enables companies to create, share and manage their charterparties.
• Scaling the Sea business throughout 2023 to enhance products.

We are working with other stakeholders in the shipping community to further support its role in meeting global decarbonisation.

• Continued work by the Financial division with banks and shipowners to meet the needs of the Poseidon Principles.
• Joining the Carbon Capture and Storage Association (‘CCSA’) to help drive CO2 shipping solutions and evolution of the sector. The CCSA is the leading European association accelerating the commercial deployment of carbon capture, utilisation and storage, an essential solution to reach net zero emissions.

Clarksons has been measuring its Scope 1, Scope 2 and some limited Scope 3 emissions since 2013 as required by the Companies Act 2006 (Strategic and Directors’ Reports) Regulations 2013 and more recently the Companies (Directors’ Report) and Limited Liability Partnerships (Energy and Carbon Report) Regulations 2018. You can read more about our reporting in our 2023 Annual Report page 92.

The Company has reported consistent with the TCFD recommendations during the year ended 31 December 2023, with the exception of the recommendation regarding targets under the Metrics and Targets pillar where we have provided an explanation. Our approach to the governance and risk management pillars of TCFD is integrated into our wider processes. You can read more on our approach in our 2023 Annual Report page 84.

Engaging with our people and understanding what is important to them is essential to our ongoing success.

• The Employee Voice Forum continues to serve as an invaluable opportunity to engage with our people and learn what is important to them. In 2023, topics discussed included ESG, technology and compliance in shipping markets, being part of the global group, and communication methods and channels.
• Global executive and divisional management forums that meet monthly.
• Employee pulse surveys on specific topics and divisions.
• Regular internal communications highlighting sector news, company updates, colleague interviews and educational content.
• Presentations and video updates from our CEO and CFO & COO on key matters.
• Events and offsites to bring teams together to connect the Clarksons community.

By investing in our people, we empower them to do more and develop as future leaders. Our talent management activities include:

• Global executive and divisional management forums that meet monthly.
• A structured global promotions process that is conducted bi-annually based on consistent assessment criteria.
• Clarksons’ competency and behaviours framework which is integrated into our assessment criteria for prospective candidates and employee performance management.
• A bespoke management and leadership development programme.
• Regular sessions with Maritime Masters on industry trends and technical insights.
• A structured annual performance review model. Conducted annually, the process has been piloted and scaled across various divisions. The framework will help employees to better understand how they can excel in their roles and drive their career progression.

We have made strong progress in embedding DEI practices across the business, including enhanced policies, training, recruitment and awareness campaigns. We recognise that there are some challenges to the pace of change to diversity across the industry, particularly regarding gender; we are committed to driving that change.

• We are continuing to build the diversity of our talent pipeline through skills and experience development programmes, such as paid internships and the Trainee Broker Programme.
• We have reached an increasingly broad pool of candidates through careers events, partnerships and campaigns.
• Throughout the year we highlighted stories from women across Clarksons to inspire the next generation of women to join the maritime industry. As part of the campaign, we held a successful networking event to bring together women and colleagues from across the business. We look forward to building on this campaign over the next year and progressing DEI within the Clarksons community.

• Our teams can continually develop the depth and breadth of their expertise to advance their careers. The Clarksons Academy – our centralised global learning portal – provides access to a wide range of learning and development opportunities, from technical and industry training to personal and professional skills.
• We also provide global access to online learning programmes with a leading provider.
• Our bespoke management and leadership development programme supports leaders to build thriving teams that can adeptly respond to the fast-changing demands of the industry.
• With a wealth of in-house expertise and a strong network of partners, we have produced a full calendar of seminars and webinars to keep our people continually informed on current affairs, key topics and challenges in the maritime industry.
• We continue to support employees to study for membership of the Institute of Chartered Shipbroker.
• We are also proud to have launched Clarksons’ Buddy Programme. The 12-month programme provides an opportunity for those early in their careers at Clarksons to be mentored by senior colleagues.
• Over the summer, we welcomed 11 interns who spent five weeks in our London office learning about the business and gaining experience, insights and exposure across the shipbroking  departments, as well as assisting the brokers.

The health, safety and wellbeing of our people remains a key priority for us. We offer a range of resources to all employees, including digital therapy, access to the Thrive mental health app and a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme. This year, we marked Mental Health Awareness Week with several events to promote good mental health practices and the support services available to all employees.

We maintain policies and procedures to minimise the risk of injury and ill health in our workforce as well as for visitors attending our premises.

Throughout 2023, we partnered with a number of maritime associations which are paving the way for the future of the maritime industry.

• In support of the Maritime UK Maritime Masters programme, we ran a series of webinars for postgraduate students studying for Master’s qualifications at nine leading UK universities and business schools, culminating in us hosting a virtual finalists reception in October.
• This year we wanted to support students further by increasing their connectivity to the industry. We hosted three additional events (two webinars and one in-person), geared specifically to aid students’ learning and understanding of the challenges and trends within the wider maritime industry.
• Clarksons Research provides over 50 maritime university and research programmes across the world with access to research and data, helping important academic research and supporting the learnings of our clients and colleagues of the future.

We foster a culture of giving back via our Corporate Social Responsibility programme. Our CSR Committee is tasked with initiating, encouraging and supporting staff from across the business to participate in activities that will have a positive impact on the charities and causes they care about.

Our charitable giving falls broadly into three categories of giving: giving time, giving energy and providing funding.

Published annually, this report sets out differences in mean and median pay between all male and female employees, differences in mean and median bonus pay between all male and female employees, the proportion of men and women receiving a bonus, and the distribution of men and women between pay band quartile. 

We are committed to conducting our business in an ethical, honest and professional manner wherever we operate.

• Our senior management have created and fostered a culture of ethics and compliance with the law at all levels within Clarksons. They have ensured sufficient resources with authority and autonomy to develop and run our compliance programme. 
• Our Annual Report provides further detail on our approach to compliance, anti-bribery and corruption, sanctions, human rights, modern slavery and suppliers.

In line with the Modern Slavery Act 2015, we publish an annual Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement on our website. We remain committed to building and strengthening our existing policies and practices to eliminate modern slavery and human rights violations in our supply chain. We therefore  continue to review the effectiveness of our current arrangements and, where necessary, implement additional safeguards and procedures. You can view our statement here.

Published annually, this report sets out differences in mean and median pay between all male and female employees, differences in mean and median bonus pay between all male and female employees, the proportion of men and women receiving a bonus, and the distribution of men and women between pay band quartile.