(NEWS) WMU and Maersk Line Partner on Delivery of Maritime Business Integrity and Corruption Awareness Course

October

2016

WMU and Maersk Line Partner on Delivery of Maritime Business Integrity and Corruption Awareness Course

From 17 to 21 October, WMU delivered a course focused on business integrity issues and corruption awareness in partnership with the Danish shipowner, Maersk Line. In 2015, Maersk and WMU agreed to develop this unique course within the corruption awareness project known as CORA. The project is co-funded by the A.P. Møller Support Fund and Maersk Line. It responds to UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels, and Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.

Business integrity issues and corruption awareness are growing areas of interest for shipowners as well as the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Maersk provided case studies to inform the course development and Ms. Kristin Berglund, Head of Anti-corruption and Foreign Trade Controls at Maersk Line, worked closely with the WMU team led by Principal Investigator on the project, Assistant Professor Lisa L. Froholdt. As part of the course development, WMU CORA team members sailed with the Maersk fleet to witness first-hand business integrity onboard and corruption awareness implemented by Maersk.

The course, which was delivered to the Class of 2016, consisted of five modules: corruption awareness, maritime security and safety, leadership, change and communication, negotiation techniques and mentoring. Mr. Fred Asiedu-Dartey, Public Relations Manager of the Ghana Shippers Authority, was a guest lecturer as well as Mr. Morten Busch, Captain of Norfolk Maersk, Maersk Line. Panelists on the final day included Mr. Knut Gotfredsen, Chair of Transparency International Denmark, Dr. Helen Sampson, Director of Seafarers International Research Center in Cardiff Wales, and Ms. Kristin Berglund, Head of Anti-corruption and Foreign Trade Controls at Maersk Line. Sustainability of the project will be monitored by WMU and Maersk through ongoing mentoring of selected candidates after they return to their home countries.

The CORA team has emphasized the unique nature of the course and its mentoring component. Dr. Froholdt stated, “Business integrity and corruption awareness are global issues. The project is both relevant and much needed, and it has been a pleasure to work with Maersk. The CORA team is grateful for the knowledge sharing and opportunity to sail with the Maersk Fleet in order to gain invaluable insight. “

In addition to supporting the development of the course, Maersk provided a full fellowship for a student who recently joined the WMU MSc programme in Malmö.

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