Our vision is to restore the critical balance between people and nature within a generation.
The MSC Foundation is a non-profit organisation established in 2018 to implement the MSC Group’s marine conservation, humanitarian, and sustainable development commitments worldwide.
Leveraging MSC’s global reach and unique knowledge of the sea, we work to protect and nurture our blue planet, its people and our shared heritage.
The MSC Foundation is family-led and reflects the vision and values of its founders.
"I take great pride in our Foundation’s substantial progress as we mark the completion of its first five years. Our journey has been one of dedicated hard work and steadfast commitment to a bold vision of restoring the critical balance between people and nature. That we have achieved so much – from ocean conservation to emergency relief – in this relatively short period of time is eloquent testimony to the power of together."
At the landmark completion of its five first years, our Foundation stands as a beacon of hope and action. Embodying the Group's values, heritage and leadership across two pivotal seafaring industries, our journey has been one of dedicated hard work and steadfast commitment to a bold vision of restoring the critical balance between people and nature.
Above all, however, it has been a journey of concrete results that have made a meaningful difference in all our focus areas, from ocean conservation to emergency relief. Results that testify to the power of together both in the shared sustainability commitments and synergies of the Foundation and Group companies, and equally with our partners and supporters.
A salient example is our rapid engagement with partners and mobilisation of resources to equip MSC Aurelia in just a few days, enabling it to set sail promptly with aid for 60,000 earthquake survivors in Türkiye. At the forefront of numerous humanitarian responses to large-scale disasters and crises, we have helped bring vital aid to more than 2.3 million people since we established the Foundation.
Our partner programmes are the heart of our efforts to educate children and young people, support communities in need and advance environmental conservation. In 2023, we devoted substantial efforts to nurturing MSC’s long-term partnerships, while simultaneously forming new alliances with global leaders in science and marine conservation.
On behalf of my family and myself, I express sincere gratitude to the supporters and employees who have shared our journey, and to all the partners and organisations who have shared their experience and expertise. Your constant commitment has been instrumental in our achievements.
In celebrating this five-year milestone, we also reaffirm our commitment to the journey ahead. In the face of urgent global humanitarian, development and climate challenges, the time to act is now. Our Foundation will continue to answer that call and strive to catalyse the necessary change.
Captain GIANLUIGI APONTE Chair of the Board
CHAIR OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE'S REPORT
"I " n r reac a hing g the milestoone of f dedi d cating 50% of our r funding to e environmentaal l connsseervaation whhile e signnificantlly sccaaling up our humannittarrian ai aidd, w we have shhown n how w caaring g for vuullnerablle e c communities annd preser e viing n occean an biodiversitty caan n go g hand in n hand. d ”
BUILDING ON FIVE YEARS OF PROGRESS TO CHART A STRONG COURSE AHEAD
Our first five years saw the MSC Foundation respond effectively to the COVID-19 pandemic and other critical emergencies while significantly expanding its programmes. Overall, we increased our funding allocations by more than double and grew to assist 3 times as many people through our humanitarian and development efforts.
This year, our programme funding for environmental conservation reached the 50% mark, including multi-year funding for scientific assessments of coral reef and mangrove ecosystems. Our flagship Super Coral Programme continues to reflect our long-term vision and pursuit of excellence.
With the opening of the Foundation’s Marine Conservation Center in 2024, we aim to scale up our coral reef restoration efforts as well as our engagement with marine scientists, students and professionals in the region and worldwide.
The Foundation also made genuine connections with millions of MSC Cruises guests of all ages, while reaching new milestones with 6 MSC Foundation Centres, an elegant presence on Explora I and the continuing success of MSC Foundation Day across a fast-growing fleet.
Our unique ability to connect with guests' passions for travel and the sea through education, awareness and fundraising initiatives sets us apart and helps us make a real and lasting difference.
We have reaffirmed our commitments to match all core guest donations on the MSC Cruises fleet and cover all the Foundation’s operating costs so that 100% of every donation goes to our programmes.
Looking ahead, we will continue to build on these successes, learn lessons and explore new avenues to meet the pressing challenges of our times.
I am deeply thankful to our partners, supporters and employees. Your faith and engagement have been crucial in our achievements and propel us to new heights.
PIERFRANCESCO VAGO Chair of the Executive Committee
WHAT A JOURNEY THE LAST 5 YEARS HAVE BEEN!
The MSC Foundation has focused on environmental conservation, education, community support and emergency relief since our earliest days.
From supporting 7 programmes in 5 countries in 2019, we grew to 42 programmes in 30 countries in 2023, touching the lives of almost 1 million people in just this last year alone. In our first year of operation, we responded rapidly to two emergencies in two countries. By 2023, we had addressed a total of 61 emergencies in 38 countries thanks to the MSC Group's unique global reach and network.
This substantial impact is rooted in close partnerships that drive meaningful change. Longstanding partners like UNICEF, Mercy Ships and Marevivo, leading humanitarian organisations such as UNHCR, and a steady stream of impactful new partners have all helped shape the Foundation's activities.
Our 4 new partnerships in 2023 – with IUCN, NatureMetrics, the Earthna Center and the Horn Foundation – were instrumental in deepening our commitment to environmental conservation
Crowning the year’s achievements, we made considerable progress in our Super Coral Programme’s marine conservation activities, with the critically endangered elkhorn coral fragments in our nursery continuing to flourish despite an unprecedented marine heat wave.
Onboard awareness-raising and fundraising have become a cornerstone of our work, informing millions of cruise guests about the critically urgent needs of the Blue planet, its ecosystems and inhabitants.
In 2023, we significantly strengthened this engagement with a new space on Explora I and our 6th MSC Foundation Centre, located on MSC Euribia along with the first MSC Foundation Lab, a new concept venue dedicated to fostering environmental awareness among our young guests.
Mindful of our increasing impact and role, together with the importance of partnership, we are more than ever a listening foundation, attentive to the communities whose needs drive our choices and to leveraging every lesson learned.
2023 thus saw the Foundation make accelerated progress on the clear course we have charted over the past five years, thanks – as always – to the passion, dedication and commitment of our founding family, Group, partners, supporters and the generous donors who have placed their trust in us year after year.
Thank you for joining us on our journey. Enjoy the read!
Daniela Picco Executive Director
Changing the lives of 2.3 million people
2,500,000 2,000,000
1,500,000
1,000,000 500,000
56 programmes & initiatives
14 partners 121 beneficiary organisations
OUR CORE IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
EDUCATION & AWARENESS RAISING
• Coral reef restoration on Ocean Cay: 1 coral nursery with 7 trees
• 616,000 tons of plastic recycled in Côte d’Ivoire with UNICEF
• 233 samples of eDNA taken to map and monitor ocean biodiversity
• Ocean Literacy: 9 infographics, 2 coral books and one discovery kit
• Book on Coral Reefs with Ba’a Foundation featuring preface by Dr S. Earle
• Assessment of 400 coral species for IUCN Red List™
• Creation of new tidal creek and a tidal pond in Hamburg’s Kirchwerder foreland with Elbe Habitat Foundation
• 31,768 life-changing surgeries and 18,005 medical professionals & community leaders trained with Mercy Ships
• 1,037 containers donated and transported to meet humanitarian & development needs worldwide
• 188 women empowered to gain a fair income in Côte d’Ivoire with UNICEF
• 112 classrooms built and 197 equipped in Côte d’Ivoire with UNICEF enabling 8,360 children to go to school
• Over 14,000 people in five of Haiti’s most underserved communities received medical care through a Mobile Clinic with the Andrea Bocelli Foundation
• Educated 13,193 children and youths in ocean conservation, climate literacy, Blue Jobs and sustainable development with Marevivo
• Reached almost 10 million cruise guests from 180 countries to inform about the urgent needs of our Blue Planet, its ecosystems and inhabitants
• Over 250,000 children and youths engaged in edutainment activities on MSC Cruises ships
• Promoted ocean conservation dialogue through over 30 panel discussions, workshops & events worldwide
• First responders after Hurricane Dorian in The Bahamas, providing 146 containers of humanitarian supplies, and 20 container housing units
• 21 COVID pandemic operations in 21 countries in 2020-21
• MSC Aurelia delivered 60 pallets of aid just 12 days after the earthquake in Turkey, then accomodated 1,700 people on board over 3 months
• €7 million mobilised for refugees from Ukraine, 130,000 relief items purchased and delivered to UNHCR refugee transit centres in Poland, Moldova, Romania, Hungary and Ukraine
• 4 global Fundraising campaigns totalling CHF 1,071,700 EMERGENCY
2023 AT A GLANCE
42 programmes and initiatives
30 countries
980,000 people reached, of which 847,000 in emergencies
Doubled our work for our Blue Planet last year
50% of all funding allocated to environmental conservation
3 new marine conservation partnerships and programmes
Super Coral Nursery: 100% survival of nursery corals after a marine heat wave
3,974,000 (*) allocated to programmes, initiatives and emergency relief 100% of donations passed directly to our partners and programmes
8 emergency crises 8 countries 14 operations
CHF 3,640,000 total value of MSC Group and Foundation actions to assist earthquake survivors in Türkiye and Syria
Expanded awareness-raising 1 new MSC Foundation Centre on MSC Euribia
1 new elegant space on Explora I
2023 MILESTONES
January
Support to equip Mercy Ships' Global Mercy to start her first field service in Dakar, Senegal.
April
2nd annual scholarship program launched at the Complutense University of Madrid.
February
MSC Aurelia departs Naples for Turkiye to deliver relief items for earthquake survivors.
New partnership with the Horn Foundation to support young environmental innovators.
Super Coral Nursery: 4 trees populated with corals, 94 fragments growing.
May
The MSC Foundation donates free transportation of 101 containers to UNHCR’s earthquake response.
March
New partnership to support The IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM
New UNICEF YOMA programme for youth job skills in Côte d'Ivoire's blue and green economies.
Monetary donation to support people affected by severe floods in Emilia-Romagna (Italy).
June
Celebration of €12 million in cumulative donations to UNICEF
Start of new partnership with NatureMetrics for e-biodiversity mapping.
Inauguration of the 1st MSC Foundation Lab on board MSC Euribia.
June
UNWTO and MSC Foundation host expert panel “Tourism Ocean Action for a Net Zero Future” on MSC Euribia.
September
MSC Foundation 5th anniversary.
July
MSC Foundation speaks on the “Restoring our Oceans and waters” expert panel.
Marevivo concludes 2022-23 school year of Blu education programmes in Italy and Spain.
August
Support for children's education after wildfires and floods in Hawaii and South Africa
September
MSC Foundation becomes a member of the International Coral Reef Initiative.
October
Inauguration of the Foundation's elegant presence on board Explora I
Super Coral Nursery: 100% survival of nursery corals after marine heat wave.
November
UNICEF and MSC Foundation carry out a joint visit to our programmes in Côte d’Ivoire.
December
Renowned explorer Mike Horn joins MSC Foundation Advisory Board
MSC Foundation and Geneva Red Cross partner in 4th "Festive Smiles" initiative.
Mercy Ships impacts 3,546 patients' lives with 3,647 surgeries in Africa.
