Ethics and Compliance

MSC Cruises Code of Ethical Business Conduct

As an international cruise line company, MSC Cruises earns its reputation and trust everyday by providing unparalleled services to its guests and by conducting business fairly and ethically.

Our reputation for trust and integrity relies also upon every action by every employee every day and in order to ensure this is embraced across the organization, we have a comprehensive Code of Ethical Business Conduct in place.

Fostering an Ethical Business Culture

The MSC Cruises’ Code of Ethical Business Conduct is a guideline to help all employees run their part of the business ethically, both ashore as well as on our ships, and aims at ensuring that business practices comply with applicable laws, regulations and ethical business principles, as well as upholding a culture of integrity.

While our Code sets forth a common standard of approved behaviour, regardless of the location of the employee, these standards are a complement to applicable laws and regulations in many countries where MSC Cruises operates and often exceed local or international standards.  

All our onshore or shipboard employees are required to adhere to the Code.

We are committed to making sure the Code is respected and followed across the organization. To this end, the Code is part of employee’s induction and ongoing training programme.

In order to empower our employees to embrace the principles set out in the Code, we have also put effective mechanisms in place to report misconduct or non-compliance. Employees must report misconduct and can do so anonymously or while disclosing their identity. There will be no actions against any employee making a report in good faith and MSC Cruises takes alleged violations very seriously.

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Code of Business Conduct

Our 9 Areas of Focus

While our Code of Ethical Business Conduct provides a meaningful starting point, it may not answer all questions, or ensure compliance with the various legal requirements applicable to its business and environment. Therefore, we have defined 9 critical areas where we aim to heighten sensitivity among all staff and install a strong culture of ethics and compliance. Our areas of focus include:

1.    Respect for the environment
2.    Human rights and labour standards
3.    Anti-bribery
4.    Conflict of interest
5.    Sanctions regulations
6.    Anti-money laundering
7.    Fair competition
8.    Accuracy and maintenance of business and financial records
9.    Data privacy and protection

Employees are aware that any failure to comply with the Code may lead to disciplinary actions up to and including termination of employment or any other contract in accordance to the disciplinary rules applicable by MSC Cruises, as well as possible civil or criminal penalties.  

1. Respect for the environment

MSC Cruises is the offspring of a family who has been exploring the seas for over 300 years and since day one, the sea has always been our home. We are committed to preserving this precious resource and therefore are committed to comply with all applicable laws and regulations in the countries where we operate, especially those relating to environmental protection.

Ashore and onboard, MSC Cruises is taking measures and specific actions to reduce its impact on the environment. Through different projects, investments and initiatives, MSC Cruises is on a continuous path to install a culture where respect for the marine environment and sound environmental practices are an integral part of day-to-day operations.

2. Human rights and labour standards

MSC Cruises strictly complies with applicable laws in all aspects of employment, in particular those laws related to elimination of discrimination in respect of employment. Therefore, MSC Cruises is firmly committed to support equal employment opportunity and diversity by ensuring that all decisions to recruit and promote are based on merit.

We also support and respects internationally recognized human rights in conducting our business relationships and activities worldwide. We believes in and support the fundamental dignity of all employees and do not tolerate any form of harassment or abusive conduct. We recognize the freedom of association of all employees.

MSC Cruises complies with all applicable health and safety regulations, including with the strict requirements of the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention and, in some cases, goes even beyond, by implementing CLIA’s policies in relation to operational safety, fire protection, shipboard security and health.

As a CLIA member, MSC Cruises has adopted practices promoting a safe environment for children and adolescents, including requirements in relation to staff recruitment and vetting to ensure unsuitable persons are prevented from working with children.

MSC Cruises has also taken and will take in the near future measures to manage the risk of modern slavery within its own operations as well as within its supply chain. MSC Cruises is dedicated to conduct its business in a fair, ethical and responsible manner and is committed to ensure slavery and human trafficking is not taking place in its activities and supply chain.

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Modern Slavery Statement

3. Anti-corruption and -bribery

MSC Cruises is committed to undertake business fairly and to uphold all applicable anti-bribery laws in its business dealings worldwide. This means avoiding corruption of all kinds, including bribery of government officials. MSC Cruises has incorporated a prohibition against bribery in its Code of Ethical Business Conduct and this anti-bribery policy provides compliance requirements to prevent improper payments.

MSC Cruises strictly prohibits all corruption, passive and active bribery, and facilitation payments.

4. Conflict of interest

MSC Cruises employees shall not become involved in any activity or have personal interest which may conflict with or alter their professional duties or their judgment, unless otherwise duly cleared and authorized by the Company.

Whenever circumstances give rise to such a Conflict of Interest, or even the appearance thereof, employee must obtain specific written authorization in accordance with the MSC Cruises Conflict of Interest Policy before participating in business where this impartiality is likely to be questioned.

5. Sanctions regulations

MSC Cruises complies with Swiss and European Union sanctions regulations as well as with any other sanctions regulations applicable to its activities and business dealings worldwide. These regulations are prohibitions against engaging in specified international transactions involving certain individuals, entities, countries to achieve a national security and/or political objective.

6. Anti-money laundering

MSC Cruises employees are strictly forbidden from participating in or facilitating a money laundering transaction. Employees shall only conduct legitimate business activities and shall not accept or handle cash or other assets that they have reason to suspect are the proceeds of a crime. 

7. Fair competition

MSC Cruises is committed to complying with the applicable competition regulations – also known as Antitrust Laws – at any time, regardless of the location.     

A key area of illegal conduct is agreements with other businesses whose purpose is to restrain competition. Therefore, employees must never exchange commercially sensitive information with competitors, for example prices, costs, product launches or business plans, market share data is illegal and strictly prohibited.

8. Accuracy and maintenance of business and financial records

The accuracy and maintenance of MSC Cruises’ business and financial records is crucial and must be ensured by all employees. To this end, accounts are backed up with full and detailed records of all business income and expenditure, such as receipts, invoices and purchase orders, incoming and outgoing payments.

9. Personal data protection and privacy

MSC Cruises respects and protects the privacy of its employees, guests, and business partners, and processes personal data in accordance with the requirements established by applicable data protection laws, including the EU General Data Protection Regulation.

Personal information is processed fairly and lawfully and for specified and legitimate purposes. MSC Cruises stores the personal information securely and takes precautions to prevent unauthorized disclosure.

Employees who handle data are adequately trained and are required to be particularly cautious when handling personal information. More details are available in the respective privacy policies of MSC Cruises websites, as well as on MSC Connect and upon request when writing an email to our Data Protection Officer at dpo@msccruises.com.

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