Shipping Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Shipping Management - Essay Example It has been proved, that old management techniques in shipping have been working fir short-term profits only; it has also become evident that socially 'responsible' shipping business causes higher revenues and better positive results for both the stock markets and the general company performance. New management framework has also been formed with the additional pressure of environmental issues, which always carried a tint of social knowledge. All these factors have challenged shipping management to re-negotiate their position in the social environment and in the society as a whole. CSR is essentially about companies moving beyond a base of legal compliance to integrating socially responsible behaviour into their core values, in recognition of the sound business benefits in doing so. Since businesses and the challenges they face differ widely, government interventions need to be carefully considered, well-designed and targeted to achieve their objective. (___) The PD Ports Company located in Hartlepool (UK) is the company which can be seen as the bright example of the organization having actively applied the principles of the CSR through changing legislation and environments. It is noted in the striving for further strengthening and promoting its CSR activities. It has been engaged into many CSR activities, and it should be said that CSR in the UK has become one of the principal governmental priorities. It is stated, that 'we recognize that there is no 'one size fits all' approach to CSR, and that companies need to consider the nature of their business and its key impacts in developing their CSR practice'. (http://www.csr.gov.uk/raisingawareness.shtml) This is why for the shipping companies the implementation of CSR carries certain peculiarities. Government works for the for making the companies aware of the available CSR practices and encourages businesses to improve their performance; this may be considered to be one of the essential ch anges in the general implementation of the CSR principles through the shipping companies. As for PD Ports, the company also takes active part in the promotion and support of the CSR principles through the following activities: the philosophy 'safety first' is the top priority for the company management; the company is prepared to invest into both Capital and people; the company has its main focus on the customers, and looks for additional profitability through this customer focus; the company shows full commitment to the equal opportunities for employees; what is essential, is that the company actively works for the promotion of the environmental interests, as well as for their protection. (http://www.thpal.co.uk/corporate/core_values.asp) 'While various conventions and regulations imposed minimum standards for the operation of shipping companies, the control mechanisms were not always efficient in their mission. However, quality in shipping is not a matter of the shipowners only. Quality has a price and, as with all other goods and services, this price is determined by demand and supply. Neither shipowners nor regulation alone can force or command this price if quality is not demanded by the users of the shipping service by the manufacturers, traders, freight forwarders