OUR WORK WORLDWIDE
WILDFIRES
Partner: Hui O Wa’a Kaulua United States: Hawaii
HURRICANE OTIS
Partner: Secretaría de Marina Puerto de Ensenada Mexico
KITCHEN-IN-A-BOX
Partner: World Food Programme El Salvador
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
EDUCATION
EMERGENCY RELIEF
JUNIOR AMBASSADORS & PARKS GREENTHUMB
Partner: The Mayor's Fund to Advance NYC
United States: New York City
SUPER CORAL PROGRAMME
Partners: University of Miami, Nova Southeastern University Bahamas: Ocean Cay
TOGETHER FOR THE TURTLES
MARINE INNOVATION
CENTER IN BAYAHIBE
Partner: Fundemar Dominican Republic
Partner: Ecology Project International Costa Rica
CORAL BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT
Partner: IUCN Worldwide
GUARDIAN DOLPHINS & NAUTICINBLU
Partner: Marevivo Italy, Spain
PANGAEA X
Partner: Horn Foundation Europe
BIODIVERSITY MAPPING
Partners: NatureMetrics North Atlantic
FESTIVE SMILES
Partner: Geneva Red Cross Switzerland
BEST TOURISM FINAL DEGREE PROJECT
Partner: Complutense University of Madrid Spain
SHIPS OF HOPE
Partner: Mercy Ships Senegal and Sierra Leone
FROM PLASTIC BRICKS TO CLASSROOMS & YOMA
Partner: UNICEF Côte d’Ivoire
"PARTAGER LIRE" INITIATIVE
Partners: Association Isabelle Chevalley, Payot Bookstores
Burkina Faso
CYCLONE FREDDY
Partner: UNHCR Malawi
CAPE TOWN FLOODS
Partner: The Imibala Trust
South Africa
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
Partners: UNHCR, Medair Ukraine
FLOOD EMERGENCY
Partner: Emilia Romagna Region Italy
COLD EMERGENCY
Partner: Caritas Italy: Naples
EARTHQUAKE
Partners: UNHCR, ICRC, Turkish and Syrian Red Crescent Societies Syria, Türkiye
CHILDREN’S DAY CENTRE
Partner: Somnang Association
Cambodia: Phnom Penh
MANGROVE RESTORATION
Partners: Earthna Center for a Sustainable Future, Qatar University, Qatar Foundation Qatar
RED SEA CONSERVATION
Partner: Ba’a Foundation Saudi Arabia
SOLAR REVAMPING
Partner: ERG Italy, Madagascar, Malawi
With our unique global shipping heritage, the MSC Foundation is keenly aware of the increasing fragility of our planet’s ecosystems. We are committed to supporting programmes and locally driven initiatives that protect and restore our blue planet’s natural resources, varied species and human habitats.
TAKING ACTION FOR CORAL REEFS
Focus areas:
• Marine Conservation
• Education Programme: Super Coral
Partners:
• University of Miami
• Nova Southeastern University
20192029 2023
OCEAN CAY BAHAMAS
Ocean Cay, The Bahamas
The Foundation established the Super Coral Programme to restore the reefs around the island of Ocean Cay in 2019.
When MSC Cruises took responsibility for developing Ocean Cay in The Bahamas in 2015, it suffered from decades of ecologically disruptive industrial activity. Collaborating with the Bahamian government and leading scientists, MSC Cruises initiated an ambitious Marine Restoration Programme within the 64 square kilometres of surrounding marine waters and ecosystems.
An initial environmental assessment found that over half of the coral had perished, so the MSC Foundation implemented longterm efforts to research, develop, test, and refine methods to reverse this decline in coral reef health.
I’m heartened by the progress made this year under the Super Coral Programme. We have identified high thermal resilience in some genetic populations of corals, developed techniques to grow corals in open-water nurseries, started to trial methods to outplant these corals, and 100% of our nursery corals survived a marine heatwave last summer.
In 2024, I look forward to opening our Marine Conservation Center as a hub of scientific collaboration with our Bahamian and Florida university partners and other leading coral specialists worldwide.
PROF. DAVID SMITH Chief Scientific Advisor MSC Foundation’s Advisory Board.
SUPER CORAL PROGRAMME
CHALLENGES
Coral reefs cover less than 0.2% of the planet’s seafloor but host 25% of all marine biodiversity
Up to one billion people benefit directly or indirectly from coral reefs.
The Bahamas is home to 35% of all coral reefs in the Caribbean region, and the country’s coral reef systems are under immediate threat.
The health of 75% of reefs worldwide is threatened by ocean heat waves, causing widespread coral bleaching and killing off entire reef ecosystems. This alarming figure is predicted to climb to 90% by 2030
INITIATIVES
• The Super Coral Programme aims to restore threatened coral species and build reef resilience and biodiversity around Ocean Cay. In doing so the programme seeks to pioneer techniques to identify, propagate and outplant genotypes that are especially resistant to global heating to drive up reef resilience and biodiversity.
• We are building a Marine Conservation Centre on Ocean Cay to support this programme and applied graduate research with our partners. The Foundation will use this centre to raise awareness and educate millions of visitors about marine conservation and restoration.
2023 RESULTS
• The Foundation’s initial approach tested the response of 94 coral fragments from 4 genotypes of the critically endangered Elkhorn coral to open water nursery conditions
• 100% of nursery corals survived the unprecedented 2023 marine heatwave that led to mass coral bleaching across other areas of the Caribbean
• 2 graduate student interns from Nova Southeastern University and the University of Miami trained at Ocean Cay and were supported in their research on reef-building corals
• 4 infographics for raising awareness of the importance of coral reefs and the role restoration plays in ensuring their future
TOTAL RESULTS (2019-2023)
• 5-year roadmap for the Super Coral Programme’s restoration of Ocean Cay coral reefs, validated at an expert workshop held in Bimini (2019)
• 8 graduate interns completed the internship program, 8 research studies
• 9 infographics on coral reefs and 1 “Super Coral Discovery Kit” for onboard activities
• Ocean Cay designated as Hope Spot by Mission Blue
• 1 Marine Conservation Center under construction
• “#SuperCoralPlay” awareness-raising campaign with the 2020 Miami Super Bowl
The growth rates, survival and resilience of our nursery coral fragments after the last thermal events are signs that we are well on our way toward the milestones set for this programme. On a recent dive, I was reminded of how special this place is. Many sharks, dolphins, loggerhead turtles and stingrays, two African pompanos, and even a Mahi Mahi swam through our nursery. In 2024, I look forward to a significant scale-up of our reef monitoring and restoration work, which will provide further benefits for the wider region.
CARL GUSTAF LUNDIN MSC Foundation Advisory Board
As outlined in the Global Biodiversity Framework, restoring and protecting coral reefs is crucial for sustaining ocean biodiversity and to ensuring the resilience of our planet.
The MSC Foundation’s commitments to the Super Coral Programme and to supporting the collection and analysis of scientific data on the global status of coral species to update The IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM is vital.
DR. OWEN O’SHEA
Dr. Owen O’Shea
VOICES OF OUR PARTNERS
The MSC Foundation Super Coral Programme supports university education through partnerships with the University of Miami and Nova Southeastern University and graduate intern programmes for two students a year.
For the benefit of the Super Coral Programme, I’m assessing the effectiveness of triggering a defensive response in corals in a land-based nursery before outplanting on the reef. A key challenge in reef restoration is the high mortality of newly outplanted corals caused by predation. Our approach involves poking juvenile corals of about a year old with a needle several times a week to simulate small predation events. Increasing coral survival rates would save costs and restore reef health and biodiversity.
JARROD LITTLE
Nova Southeastern University
Jarrod Little
Using photogrammetry – the science of using photography to take measurements – I’m helping to identify resilient corals for outplanting from our nursery to natural coral reefs.
This involves taking about 50 photographs of each coral outplant from multiple angles to create an accurate, high-definition 3D model.
I monitor the growth rate by comparing the 3D models over time, with the expectation that coral genotypes with higher growth rates will be our best candidates to withstand stressors like rising sea temperatures.
University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science
Partner: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
KENYA TANZANIA MOZAMBIQUE
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is a membership Union of government and civil society organisations. It is the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network and the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it.
The MSC Foundation and the IUCN started a three-year partnership to collect and publish data on the health and risks of corals as a species and coral reefs as an ecosystem, applying the IUCN global standards, The IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM and the Red List of Ecosystems.
In 2023, the Foundation supported IUCN and Red List stakeholders to complete the last step in a comprehensive global assessment of the world’s coral species, the results of which will be submitted in 2024 for an update of the Red List.
With coral reefs under huge stress, the collaboration between IUCN, Arizona State University, CORDIO East Africa, and the MSC Foundation is more vital than ever. By leveraging The IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM and the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems, we commit to advancing coral conservation and addressing the escalating threats faced by coral reefs, while supporting the livelihoods of millions worldwide.
GRETHEL AGUILAR IUCN Director General
DR
CORAL BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT
CHALLENGES
Coral reefs face significant existential threats from a combination of human activities, natural events like storms, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and long-term global changes such as rising sea temperatures and C02 levels.
Coral stakeholders worldwide need updated high-quality data on coral species and ecosystems to guide their actions to address the most pressing challenges and threats facing coral reefs. The last global assessment of reef-building corals done in 2008 for the Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM is outdated.
INITIATIVES
• A total reassessment of the status and extinction risks of the world’s 850 coral species is underway to update the 2008 global assessment of reef-building corals. This complex exercise involves over 100 coral experts from academic institutions, government, and non-profit organisations in 30 countries assessing data and submitting results to update The IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM
• Global-level stakeholder engagement on applying the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems and support for National Coral Ecosystem Assessments in the Western Indian Ocean, focused on Kenya, Mozambique, and Tanzania.
2023 RESULTS
• About 400 species from the Indo-Pacific, a hotspot of coral reef biodiversity, were assessed by 17 coral scientific experts, with data contributions from 3 facilitators and 95 assessors representing over 40 countries at a workshop in Singapore as the last step in the global reassessment of corals
• 85 Atlantic coral species identified in earlier assessments were published on The IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM, 120 Indo-Pacific and 276 Acroporidae species were submitted for publication on this Red List
• 1 workshop to validate the Kenyan National Coral Reef Assessment for marine protected areas and 6 community events to disseminate the national and sub-national Red List of Ecosystems results, reaching over 700 community members
• 2 validation workshops in Tanzania (in Pemba and Mafia) with 75 attendees
• 1 expert panel discussion, “Ocean Science: Time to Explore!”, jointly organised by IUCN and MSC Foundation
SUPPORTING ASSESSMENTS OF CORAL SPECIES AND ECOSYSTEMS
The Foundation supported expert workshops in Singapore for a global assessment of coral species and in Kenya to validate a national coral ecosystem assessment.
IUCN AND MSC FOUNDATION HOST EXPERT PANEL AT MONACO OCEAN WEEK
On 21 March, the MSC Foundation and IUCN hosted the panel "Ocean Science: Time to Explore!" as part of Monaco Ocean Week, an annual international gathering of scientists, experts, NGOs and civil society representatives.
