Human Sustainability

Human sustainability programme

Maritime transport is the backbone of international trade and the global economy, yet the human side of this vital industry often goes unnoticed. Nearly two million seafarers, along with millions more working across global supply chains, face long periods away from home, demanding workloads, safety risks, harassment, and ongoing mental health challenges. The Global Maritime Forum’s human sustainability programme works to improve working conditions, strengthen physical and mental well-being, and foster inclusive and attractive career pathways at sea. Our ambition is simple: to help build a maritime industry where people are at the heart of every voyage.

Background

The Global Maritime Forum established the human sustainability programme in 2022 to address growing, systemic concerns about life and work at sea. Recognising that no single company can solve these challenges alone, the programme was built as a coalition of the willing, bringing together leaders prepared to collaborate, test new approaches, and raise standards collectively. We drive change through a structured five-step approach: scanning emerging challenges, gathering data, co-designing solutions, piloting in practice, and translating learnings into stronger industry standards.

Activities

Our flagship human sustainability activity is the All Aboard Alliance, a coalition of maritime companies and senior leaders dedicated to improving lives at sea. The programme builds on a strong track record of collaborative industry efforts, including the Neptune Principles Declaration on crew change and seafarer well-being, Diversity@Sea, where inclusive working conditions were co-designed and tested in practice, Future Maritime Leaders Network, a cross-industry network of emerging professionals, and Diversifying Maritime Leadership, exploring barriers to progression in senior roles.

Ambition

Our ambition is to help build a maritime industry where people are at the heart of every voyage. By 2030, we want to see measurable progress in how the industry protects its workforce, supports career development, and creates conditions that attract and retain talent for the decades ahead. Achieving this requires greater transparency, clearer accountability, and shared standards that make progress visible across the maritime value chain.

All Aboard Alliance

Diversity@Sea

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Team

Meet the human sustainability team

Susanne leads the human sustainability programme, setting out to develop impactful and ambitious global standards for the safety, health, inclusion, and well-being of everyone impacted by maritime supply chains.

Susanne Justesen

Director, Human Sustainability, Global Maritime Forum

sj@globalmaritimeforum.org

Harpa is at the forefront of projects like Diversity@Sea and Diversifying Maritime Leadership, as well as other initiatives that focus on improving the safety and well-being of seafarers, specifically concerning contracts, wages, and family support.

Harpa Hrönn Stefánsdóttir

Senior Project Manager, Global Maritime Forum

hhs@globalmaritimeforum.org

Christian manages the All Aboard Alliance and the Future Maritime Leaders Network.

Christian Breenfeldt Andersen

Project Manager, Human Sustainability, Global Maritime Forum

can@globalmaritimeforum.org

Christian manages the All Aboard Alliance and the Future Maritime Leaders Network.

Zoë is a data analyst on the human sustainability team, transforming both quantitative and qualitative data into clear, actionable insights that drive understanding and impact.

Zoë Sakura Ogahara

Project Manager, Global Maritime Forum

zso@globalmaritimeforum.org

Zoë is a data analyst on the human sustainability team, transforming both quantitative and qualitative data into clear, actionable insights that drive understanding and impact.

Hana coordinates the work of the Diversity@Sea initiative, currently addressing systemic challenges like sexual misconduct and pregnancy at sea. She's also involved in our efforts to improve seafarers’ mental health and well-being.

Hana Nguyenová

Project Manager, Global Maritime Forum

hng@globalmaritimeforum.org

Human sustainability programme