Since 2005 Costa Cruises has published an annual socio-environmental report detailing its commitment to increasing transparency with its stakeholders.  Since 2007 the report has been drafted following the guidelines of Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the international body that provides a framework for drawing up sustainability reports that are reliable and easy to compare, and it is verified by RINA (Italian Naval Register) and certified by the GRI.

The 2008 edition of Costa Cruises socio-environmental report lists the main goals achieved during the year in economic terms, and as regards social commitment and safeguarding the environment. In financial terms Costa Cruises closed the year with a turnover of more than 2.35 billion euros and with a total of more than 1.2 million Guests, an unprecedented record in Europe, and was the top cruise line in Europe and the number one Italian tourism company.

In terms of safeguarding the environment, compared to 2007 the amount of fuel used per mile travelled fell by 5%; drinking water consumption per capita on the ships fell by 5% (most of which is desalinated sea water); special waste recycling increased from 26% to 30% and the amount of rubbish produced per day per person fell (solid urban waste:paper, plastic, glass, metal). Costa Cruise’s sensitivity to marine environmental issues is also reflected in its partnership with the WWF that began in 2005 and was extended in 2008, which actively supports a project to create a network of protected marine areas in the Mediterranean.

In social terms, there are now more training programmes for employees and numerous improvements to onboard safety have been made (new fire and accident prevention systems and procedures) as well as improvements to shoreside safety (new management and control procedures for shoreside activities and the maintenance of equipment at the Palacrociere in Savona and at the warehouses in Genoa, in order to guarantee workers’ safety).

We should also point out that the 2008 edition has undergone some modifications in terms of contents, readability and impact thanks to suggestions from stakeholders. While on this subject, we would like to ask you all to fill in the short online evaluation questionnaire and to send it back to us: it will give us important feedback for when the next edition of the report is drafted.