In opening remarks, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco emphasised the importance of public-private collaboration in advancing ocean science. He thanked the MSC Group and the MSC Foundation for their pioneering efforts.
Participants from left to right: Moderator Minna Epps, IUCN; Daniela Picco, MSC Foundation; Françoise Gaill, French National Centre for Scientific Research; Stewart Maginnis, IUCN; Patricia Ricard, Institut Océanographique Paul Ricard.
His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco
Validation workshop of the Kenyan National Coral Reef Assessment for marine protected areas.
The workshop involved government officials, institutions, and marine park managers.
In June, the MSC Foundation started a new partnership with NatureMetrics, a pioneering nature intelligence and environmental DNA specialist providing biodiversity monitoring and assessment.
NatureMetrics uses cutting-edge technology to analyse genetic material in environmental samples and provide comprehensive data on species' presence and diversity.
This innovative programme aims to collect comprehensive biodiversity data on marine species using the technique of eDNA sampling.
Through close collaboration with local stakeholders, marine non-governmental organisations and national governments, the data collected will provide up-to-date marine species assessments.
Collaboration is crucial in our quest to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity by the end of the decade. MSC’s pioneering work to collect and share biodiversity data will unlock nature insights that allow the conservation community to make informed decisions on marine conservation globally.
The time for decisive action is now, and with organisations like the MSC Foundation leading the way, we can create a world where businesses and nature can make meaningful progress in harmony.
DR KAT BRUCE Founder NatureMetrics
BIODIVERSITY MAPPING
CHALLENGES
Data-informed biodiversity conservation and restoration is vital for our oceans, health and prosperity.
Traditional biodiversity data collection methods are time-consuming, costly, potentially destructive and inaccurate
Better data is urgently needed to accelerate progress towards a nature-positive future and address global priorities such as biodiversity loss, climate mitigation, adaptation, and food security.
INITIATIVES
• NatureMetrics supported 3 MSC Cruises ships, MSC Euribia, MSC Preziosa, and MSC Poesia, to collect water samples in the North Atlantic, employing the technique of eDNA sampling. NatureMetrics analysed the samples to obtain comprehensive biodiversity data and record the marine wildlife present across these MSC Cruises routes.
• Publication of data on the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), accessible for free to scientists, policymakers, and conservationists for research and decision-making.
2023 RESULTS
• 131 eDNA aquatic kits used to collect samples from the seawater inlet pipe in engine rooms on 11 cruise routes
• eDNA technologies effectively applied to the cruise industry using existing teams and vessels
• 4,522 species detected and reported, including 17 on The IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM
• Data uploaded to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) website, which has half a million unique visitors a week and has supported nearly 400 peerreviewed research articles in 2023
CRUISE INDUSTRY MODEL FOR COLLABORATION
This collaboration between NatureMetrics, MSC Foundation and MSC Cruises was featured as a case study in the 2023 CLIA sustainability paper, “Charting the Future of Sustainable Cruise Travel,” which examines cruise industry efforts to make positive impacts for the long term.
This partnership is an example of cooperation to collect and make biodiversity data accessible free of charge, informing the research and decision-making of scientists, policymakers, conservationists and other stakeholders.
Screenshot of the eBioAtlas, NatureMetrics' global data platform.
MANGROVE FOREST RESTORATION
Focus areas:
• Marine Conservation
• Education
Programme: Mangrove Restoration
Partners:
• Earthna Center for a Sustainable Future
• Qatar University
• Qatar Foundation
The Qatar Foundation is a non-profit organisation focused on education, research and community development. The Earthna Center for a Sustainable Future (Earthna) is a non-profit policy research and advocacy centre established to promote a coordinated approach to environmental, social, and economic sustainability and future prosperity.
The collaborative restoration and research project includes Qatar’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, and Qatar University and seeks to demonstrate the importance of mangroves in conserving and restoring Qatar’s coastal environment.
Its educational component aims to prove the concept of “building with nature” as an effective response to sea-level rise. It pioneers a scalable approach that leverages the power of conserving, restoring, and nurturing three symbiotic coastal ecosystems – mangrove forests, seagrass, and coral.
Mangroves have a critical role to play in the protection of our coastlines, preservation of biodiversity and the fight against climate change, something which has been long recognised by the State of Qatar. Through this incredibly important work with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Qatar University and the MSC Foundation, we are delighted to be able to contribute towards securing the future of the country’s mangrove forests and the precious ecosystems that they support.
DR GONZALO CASTRO DE LA MATA
Executive Director Earthna Center for a Sustainable Future
DR GO Execut a Su
MANGROVE FOREST RESTORATION
CHALLENGES
Mangroves represent about 1% of tropical forests and 0.4% of all forests globally The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s global assessment of mangrove ecosystems estimates that more than 50% of all mangrove ecosystems are at risk of collapse by 2050 unless significant measures are taken.
Qatar's mangrove forest are threatened by infrastructure and industrial development, as well as climate change. Their protection and conservation require a thorough assessment.
INITIATIVES
• Restoration of 40 hectares of mangroves over 5 years, aiming to enhance ecosystem services, improve habitats for marine life reproduction, provide natural defences against sea-level rise, and demonstrate the concept of 'building with nature'.
• Research and studies: mapping for mangrove restoration on all of Qatar’s coasts, socio-economic impacts and relationships between eco-tourism and general residential development, and ecosystems in hot arid environments; patterns, processes and factors influencing connectivity in and between mangrove, seagrass and coral reef ecosystems.
2023 RESULTS
• 1 mangrove nursery set up with 20,000 seedlings
EXPECTED RESULTS
• 1 mangrove restoration initiative covering 40 hectares by 2028
• 1 literature review and compendium of international best practices in mangrove restoration and conservation
• 1 collaboration on MoECC mapping of mangrove habitats around Qatar's coastline
• 1 socioeconomic study on the potential benefits of ecotourism and environmental education initiatives
TOGETHER FOR CORAL REEFS
This partnership aims to further the scientific understanding of practices for the functional restoration of coral reefs, focusing on the Caribbean region and the Red Sea, where we are respectively involved in restoration efforts.
Developing a broader public understanding of this critical work and its relevance for all of our planet’s inhabitants is integral to this aim.
Focus area: Marine Conservation
Programme: Reef Revival Initiative
Partner: Ba’a Foundation
At the Ba’a Foundation, we firmly believe that addressing environmental challenges requires partnership and collective action.
We are fortunate to have formed strong relationships with like-minded organisations, and together, we have achieved significant milestones in our environmental efforts, especially those related to coral reefs.
We appreciate the unique perspectives and strengths the MSC Foundation brings to this collaboration, with our Coral Reefs book as a testament to enriched knowledge-sharing.
BA'A FOUNDATION
RED SEA SAUDI ARABIA
CHALLENGES
Coral reefs provide vital ecosystem services that support food security, coastal protection and local economies for millions of people globally but are now highly endangered and face unprecedented threats.
Red Sea coral species have tremendous conservation potential, being better able than many to tolerate harsh environmental conditions, including high temperatures and salinity.
INITIATIVES
• Raise global awareness of the Red Sea marine environment, focusing on coral restoration and sharing scientific knowledge.
• Fundraising and awareness-raising campaigns for cruise guests sailing on board on MSC Bellissima and MSC Splendida.
2023 RESULTS
Our book on Coral Reefs, jointly developed on the importance of coral, which will serve as an accessible resource for people of all backgrounds, ensuring that valuable insights about coral are readily available to those without specialist expertise or prior knowledge.
Meticulously crafted and graced with a preface by Dr Sylvia Earle, this full-colour book explores reef-building corals' biology, biodiversity and ecological significance. It is a tribute to their inherent beauty and a call to action in the face of global threats.
We support communities affected by poverty and inequality around the world, particularly those living by seas, oceans, and rivers, to fulfil their potential through health, education, self-empowerment and capacity-strengthening programmes and initiatives.
PARTNERSHIP GUIDED BY INNOVATION
Focus areas:
• Community Support
• Education
• Environmental Conservation Programmes:
• From Plastic Bricks to Classrooms
• Yoma
Partner: United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
AFRICA
CÔTE D'IVOIRE
UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, works worldwide to reach the most disadvantaged children and adolescents, saving children’s lives, defending their rights and helping them fulfil their potential.
Since 2009, MSC and UNICEF have partnered in initiatives across eight countries, profoundly impacting young lives.
Our leading programme, From Plastic Bricks to Classrooms, was launched in 2019 to strengthen children’s access to quality education, women’s livelihoods, and plastic waste recycling in Côte d’Ivoire.
In 2023, we began supporting Yoma, a digital platform powered by UNICEF, offering youths opportunities to develop skills, find jobs, and create positive social and environmental impact.
We are proud of the 13-year partnership with MSC, and it’s heartwarming to see that the Foundation’s support for UNICEF has gone beyond fundraising to raising awareness and visibility of UNICEF’s work. In the past year, the MSC Foundation has become a trusted partner for innovation in Côte d’Ivoire. Together, we have catalysed groundbreaking programmes that support children’s education and increase employment opportunities for young people. We look forward to continuing this strong partnership for many years to come.
BETTINA JUNKER, Executive Director UNICEF Switzerland and Liechtenstein
FROM PLASTIC BRICKS TO CLASSROOMS
CHALLENGES
23,8% of schools in the country lack classrooms and are incompletely furnished and equipped
Only 46% of primary schools in Côte d’Ivoire have access to all types of water points, and 50% have access to functioning toilets
Around 200,000 teachers, from preschool to secondary education, are the focus of the government’s capacity-building programs for teaching
INITIATIVE
• In 2023, the Foundation’s support focused on improving water, sanitation and hygienic conditions, equipping schools with educational materials, rehabilitating additional classrooms and training teachers under the National Program for the Improvement of Fundamental Learning.
2023 RESULTS*
• 33 classrooms and 5 Principals’ offices were rehabilitated
• 59 classrooms equipped with school materials
• 12,146 children in better learning conditions
• 2,815 teachers and pedagogical advisers trained under the National programme
• 5,000 school kits for children distributed
* Activities started in 2023, completed by March 2024.
TOTAL RESULTS (2019-2023)
• 112 classrooms built and 171 classrooms equipped
• 17,746 children in better learning conditions
• 616,000 Tons of plastic recycled
• 188 women waste collectors trained and became members of an association
• 2,815 teachers trained and 5,000 school kits for higher quality education
VOICES FROM CÔTE D’IVOIRE
I am very grateful that we finally have a school in our village. As the Parents' Association president, I had to request assistance from the community at certain moments during the construction. The community has been very supportive and involved in establishing these classrooms. The village's way of life will change because it is evident that this school will produce outstanding individuals. s ng
KODJANÉ ERNESTE
I have been teaching at this school since 2019. It must be said that I started my position here in dilapidated conditions. It is a relief to see these beautiful buildings being constructed, and even toilets are planned. This reinforces my desire to provide quality education to these children to help them succeed.
In the past, students were crammed into desks that were not spacious enough, hindering proper writing. Many children in the village did not attend school. Today, we have beautiful classrooms with books, desks, latrines for girls and boys, and blackboards. Our teachers have all the necessary equipment to teach. Now, when I come to school, my heart is filled with joy.
Teacher at the Djahakro school in southwest Côte d’Ivoire
HIEN KOKO JOSEPH Student at the public primary school in Gborodouo.
KONÉ SIAKA President of the Parents' Association at Tchèbakro school in southwest Côte d'Ivoire
THE YOMA PLATFORM FOR YOUTH
CHALLENGES
More than 35% of young people, 14 to 24 years old, are not in education, training or employment.
Young people, representing more than 30% of the population in Côte d’Ivoire, face precarious conditions in the labour market and have difficulties accessing paid employment.
Around 40% of the workforce is employed in the informal sector, with young people, 14 to 35 years old, facing a 4% unemployment rate, compared to 2.4% in the rest of the population.
INITIATIVES
• YOMA is a digital marketplace empowering young people to shape their professional trajectories, offering skills enhancement, profile building, and career advancement through employment or entrepreneurship.
• As part of YOMA, the MSC Foundation supported the 2023 edition of the International Eco-Week Forum for youth from French-speaking countries. The 4-day event aims to reinforce the capacities and engagement of the participants in this youth network.
2023 RESULTS - YOMA
• 380 young people received offline training on projects, business management, job searching techniques, youth engagement, and innovations in blue and green economies
• 47 young people, organised into 12 teams, developed and pitched innovative business ideas
• 5 projects , driven by young people, underwent a 6-month incubation program
• 165 young people participated in the international Eco-Week Forum
• 212 adolescents and young people actively engaged in community cleanliness, reforestation, and awareness-raising on sustainable development
A VOICE FROM CÔTE D’IVOIRE
The “Sentiers Verts” or “Green Paths” initiative of the Green Ivory Association, supported by UNICEF and the MSC Foundation as part of Yoma, allowed 60 young Ivorian eco-entrepreneurs to present their projects for seed funding.
Aude Maïmouna Yoboué, 19 years old, embodies the hope and determination of young people to create a better world. In 2013, she was confronted with the heartbreaking reality of her uncle, forced to live in an Abidjan slum made up of makeshift houses. This place was constantly exposed to fl ooding, with disastrous environmental consequences, as it was in a storm basin.
« My uncle didn’t have any money. He lived in wooden houses, but he was happy in spite of it all. I felt the need to find a way to improve his living conditions, as he had no home and no job. »
With her friends, she presented their EcoBuilding project as an innovative response to plastic pollution and the housing crisis affecting the most disadvantaged. By transforming plastic waste into building materials, she offers hope to those in need while helping to reduce plastic pollution.
EcoBuilding was awarded second place and prize money of 4 million CFA francs. Today, Aude’s commitment enabled her to find a job, create jobs for other young people, recycle plastic waste and, above all, fight poverty.
Her story is a powerful message: every individual, whatever their age, has the power to change the world.
AUDE MAÏMOUNA Yoboué
LIFE-CHANGING HOSPITAL SHIPS
Focus area: Community Support
Programme: Ships of Hope
Partner: Mercy Ships
For over 30 years, Mercy Ships has operated floating hospital ships to bolster local health systems in sub-Saharan Africa, providing free surgeries that have transformed and saved thousands of lives.
In 2023, the MSC Foundation and MSC Group supported Mercy Ships for the 12th consecutive year.
Offering container shipping, maritime expertise, transportation, and logistics, we supported life-saving medical services and surgeries for patients from Senegal, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia.
This partnership also contributes to Mercy Ships’ capacity strengthening of local healthcare systems through sustainably designed surgical education, training, and advocacy programmes.
MSC and MSC Foundation continue to be faithful partners with our work in Africa. We’ve seen hundreds of patients and thousands of people receive world-class surgical care for free. We are humbled and amazed with this support. It could not be achieved without the global logistical support of MSC.
DON STEPHENS Founder of Mercy Ships STEPHEN Founder of M
SHIPS OF HOPE
CHALLENGES
More than 18 million people die due to lack of surgical care every year in Africa, which has the fewest surgeons per capita, with an estimated 0.5 surgeons per 100,000 population.
Around 90% of people in sub-Saharan Africa lack access to safe, timely and affordable surgical care
About 26.3 million people in Africa have a form of visual impairment. Of these, 20.4 million have low vision and 5.9 million are estimated to be blind. About 15.3% of the world’s blind population resides in Africa
Burns, although preventable, continue to result in significant mortality, with more than 90% of burn injuries occurring in low- and middle-income countries, two-thirds of which are in Africa
INITIATIVES
• Our donations of ocean transport and inland logistical support are critical in delivering food and medical supplies to Mercy Ships International’s hospital ships, the Global Mercy and Africa Mercy.
• We provide ocean transportation of containers and in-land logistic support, including port storage, local charges, customs duties, insurance, and inland transportation costs.
• The Foundation and the MSC Group also facilitated the negotiation of a new joint endeavour and committed to making a significant donation to Mercy Ships to kick start the building of a new hospital ship, the sister ship of the Global Mercy, in 2024.
2023
RESULTS
• 6,114 Patients
• 3,647 Surgeries
• 13,207 Dental procedures
• 1,634 Medical professionals and community leaders trained
• 127 Containers transported free of charge
TOTAL RESULTS (2011-2023)
• 31,979 Patients
• 31,768 Surgeries
• 240,771 Dental procedures
• 18,005 Medical professionals and community leaders trained
• 703 Containers transported free of charge
A VOICE FROM SIERRA LEONE
Nassery enjoyed her life in the countryside with her parents, but nine years ago, that simple life was shattered.
A fire left her with painful burn scars that kept her right arm in an awkward position and left her unable to use her hand entirely.
Her family knew that without surgical care, Nassery would never be able to heal fully. So, they made a plan.
Years before, her Aunt Salamatu had seen a neighbour who had their hand healed on board a hospital ship in her country’s capital. Salamatu decided to bring Nassery to live with her in Freetown, eagerly awaiting the ship’s return.
When the Global Mercy sailed to Sierra Leone, Nassery was the second patient on board!
Surgery helped to release the painful scarring that left her arm immobile, and after recovery on board, Nassery can now embrace her future and her dream of one day becoming a lawyer with renewed hope.
“Sometimes, I even ask myself if I’m in a dream,” she shared. “But I know I’m not dreaming. It’s reality!”
NASERRY
Sierra Leone
NYC LOCAL AND GLOBAL COMMUNITIES
Focus areas:
• Community Support
• Environmental Conservation Programmes:
• Junior Ambassadors
• ParksGreenThumb
Partners:
• The Mayor’s Fund to Advance NYC
• NYC Mayor’s Office for International Affairs
• NYC Department of Parks and Recreation
The Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City is a non-profit organisation that works with City agencies and offices, institutional funders and community-based partners to improve the lives of New Yorkers.
The MSC Foundation supported the NYC Junior Ambassadors programme for 7th, 8th, and 9th graders and teachers in underserved communities across the five boroughs of New York City. The program connects these youth with United Nations officials and Ambassadors to exchange knowledge, skills, and global perspectives on some pressing issues on the UN’s international agenda, such as climate change, poverty reduction, and health.
The Foundation also supports the NYC GreenThumb Garden programme to provide resources, technical assistance, workshops, and other social initiatives in 7 South Brooklyn communities to improve air quality, preserve biodiversity, and support their residents’ health, well-being and social connections.
NYC Junior Ambassadors have developed lifelong skills, transforming into global citizens within their own communities.
By embracing Sustainable Development Goals like Gender Equity, Responsible Consumption and Production, and Sustainable Cities and Communities, they’ve gained the knowledge and skills necessary to enrich their educational experiences and uplift their neighbourhoods. We are grateful to Mayor Eric Adams for his visionary leadership in fostering a generation of lifelong learners and global citizens
EDWARD MERMELSTEIN Commissioner of NYC Mayor’s Office for International Affairs
NYC JUNIOR AMBASSADORS
CHALLENGES
Youth in middle school and early high school are especially at a critical time in their personal and intellectual growth to develop habits and social behaviours that lay the foundation for adulthood.
The success of the sustainable development goals depends on young change-makers.
72,8 % of students attending city schools in New York are economically disadvantaged.
INITIATIVES
• The NYCJA programme runs annually for six months, empowering 7th, 8th, and 9th graders with global perspectives while developing their knowledge and soft skills through practical actions in the context of the UN’s mission, values and work, catalysed by contact with leaders.
• The MSC Foundation aims to help expand the NYCJA programme to reach nearly 1,200 7th, 8th, and 9th graders and educators in New York City in the past two years.
2023 RESULTS – JUNIOR AMBASSADORS
• 20 classes in 20 schools participated
• 670 students and 41 teachers participated
• 20 classes supported with $500 each to develop community-led initiatives
• 16 Ambassadors met with NYC Junior Ambassadors in their communities
• 60+ UN officials engaged with the students
VOICES FROM NEW YORK CITY
Our school has previously participated in the program, and we have seen firsthand how the program inspires students to find their voices and take on leadership roles.
Every student ends the program changed by their experience in a positive way and leaves middle school inspired to actively participate in important discussions and take on roles to help their communities and others. Several continue the work they started in high school, which highlights the impact this program has had on them.
STEVEN TELANO Teacher at Liberty Avenue Middle School (Brooklyn)
Junior Ambassadors visit officials at the UN Secretariat in New York City.
NYC PARKS GREENTHUMB
CHALLENGES
Many people, especially in low-income communities in New York, have limited access to green spaces.
Urban areas are experiencing the effects of climate change, including very high heat events and flooding.
GreenThumb community gardens in South Brooklyn create spaces to build social nets and preserve the local environment, but they need repair and investment.
Community-led green spaces lack funding for logistics and equipment.
INITIATIVE
• GreenThumb empowers community garden groups by providing materials, technical assistance, and educational workshops, promoting health, resilience, and social connections through gardening and community activities for all ages and demographics. MSC Foundation supplies resources to support seven community gardens.
2023 RESULTS
• 7 NYC Parks GreenThumb community gardens embellished and strengthened in South Brooklyn
• 264 gardeners and their families supported
NYC PARKS GREENTHUMB
The generous grant from MSC Foundation that allowed Bartlett Tree Services to prune and remove trees from the Human Compass Garden has made a tremendous difference in the garden’s appearance.
The garden now has much-needed sunlight and appears more open and inviting. The removal of several trees that were infested with invasive spotted lanternflies has allowed the healthy trees and shrubs to thrive.
We were able to recycle the trees and put the woodchips in the garden. The Human Compass Garden is so appreciative of this contribution.
member
LAUNA BEUHLER Human Compass Garden
Monitoring visit to supported community gardens in South Brooklyn with the community garden leaders.
EDUCATION
Anchored in the transformative power of education, we support environmental and marine conservation education activities in primary and middle schools, vocational training in Nautical Institutes and leadership development for young adults.
MSC has partnered closely with the Italian marine conservation NGO Marevivo since 2015, supporting its educational programmes for children and youths of all ages across the Mediterranean to raise awareness of marine biodiversity, sustainable development and conservation of marine protected areas.
The MSC Foundation supports two programmes: Guardian Dolphins of the Island for primary school children, principally on Italy’s minor islands, and Nauticinblu for students at the country’s Nautical Institute state secondary schools.
Marevivo offers the most extensive marine conservation courses in Italy and expanded Nauticinblu to Spain in 2023.
Since 1985, education has really been the lighthouse that guided us through all our battles. We are convinced that we can only protect what we know and understand. For this reason, the partnership with MSC Foundation is crucial to us because it helps to spread the message of the importance of protecting the environment and the sea to many young people. Educate to respect: this is our common mission.
ROSALBA GIUGNI Founder and President of Marevivo
ROS RO AL A Fou o nde e Mare
GUARDIAN DOLPHINS OF THE ISLANDS
CHALLENGES
229,000 tons of plastic leak into the Mediterranean Sea yearly, equivalent to over 500 shipping containers daily. It concentrates 7% of all global microplastics.
134 species in the Mediterranean are victims of plastic ingestion, and 51% of its native fish species are in danger of extinction, with 4% listed as near threatened.
With 34,000 tons/year, Italy has one of the highest plastic leakage rates in the Mediterranean Sea.
Only 57% of Italian elementary school students possess scientific knowledge about ocean issues due to a lack of ocean literacy topics in national curricula.
INITIATIVES
• Guardian Dolphins is an educational programme for primary school children aged between 8 and 10, delivered annually in schools on 11 of Italy’s minor islands and the town of Milazzo in Sicily.
• Combining multidisciplinary lessons on natural resources and their responsible use with experimental learning and outdoor activities, the programme complements the school curriculum.
• Over the school year, the students and teachers, guided by our expert operators, engage in four workshops and four scheduled activities, most of which occur outdoors or in the Blue Corner, a specially designed teaching station equipped with multimedia materials for environmental education.
2023 RESULTS
• 1,456 Guardian Dolphins of the Islands
• 229 Teachers involved
• 5,000 Family members involved
• 11 Islands
• 1 Town
• 27 Schools
• 107 Classes
• 2 Blue Corners installed
TOTAL RESULTS 2015-2023
• 7,316 Guardian Dolphins of the Islands
• 791 Teachers involved
• 39,913 Family members involved
• 11 Islands
• 1 Town
• 27 Schools
• 452 Classes
• 26 Blue Corners installed
Professor
I’m in the eighth grade, and when we went to the beach for the Guardian Dolphins project, we found a lot of waste. We found paper, plastic bottles, bags and cans, but what struck me most was that there were tyres and rubber tubes. We must understand that we can’t throw things into the sea and cause the death of fish and marine animals because they, too, are living beings, and they are fundamental to the environment. When I go out on a boat with my father, I always collect all the plastic waste we find in the sea, especially to protect the turtles from the risk of ingesting it.
A gh School
“Antonino Rallo” - Favignana
Antonino School -
One of our m is co methodolo with the opera
For us, this is a an extraordina
One of our main objectives at the Antonino Rallo Institute in Favignana is to raise children’s awareness of environmental conservation. The outdoor activities in nature, the methodologies used, and the debates developed in class with the operators received extremely positive feedback from the students and their families. For us, this is an opportunity that motivates the community in an extraordinary way, which I believe is a strong added value to the project.
GABRIELE PONZIO
Student at the Antonino Rallo High School - Favignana
LINDA GUARINO
at the High School
NAUTICINBLU
CHALLENGES
Despite sharing a vast coastline and maritime history, many European citizens are not aware of the importance of the ocean and the opportunities it offers.
In most EU countries, less than 20% of vocational training programmes include significant environmental topics, with less than 10% of total training hours devoted to these subjects.
Nautical Institute students are often unaware of the “blue jobs” opportunities in environmental conservation.
INITIATIVES
• Nauticinblu is a training programme for students in nautical institute secondary schools aged between 15 and 17. It is designed to equip them with the necessary tools to navigate the ongoing ecological transition and sustainably manage the planet.
• The 4-day programme alternates indoor lessons with outdoor educational activities, providing the students and their teachers with information on marine biodiversity, ocean ecosystem services, the circular economy and energy transition, national and international maritime regulations, and emerging “blue jobs”.
• The project engaged 13 Nautical Institute in Italy and 1 in Spain for the first year. For 2023 - 2024, the project will expand to Portugal and Greece.
2023 RESULTS
• 1,111 Nautical Institute students (1,018 in Italy and 93 in Spain)
• 83 Teachers & Managers involved (77 in Italy and 6 in Spain)
• 14 Cities, 14 schools (13 in Italy and one in Spain)
• 53 Classes (50 in Italy and 3 in Spain)
• 10 Beaches cleaned
• 960 kg of waste collected
TOTAL RESULTS (2017-2023)
• 4,297 Nautical Institute students (4,202 in Italy and 93 in Spain)
• 348 Teachers & Managers Involved (342 in Italy and 6 in Spain)
• 14 Cities, 14 schools (13 in Italy and one in Spain)
• 213 Classes (210 in Italy and 3 in Spain)
The collaboration with Marevivo on the “Nauticinblu” project was very effective and important because it allowed us, as teachers, to introduce important topics such as the circular economy and sustainable development to our students. We analysed the topics of the environment and the sea from a perspective we normally don’t have the opportunity to. This is particularly significant at Nautical Institutes where future sea operators are educated and trained.
DAV Teac Gior Instit and expe
Participating in the “Nauticinblu” project was an interesting experience because I learned about marine habitats and the threats to which the sea is exposed. I understood how important our behaviour can be in reducing our impact on the planet and safeguarding its balance and biodiversity.
Th pos ORE nci" o
The meeting with young educators from Marevivo was very positive. I learned a lot about my future profession during the visit to the MSC World Europa ship.
DAVIDE PAVINO Teacher at the San Giorgio Nautical Institutes - Genoa and Camogli
NICOLE SALVADORE Student at the "Leonardo Da Vinci" Nautical Institute - Milazzo
YOUTH BUILDING A BRIGHTER FUTURE
EUROPE
Focus areas:
• Education
• Environmental Conservation Programme: Pangaea X
Partner: Horn Foundation
20232025 2023
MSC started a new partnership with the Horn Foundation, led by the renowned explorer Mike Horn, to support awareness-raising of pressing environmental and social challenges.
The MSC Foundation sponsored the 2nd edition of Pangaea X and participated as a jury member in this unique programme, which assists young change-makers in developing projects to tackle environmental challenges in their communities.
Throughout the six-month initiative, participants aged 18 to 30 delve into essential themes for the future of our planet, including biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, innovative concepts, and sustainable development strategies.
As an explorer, I’ve witnessed firsthand the urgent environmental challenges facing our planet. With the support of the MSC Foundation in the Pangaea X program, we are empowering the next generation. We aim to equip them with innovative solutions to tackle these global issues, inspiring them to pursue sustainable paths and make a lasting impact.
Professional Explorer
MIKE HORN Professional
PANGAEA X
CHALLENGES
Youth knowledge of the SDGs is limited in many regions because they are not included in formal curricula. As a result, many young people may graduate without a comprehensive understanding of climate issues or the sustainable development agenda.
There is a gap in the assistance from governmental and education institutions to address the lack of support for young people for developing impact projects. The critical needs include mentorship and guidance to help youth develop impactful solutions.
Youth-led innovation is under-resourced and overlooked despite young people’s unique talents, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit.
INITIATIVES
• Pangaea X targets young adults aged between 18 and 30 who are passionate about environmental conservation and social change. This group includes students, early-career professionals, and young entrepreneurs seeking to develop and implement innovative solutions to environmental challenges that can contribute to achieving the SDGs.
• Pangaea X is designed to guide and support young adults in developing their environmental projects. Through mentorship, networking opportunities, and financial support.
• This 6-month intensive incubation programme equips participants with the tools, knowledge, and support needed for professional and personal growth, aiming to turn bold ideas into practical and viable solutions.
2023 RESULTS
• 100 young people participated in kick-off event SDGs
• 20 youth projects submitted to the programme
• 33 young participants from 6 European countries took part in the program, including a one-week intensive workshop and 3 online day sessions
• 5 impact projects taken forward by the participants
• 3 projects received awards from the Pangaea X programme
• 1 winning team, Izalgue, won a prize of €20,000 and three months of incubation for their project on developing insulation material made of invasive algae
Pangaea X has ignited my passion for environmental action! For anyone deeply committed, Pangaea X offers the perfect path to achieve meaningful environmental goals.
Engaging with Pangaea X is like forming a profound bond —where your dedication to environmental stewardship is met with unwavering support. This programme propels us towards our ambitions and centralises the importance of nurturing and protecting our planet.
Participating in Pangaea X has completely transformed my life! This program turned my dream of launching a signi environmental project into reality, far surpassing my expectations.
The support and resources at Pangaea X fueled our team’s project to make a real-world impact and propelled my personal development to new heights. I’ve grown immensely, gaining new skills and a deeper commitment to environmental conservation.
ed my nificant am’s y ensely, he
I am profoundly grateful for this inspiring journey and the positive change we’ve been able to drive.
UGO ROMBACH
Nemo Team Pangaea X 2023
ROMBA Pangaea X 2
JEANNE D’ARCIMOLES
JEANN D’ARC
IzalgueTeam
Winner Pangaea X
Izalgu Winne 2023
Leveraging the MSC Group’s global reach and the capabilities of its Cargo Division in particular, we support emergency responses in disaster situations. We work with international and local partners to rapidly collect and transport food and other essential items for the most vulnerable affected populations.
HELPING SAVE AND REBUILD LIVES
2023 RESULTS
• 8 Emergencies in 8 Countries
• 14 Emergency relief operations
• 847,000 People assisted
• 17 Beneficiary organisations
• 1,200 Emergency relief items donated
• 146 Containers leased and transported free of charge
• 12 Containers donated
20232024 2023
In 2023, we supported emergency responses in the aftermath of earthquakes, floods, cyclones, wildfires, and record-cold temperatures. We also continued to support the delivery of humanitarian aid to refugees and other people affected by the conflict in Ukraine.
The MSC Group's worldwide reach and cargo transportation agility propelled us to act rapidly in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America, working with leading international partners and local organisations.
When a devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Türkiye and Syria, the MSC Foundation and MSC Group, within hours of the disaster, demonstrated their unwavering determination to aid survivors, initiating multiple operations.
With our global network of offices, partners and community links in over 155 countries, we are uniquely positioned and committed to supporting humanitarian responses for people in urgent need. Our immediate mobilisation and fast actions to ready MSC Aurelia to sail from Italy with emergency items and accommodate earthquake survivors in Türkiye are a testament to our capabilities.
DIEGO APONTE MSC Group President D M
EARTHQUAKE IN TÜRKIYE AND SYRIA
CHALLENGES
A 7.8-magnitude earthquake affected 24 million people in Türkiye and Syria, leaving 18 million in need of food, water, and shelter.
In Türkiye, 15 million were affected, with 51,000 deaths and 107,000 injuries.
In Syria, 9 million were affected, with 6,000 deaths and 11,000 injuries.
INITIATIVES
• The MSC Foundation and MSC Group promptly mobilised resources to aid earthquake survivors in both countries through multiple humanitarian operations.
• Coordinated with local organisations to collect essential relief items and equipped the MSC Aurelia to transport them from Naples to Iskenderun, Türkiye and to provide accommodation for three months.
• Supported the UN Refugee Agency and other international emergency responses with in-kind donations of transportation.
• The totality of MSC actions, valued at CHF 3,640,000 included direct assistance, support for international aid and fundraising.
RESULTS
MSC Aurelia and Other Direct Assistance
• Collective Action with MSC Offices, Partners and Organisations, including the office of His Holiness the Pope, to transport over 60 pallets of donated medical supplies and core relief items on MSC Aurelia from Naples to Iskenderun
• MSC Aurelia brought aid for 60,000 people and housed 1,700 individuals over 3 months
• Converted containers into accommodation for 300 employees and their families
Support for International Aid
• Free transportation of 101 containers to UNHCR, delivering 440,000 relief items to 270,000 survivors in Syria and Türkiye
• Free transportation of 21 tons of aid from Croce Gialla di Parma to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent in Latakia, benefiting 10,000 survivors
• Free transportation of 18 tons of emergency relief from International Hilfe für Arme in Vienna to the Disaster Management Ministry AFAD in Turkey, supported by the Turkish Embassy in Vienna, benefiting 10,000 survivors
• The International Committee of the Red Cross distributed funds to National Red Crescent to aid 800 Turkish families with winter supplies and provide medicines for 500 people in Syrian clinics
Global Fundraising Campaign
• Raised CHF 205,000 from 1,150 MSC employees in 34 countries
FIRST DAYS OF MSC EARTHQUAKE RESPONSES
7.8 Magnitude earthquake strikes Türkiye and Syria in 2023
MSC Türkiye sets up temporary accommodation for 300 MSC employees and their families
MSC Aurelia sets sail from Naples loaded with medical and relief items donated by local organisations
MSC Foundation launches a global fundraising campaign across the MSC Group
MSC Foundation donates free transportation of 101 containers to the UN Refugee Agency international response
MSC Aurelia arrives at Iskenderun, Türkiye, delivering aid for 60,000 people and staying in port to accommodate another 1,700 on board
We are wholeheartedly close to the children and families affected by this immense tragedy. I am deeply grateful to the MSC Foundation for this important and valuable synergy, allowing us to further help the earthquake victims. In emergencies, it is always very important to identify the most urgent needs right away and develop targeted and timely action.
MARIAVITTORIA RAVA President of the Francesca Rava Foundation
RAPID RESPONSES WITH GLOBAL AND LOCAL PARTNERS
In 2023, the MSC Foundation supported international and local assistance measures in 8 countries across 4 continents, mainly in the aftermath of natural disasters. In total, we helped get humanitarian aid to 847,000 people affected by disasters and refugees from the conflict in Ukraine
We donated in-kind free cargo transportation in 146 containers – to leading international and national responders. We coordinated with local partners and a range of authorities across borders to transport critical medical and relief items. 12 donated containers were converted into housing for families and classrooms for children to help with recovery from the devastation.
In Italy, the Foundation donated €150,000 to the regional authorities of Emilia Romagna to bolster responses to devastating floods that hit the region in May, killing 15 people and displacing 50.000 others. We also supported Caritas Naples by donating duvets, bed sheets, bathrobes and towels to assist 260 people who took refuge in churches from the extreme cold temperatures in February.
Near yearend, the Foundation partnered with the Swiss humanitarian organisation MEDAIR to implement an eight-month initiative to get safe drinking water to 5,000 inhabitants affected by conflict in Eastern Ukraine
After Cyclone Freddy impacted Mozambique, Madagascar, and Malawi in February, the MSC Foundation helped move 1,200 family tents in 4 containers from a UNHCR warehouse in Colombia to Malawi, providing critical shelter for about 6,000 people
When floods hit South Africa in late August, we donated 2 containers to the Imibala Trust for conversion into classrooms in Cape Town at the Tereo School for street children and other at-risk youth, helping to keep kids in their programmes during the emergency and recovery periods.
After a series of wildfires in Lahaina, Hawaii in early August, the Foundation donated 8 containers for conversion into classrooms by the non-profit organisation Hui O Wa’a Kaulua, enabling it to keep its education programmes running.
After Hurricane Otis made landfall near Acapulco, Mexico, in October, the MSC Foundation acted rapidly to donate to the Municipality of Ensenada free leasing of 10 containers for two months and free transportation to relief items destined for the most vulnerable affected populations.
Floods, storms, earthquakes, wildfires and other disasters triggered 26.4 million displacements in 2023, the third highest annual total in the past ten years. The 7.7 million IDPs at the end of 2023 displaced by disasters is the second most since IDMC began recording this metric in 2019. Climate change is making some hazards more frequent and intense, such as cyclone Mocha in the Indian Ocean, Hurricane Otis in Mexico, storm Daniel in the Mediterranean and wildfires in Canada and Greece last summer.
2023 Global Report on Internal Displacement, IDMC - Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
Support for the UNHCR earthquake response in Türkiye.
UNHCR: OUR TOP EMERGENCY RESPONSE PARTNER
UNHCR was the Foundation’s top emergency response partner for the second year. The UN Refugee Agency also continued relying on our 2022 in-kind contributions to assist 413,000 refugees and internally displaced persons from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine
We also supported UNHCR in aiding earthquake survivors in Syria and Türkiye with free transportation of 101 containers, delivering 440,000 relief items to about 268,000 people.
Additionally, we provided free transport of four containers with 1,200 family tents for 6,000 Hurricane Freddy survivors in Malawi
In December, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, met with Captain Gianluigi Aponte in Geneva to acknowledge this impactful collaboration.
I wish to express my appreciation for the MSC Foundation’s contributions in support of the work of UNHCR.
This generosity and your unwavering commitment have had a significant impact on the lives of those affected by the earthquakes in the Syrian Arabic Republic and Türkiye and the cyclone that struck Malawi and Mozambique earlier this year. The pivotal role played by the MSC Foundation in facilitating the freight transport and distribution of essential relief items has been critical.
The prompt and efficient logistical assistance provided enabled us to reach vulnerable communities with urgently needed humanitarian aid, amidst the most challenging circumstances.
GRANDI
UN High Commissioner for Refugees
Hig for Ref
FILIPPO
MSC FOUNDATION TRANSPORTATION OF 101 CONTAINERS TO TÜRKIYE AND SYRIA
The MSC Foundation's support to UNHCR with free shipments to Aleppo, Damascus, Tartous, and Gaziantep helped survivors get tents, thermal blankets, solar lamps, and kitchen sets, enabling them to meet some of their most basic needs during this critical time.
It was like a bad dream, as if the house was made of salt, it crumbled like a biscuit would. We were sure we were going to die… We lost everything.
LUBANA AND FAYEZ in Latakia Province, Syria
Support for the UNHCR earthquake response in Türkiye.
GLOBAL REACH THROUGH LOCAL INITIATIVES
2023 RESULTS
• 105,000 People reached
• 13 Countries
• 15 Local initiatives
• 18 Beneficiary organisations
• 4 Monetary donations, 11 in-kind
• 21 Containers donated
• 9 Containers transported free of charge
MADAGASCAR ZIMBABWE
MALAWI BURKINA FASO
COSTA RICA CAMBODIA SRI LANKA
Local communities are central to our mission. Collaborating with MSC Group colleagues globally, we support local initiatives across our four focus areas
Through monetary contributions, in-kind container donations, free ocean shipping, inland logistics, and technical advice, we strengthen local organisations and institutions to make a difference in their communities.
Our donated containers have been repurposed to expand a Marine Conservation Centre in the Dominican Republic, build libraries in Burkina Faso, and improve a children's playground in the Netherlands
Committed to preserving the cultural, artistic, and historical heritage of Genoa in Italy, we made a significant monetary contribution to restore the Gothic main façade of the San Lorenzo Cathedral, completed in July. By providing donated containers, technical advice, and free transportation of solar panels to our partner ERG, we assisted four Italian NGOs working in Italy, Malawi, and Madagascar to help communities progress towards energy self-sufficiency.
In El Salvador, we donated 5 containers to the World Food Programme in 2022 for the Kitchen-in-a-Box initiative, providing safe kitchens to enhance school meal programmes. In 2022 and 2023, 8 containers were converted into semi-mobile school kitchens, serving 42,944 meals for 3,131 students.
In the Dominican Republic, our donation of used containers expanded a Marine Innovation Center, where new coral restoration techniques and technologies are being piloted.
In Cambodia, the Foundation provided a monetary donation to the Somnang Association for a day centre for children in Phnom Penh. In Sri Lanka, our donation of free transportation ensured that 157 intensive care unit hospital beds were delivered to the Ministry of Health.
In Africa, the MSC Foundation also focused on initiatives related to children’s education and welfare and renewable energy in Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso, Malawi, and Madagascar and the ERG initiative mentioned earlier. This included donating a container and transportation of educational materials for an orphanage in Harare
Solar panels installed at St. Joseph School in Madagascar.Children at the Somnang Day Centre in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
LOCALLY POWERED, GLOBALLY SUPPORTED
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION IN COSTA RICA
The MSC Foundation contributed its technical advice for a third year in this collaboration with MSC and MEDLOG Costa Rica on the "Together for the Turtles" initiative run by the NGO Ecology Project International.
In 2023, this project supported 104 students, 10 teachers and 4 schools to learn through monitoring visits to the Pacuare Reserve and develop projects addressing local environmental challenges with the support of 30 mentors and evaluators from 4 countries.
UNIVERSITY EDUCATION IN SPAIN
Since 2022, the MSC Foundation and MSC Cruises have supported, through a monetary donation, an annual Award for ‘Best Tourism Final Degree Project’ at the Complutense University of Madrid.
This ongoing five-year initiative offers a cash prize of €3,000 and an internship opportunity at MSC Cruises to the winner.
"Together for the Turtles" - COSTA RICA
"Together for the Turtles" - COSTA RICA
DISASTER RECOVERY IN PAKISTAN
In 2022, Pakistan faced some of the worst nationwide floods in its history, causing devastation and severe damage to infrastructure. With the technical advice of the MSC Foundation, MSC Pakistan selected and funded a project proposal to support recovery from this disaster in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Implemented by LASOONA, a renowned local NGO, this initiative repaired 15 communal and public water systems, reconstructed 10 schools with water and sanitation facilities, and carried out an education and awareness-raising campaign on hygiene and sanitation that benefitted 15,600 disaster-affected people.
Education and awareness-raising on hygiene and sanitation - Pakistan.
LOCAL ACTIONS, GLOBAL GOOD
PARTNERING IN SWITZERLAND FOR BURKINA FASO
Part of the Payot bookstores’ “Partager Lire” or “Sharing Reading” initiative, our donation of 4 used containers and free ocean transportation enabled the distribution of 160,000 books and educational materials to 70 schools in hard-to-reach areas in Burkina Faso. With the planned conversion of the containers into libraries, this initiative benefits about 45,000 people.
I knew there was a great lack of books in schools in Burkina Faso, but I could never have imagined how severe it was. In a school with four classrooms and over 100 students per class, the teachers explained that they only had one dictionary for the entire school. The books were distributed among more than 70 schools, and the containers were transformed into libraries, impacting more than 45,000 people.
DR ISABELLE CHEVALLEY President, Association Isabelle Chevalley EVALLEY sociation hevalley
COMMUNITY SUPPORT IN SWITZERLAND
For a fourth consecutive year, the Foundation participated in the December Geneva Red Cross “Christmas Baskets” initiative, which reached 8,600 people in need,including 4,436 children.Through this “Festive Smiles” initiative, we collected among MSC Geneva employees 394 gifts for children. We donated 140 volunteer hours to wrap and distribute them to vulnerable families in the Geneva area.
For the first time this year, the Foundation organised two “Ready to Donate” campaigns to collect quality goods for the Red Cross. MSC employees donated more than 800 kg of clothes, shoes and accessories for the popular second-hand Vêt’Shops, the proceeds of which support Red Cross initiatives.
Our Christmas Baskets initiative for families in need across Geneva owes its success to all the partners who mobilise to help us. This marks the fourth year of collaboration with the MSC Foundation, and we are deeply grateful for their continued support and the involvement of MSC Group employees who donated their gifts and time to help wrap and distribute them.
MARTA REVELLI Sustainability Analyst, MSC Cruises Headquarters
While volunteering, I noticed many people were very grateful for the help. It made me realise that even in the affluent Geneva canton, many are in need. This experience was eye-opening, and I will definitely participate again.
BENJAMIN LACHAT Geneva Red Cross
OUR WORK ON THE WAVES
Our work on the waves informs millions of cruise guests about the Foundation's passionate commitment to our Blue Planet, its ecosystems and inhabitants.
Leveraging the global reach of the Cruise division, we partner closely with MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys to raise awareness and inspire understanding across the generations.
We strive to address urgent needs, but our message is always a message of hope: together, we can support concrete actions to build a future in which the oceans thrive and humanity flourishes.
RISING TO THE CHALLENGE TOGETHER
The MSC Foundation's onboard awareness-raising and fundraising have become a cornerstone of our work, inspired by the incredible generosity and enthusiastic feedback of MSC Cruises guests. These unique activities allow millions of guests to connect with and donate to programmes that are making a tangible difference, knowing that their donation will be matched by the MSC Group
The impact has been extraordinary, with thousands of lives saved, new educational experiences for disadvantaged children, and communities worldwide rebuilding from disaster.
Over the last five years, the Foundation has clearly mapped its four focus areas of environmental conservation, education, community support and emergency relief, strengthening the communications with which we share our passion and all partners' expertise with MSC Cruises guests – more than 4.1 million voyagers representing 180 nationalities in 2023
This work on the waves fosters a culture of giving and awareness that extends well beyond each cruise.
MSC CRUISES: MSC FOUNDATION CENTRES
A growing number of ships across the MSC Cruises fleet feature a dedicated MSC Foundation Centre. Welcoming guests of all ages into an informal lounge environment with a large LED screen, each Centre transforms the MSC Foundation from a name into a personal experience.
We opened our 6th Centre on MSC Euribia in 2023, complemented by two additional touchpoints: an MSC Foundation Hallway with informative screens and an MSC Foundation Lab
Inaugurated on World Oceans Day, the Lab is beautifully designed as an aquarium where children can play and learn about coral reefs and environmental stewardship. Here, we launched two new interactive learning activities for children and teenagers: “A Sustainable Future for Our Next Generations“, developed in partnership with UN Tourism, and the “Super Coral Discovery“
These new initiatives build further on our commitment to educating and inspiring the next generation of environmental champions.
The Foundation likewise has an elegant hub on Explora I, where guests can learn about the MSC Foundation’s programmes and activities through digital tablets and engaging multimedia content.
MSC FOUNDATION DAY: OCEAN CARE FOR OUR YOUNGER GENERATIONS
Every MSC Cruises voyage features an MSC Foundation Day dedicated to fostering environmental awareness in our young guests.
In 2023, 90,000 children and youths took part in the Foundation’s activities. For a whole day, these young participants engaged in a wide variety of fun activities that taught them about environmental conservation and the wonders of our beautiful planet. Ranging from drawing and family games to video quizzes and more, the activities were developed with our Super Coral Programme experts and long-term partners Marevivo and UNICEF.
MSC Foundation Day ends with an unforgettable parade in which every participant is awarded a certificate as a memento of their educational experience. This high-energy initiative educates and inspires our next generation to care for our oceans and planet.
MSC FOUNDATION REPRESENTATIVES
Our work at sea is brought to life by the passion and dedication of our six MSC Foundation Representatives on board, each fully trained to engage and inform guests about the Foundation's vision, mission and programmes.
In 2023, our Representatives participated in a UNICEF joint visit to Côte d’Ivoire, where they observed first-hand the impacts of the programme “From Plastic Bricks to Classrooms“. Meeting with teachers, children, and parents, they gained valuable insights into the programme’s many benefits.
The experience equipped them to more effectively raise awareness, lead activities and connect meaningfully with guests on board.
I’m thrilled by the high level of interest and support shown by MSC Cruises guests for our work. Their enthusiasm and appreciation are truly inspiring. It's a pleasure to help them play a role in our programmes and the impactful changes they are contributing to our planet and its people.
I am always excited on MSC Foundation Day, which teaches children about marine conservation, recycling, education and health. It’s a significant achievement, demonstrating our strong belief in our younger guests and their ability to make a difference.
OSVALDO MONTENEGRO SANCHEZ MSC Seashore
LEILA BARBARA IBARRAMARTINEZ MSC Seascape g L IBA M NEGRO
OUR ORGANISATION
The MSC Foundation’s mission, vision and values are rooted in our Group’s seafaring heritage and strong family culture, expressed not only in our Vision, Mission and Values, but equally in our advocacy and partnerships.
OUR VALUES
RESPONSIBLE
Our love and inherent sense of responsibility for the seas and oceans represent the core values that define the MSC Group. Nurtured over centuries of seafaring experience, they are driven by a culture of active care that comes from being a family-owned and family-run business.
For us, this active responsibility is a fundamental duty, a mission to protect and care for the seas, our blue planet and all those who depend on it.
RESPONSIVE
We understand that the situation humanity faces is urgent, and that immediate intervention and change is required if we are to have a chance of restoring the critical balance between people and nature within a generation. This sense of urgency drives our responsiveness, committing us to prompt, effective action with energy and determination worldwide - leveraging our reach, scale and breadth of partnerships to make a real difference.
RESPECTFUL
Everything we do is driven by our deep care and concern for the planet: its waters, seas, oceans and, - of course - its people, both now and into the future.
This respect underpins all our efforts and actions to help build a more positive, sustainable future and a better world. Knowing we cannot do this alone leads us to welcome and encourage others to join us in our vital work.
RESOURCEFUL
MSC’s global scale and reach ensure that the Foundation can cover every corner of the world, benefitting from strong local knowledge, networks, and experience on the ground. This enables us to harness an innovative resourcefulness and respond effectively to the challenges and emergencies threatening life, growth and fulfilment on both a local and global scale.
CONCEIVED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
AN INCLUSIVE FOUNDATION
The MSC Foundation is uniquely positioned to make a difference thanks to MSC’s global reach and unique knowledge of the sea as the largest shipping Group in the world.
This is not only a strength but also a responsibility.
We therefore have rigorous organisational procedures to ensure transparency and effectiveness, including voluntary external audits of our financial statements.
And we involve our people, colleagues, partners, beneficiaries, supporters and donors in an ongoing inclusive dialogue. That is more than a matter of accountability, it is also a question of understanding needs and concerns to steer an effective course to a brighter future.
We are likewise committed to measurable concrete action on environmental, humanitarian and development challenges aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP
As a grant-making foundation, we support rigorously selected partners and impactful programmes, working collaboratively with key institutional, non-profit and research stakeholders.
Our strategic long-term partnerships include supporting scientific, data collection, education and health programmes, especially for vulnerable communities at risk of being left behind, including in the quest for sustainable development.
The Foundation mobilises the entities of the MSC Group in direct support of international, national and local emergency responses, mainly through in-kind donations of containers and the free transportation of relief items.
We also support local initiatives with a clear positive impact on pressing environmental, community, education and humanitarian needs, intervening on a case-by-case basis.
INSPIRING MINDS, IGNITING ACTION
Collaborating fleetwide with the MSC Cruise Division and across the MSC Group, we raise awareness and fundraise for the causes at the heart of our mission. The MSC Foundation Centres and youth edutainment days on MSC Cruises ships bring the insights gained from our work with experts directly into our guests’ lives on board, engaging with their passion for world travel and the oceans to build awareness and inspire action.
Our work is inspired by two words: responsibility and respect. Respect for the sea that brings us life every day, and responsibility to make the seas cleaner, healthier and full of life. We at the MSC Foundation will always do our utmost to protect and restore our Blue Planet.
FAMILY: OUR CORE STRENGTH
Our work is about more than organisations and results. It’s a story of family and people.
Having a family behind you changes everything. It brings passion, long-term vision, and commitment.
The MSC Group is its people: our staff, our partners’ staff, MSC Group colleagues, their customers, MSC Cruise Division guests, our generous donors and supporters who spread the word, and all the volunteers who give their time so selflessly. They are at the heart of our actions every day.
Together, we will continue to make a difference, transforming today to build a better tomorrow.
As a global group, MSC recognizes the human interconnectedness that binds us all. Therefore, our Foundation strives to also assist communities in need worldwide when disasters strike.
ELÂ SOYUER APONTE MSC Foundation Board
ALEXA APONTE VAGO MSC Foundation Board
MSC F
GOVERNANCE
STRUCTURE
The work of the MSC Foundation in pursuit of its Vision, Mission and purposes is overseen by the Foundation Board with the supervision of the Swiss Supervisory Authority in Bern, the support of the Secretariat, the contributions of an independent Advisory Board and regular external auditing.
THE FOUNDATION BOARD AND ITS COMMITTEES
The Board is the Foundation’s supreme authority, overseeing its development and providing strategic direction.
The Board meets twice a year to consider strategic matters, analyse programme progress, assess new initiatives and validate the operational approaches followed.
It is composed of six members:
Gianluigi Aponte
Chair of the Board
Alexa Aponte Vago
Vice Chair of the Board, Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee
Pierfrancesco Vago
Chair of the Executive Committee
Elâ Soyuer Aponte
Member of the Finance Committee
Rafaela Diamant
Member of the Board
Diego Aponte
MSC Group President
The Board has established a Finance Committee and Executive Committee from among its members.
THE ADVISORY BOARD
The Foundation Board is assisted by an Advisory Board of independent experts who provide strategic guidance on the Foundation’s programmes. Acting as a resource to ensure effectiveness and sustainable development, the Advisory Board provides strategic, scientific, partnership and project evaluation advice and assists in the development of new activities.
Matthew McKinnon Chair
Prof. David Smith
Chief Scientific Advisor, Professor of Marine Biology at the University of Essex (UK), Chief Marine Scientist Mars Inc.
Carl Gustaf Lundin
Mission Blue Managing Director, former Principal Scientist of the Global Marine and Polar Programme of IUCN.
Mike Horn
Professional Explorer
THE SECRETARIAT
The Secretariat performs administrative, finance and operational functions, and is responsible for the day-to-day management, supervision and implementation of the Foundation’s initiatives and programmes, including their Monitoring & Evaluation.
Daniela Picco
Executive Director
Marina Anselme
Secretary General
The Secretariat benefits from the support of MSC Group services and divisions and committed volunteers.
Board of Directors
Determines direction & controls
Advisory Board
Provides independent advice
Executive Committee Develops activity and work plans
Secretariat
Finance Committee Oversees the Foundation’s financing and accounts
Ernst & Young is the MSC Foundation’s external auditor, appointed in accordance with the applicable legal provisions to review the Foundation’s accounts and submit a detailed report to the Board.
CONNECTIONS & NETWORKING
The Foundation actively networked to strengthen relationships with advisors, community leaders and others, to build synergies, enhance our programmes and leverage our philanthropic commitments.
ASSOCIATIONS AND NETWORKS
• International Coral Reef Initiative
• SwissFoundations
• Assifero
• CAF America
• Transnational Giving Europe
• DAFNE (Donors & Foundations Network Europe) – PEX Community
RESEARCH AND ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS
• Nova Southeastern University
• University of Miami
• Perry Institute for Marine Science
THE CARE IN OUR PROGRAMMES
HOW WE SELECT PARTNERS AND PROGRAMMES
Every partner and programme is selected following a rigorous process that considers relevance, impact, innovation, sustainability and cost-effectiveness. Then, following selection, each undergoes regular monitoring, evaluation and finetuning for maximum effect.
FROM CONCEPT TO IMPLEMENTATION
The MSC Foundation invites organisations to submit a proposal or a concept note.
Application: once a project has been selected, its applicant submits a concrete project proposal (Grant Application Package) that includes detailed information on the background of the project, its target group, and its planned activities, objectives and results framework, along with a detailed project budget.
1 3 5 6
All our agreements are reviewed by the Legal Office to ensure their compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements and their adherence to ethical standards.
4 2
Preliminary selection by the Secretariat to consider the partner organisation envisaged, and to determine if the project concept is consistent with our funding guidelines, criteria and project resources, and is likely to meet its intended objectives. The Advisory Board, which meets twice a year, assesses the application package and makes a recommendation to the Board. The Board approves applications once a year.
The Secretariat manages the implementation phase, monitoring & evaluation, and the progress & final project reports.
WORKING WITH MSC OFFICES WORLDWIDE
The MSC Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the MSC Group. We belong to every office, contributing to the public good and making a difference for our blue planet and some of its most vulnerable populations.
In addition to working with partners on programmes, we collaborate globally with MSC offices to support impactful local initiatives in our four focus areas. The Foundation makes monetary and in-kind contributions – of containers, ocean transport and related logistics - to local institutions and organisations. At the same time, MSC offices provide their services in support of these initiatives.
The MSC Foundation also offers technical expertise to MSC offices to help achieve these initiatives' aims. We help identify reliable partners, assess and monitor progress, and evaluate results.
We have developed a series of guidance notes, procedures, and tools for collaborating and creating synergies between the Foundation, local offices, its employees, and local partners.
Looking ahead, we aim to strengthen internal communication, highlight our value, and standardise processes to create impactful projects in underserved areas. By starting with MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, MSC Cruises and other entities of the Group and exploring synergies with them, we strive to advance the MSC Foundation's mission around the world.
MARINA ANSELME Secretary General
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 2023
THE 100% OF DONATIONS GO DIRECTLY TO OUR PROGRAMMES & INITIATIVES
ALLOCATED TO OUR PROGRAMMES AND INITIATIVES IN 2023
TOTAL VALUE OF MSC GROUP ACTIONS TO ASSIST EARTHQUAKE SURVIVORS IN TÜRKIYE AND SYRIA MORE THAN CHF 3,974,400(*)
(*) This does not include a substantial part of the funds mobilised by the MSC Group to provide direct emergency relief for earthquake survivors in Türkiye and Syria.
980,000 people reached, of which
847,000 in emergencies
The financial report covers the period Jan-Dec 2023. Audited MSC Foundation financial statements are available on request.
A FULL GROUP FUNDING COMMITMENT
1 3 4 2
All the MSC Foundation’s administrative costs are funded directly by the MSC Group, ensuring 100% of donations are remitted directly to programmes and initiatives.
The MSC Foundation benefits greatly from the in-kind, expert and administrative support of the MSC Group, not accounted for here. This includes time and services devoted regularly by the technical and operations departments and the costs borne by the Group for office space and equipment.
The Foundation harnesses the potential for onboard awareness-raising and fundraising, developing new initiatives and materials for MSC Cruises guests, including for its 6 MSC Foundation Centres and its elegant space on Explora I.
The Foundation’s resources significantly benefit from the MSC Group's fund-matching of onboard donations made by MSC Cruises guests, doubling the impact of their generosity.
TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
We are committed to providing clear, timely information on our finances and grantmaking efforts.
Our financial statements undergo a voluntary independent audit by the company Erst & Young.
We regularly publish detailed information in our annual reports.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 2023
PROGRAMMES AND INITIATIVES
2023 was the fifth operational year of the MSC Foundation.
Ever mindful of the state of the planet and global trends in 2023, the MSC Foundation continued to focus its philanthropic work on environmental conservation, education, community support and emergency relief and rebuilding efforts.
In 2023, the MSC Foundation allocated a total of CHF 3,974,400 (*) to programmes and initiatives.
Engaged in a total of 42 programmes and initiatives across 30 countries to assist almost one million people, the MSC Foundation’s grants were distributed as follows:
We supported programmes to advance marine protection, ocean science and ecosystem restoration with 3 new partners, including the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), NatureMetrics, and the Qatar Foundation.
Our latest education partner, the Horn Foundation, delivered leadership training for young entrepreneurs focused on developing innovative solutions to local environmental challenges.
The Foundation awarded grants for 13 programmes, renewing support for these long-term commitments:
1. The Super Coral Programme, implemented directly by the Foundation in The Bahamas with partners NOVA Southeastern University & The University of Miami.
2. “From Plastic Bricks to Classrooms” and the “Yoma” community support programmes in Côte d’Ivoire with UNICEF.
3. Nauticinblu and Guardian Dolphins education programmes in Italy and Spain with Marevivo.
4. Ships of Hope in Senegal and Sierra Leone with Mercy Ships.
Throughout the year, the MSC Foundation worked with MSC Group offices and local partners around the world to support our programmes, 14 emergency relief operations, and to address pressing local needs with monetary and in-kind donations for 15 initiatives.
MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company and MSC Cruises supported our efforts in 17 and 8 different actions respectively.
The Foundation and MSC Group responded rapidly to help deliver humanitarian assistance to hundreds of thousands of people affected by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Türkiye and Syria, providing significant support throughout the year.
The value of the MSC Group support, mainly related to the MSC Aurelia operation, was CHF 3,350,000. This amount does not include CHF 291,000 allocated by the MSC Foundation.
Significantly increasing our Foundation’s resources, the MSC Group reaffirmed its commitment to fund-match every on-board donation made by MSC Cruises guests, doubling the impact of their generosity.
This does not include the CHF 3’350’000 mobilised by the MSC Group to provide direct emergency relief for earthquake survivors in Türkiye and Syria.
INCOME
Total income was CHF 7,365,226 in 2023.
The MSC Group remained the MSC Foundation’s primary source of income (59,5%), partly through matching of the individual donations made by MSC Cruises guests and partly by covering all the MSC Foundation’s administrative costs.
Individual donations
Individual donations were the main source of external revenue (34,5%), with the majority made by guests on MSC Cruises vessels (31,3%)
MSC Foundation merchandise
There was a significant increase (+60% vs 2022) in revenue from onboard sales of MSC Foundation branded products on 6 MSC Cruises vessels and on Ocean Cay.
Fundraising for earthquake survivors in Türkiye and Syria
The MSC Foundation's global fundraising campaign, “Together for Türkiye and Syria” across the MSC Group, with donation-matching, raised CHF 205,000.
EXPENDITURE
The MSC Foundation allocated 100% of its income from external sources to support its programmes, initiatives and emergency relief operations around the world.
All expenditures on administration (19.5%) and advocacy & communication (5%) were covered entirely by a donation from the MSC Group.
SOURCE OF INCOME
59,5% MSC Group Donations
34,5%
Individual donations
5,4%
Merchandise Sales
0,6%
Corporate donations
75,5% Programmes & Initiatives
19.5% Administration
5% Advocacy & Communication
EYES ON THE FUTURE
INVESTMENTS AND STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS FOR TOMORROW
In a year marked by five years of increasingly impactful work, the Foundation forged partnerships with expert organisations to amplify collective action for ocean health. With the International Union for Conservation of Nature, assessments of over 400 Indo-Pacific corals were completed, and evaluations of 85 Atlantic coral species were published, contributing to a better understanding of coral reef ecosystems and their conservation needs.
Collaboration with NatureMetrics to collect water samples on MSC vessels for environmental DNA analysis was a significant step in making new data publicly available and fostering a shared understanding of the most endangered marine species.
But perhaps it was the Foundation’s unique ability to mobilise and deliver emergency aid directly and through in-kind support to leading humanitarian organisations that truly set us apart and positively impacted the lives of over 847,000 people in 2023 alone.
We also laid the groundwork for our long-term strategy, steering the Foundation towards new horizons in ocean care and the blue economy. Resolutely committed to restoring the critical balance between people and nature within a generation, the strategy aims to turn the tide on the current state of the ocean and humanitarian crises.
As we look forward to 2024, we are excited to continue our flagship Super Coral Programme and eagerly anticipate new partnerships in our mission to protect and nurture the oceans. One such collaboration with Mission Blue will focus on seagrass restoration and ocean literacy.
2024 will also witness the construction of our state-of-the-art Marine Conservation Center on Ocean Cay, designated one of the world’s “Hope Spots”. The new facility there, which will serve as a regional hub for coral research, education, and restoration efforts, grows in significance as we just witnessed a fourth mass global coral bleaching event–all since 1998.
The Foundation’s strategic partnerships and programmes, coupled with our long-term strategy, reflect our unwavering dedication to safeguarding the planet for generations to come, while addressing the interconnected challenges of marine and humanitarian crises. I want to thank my fellow Advisory Board members David Smith and Carl Gustaf Lundin, together with our newest member Mike Horn, who significantly strengthens our group, as well as the Foundation Secretariat, led by Daniela Picco and Marina Anselme, for their incredibly industrious efforts and collaborative engagement.
Matthew McKinnon Chair of the Advisory Board MSC Foundation
Thank you!
Thank you for joining with us on this voyage to leave the world a better place for future generations.
To our Donors n To MSC Foundatio Board
To MSC Cruises Guests
To our MSC Colleagues around the world, Onboard and Ashore
All rights reserved. This report or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the MSC Foundation except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
