As people go through their daily lives, they likely don’t put much thought into the shipping industry. However, that doesn’t mean it has any less effect on our day-to-day activities. So many of the materials we use regularly have been transported thousands of miles for our own convenience. It’s been said that “without ships, half the world would freeze and the other half would starve.” One of the biggest problems in the shipping industry is the lack of transparency, which isn’t surprising considering how massive and complex logistics can be. The oceans are notoriously hard to police, but that doesn’t mean we’re without hope. Our world has entered a time where people are starting to question whether their goods are sourced ethically. This has led to an increase in the number of initiatives to ensure ethical practices across the international shipping industry. Anti-Bribery Initiatives There are a plethora of ways for a shipping company to show their commitment to ethical practices. One well-known initiative is an anti-bribery business organization called TRACE. They have implemented a voluntary anti-bribery certification for ship owners. The certification includes an extensive review process that results in a detailed compliance report that is then published on the online risk management platform, RightShip. Certifications like this make shipping companies more attractive partners for companies in the global shipping and trading industry. It shows that they hold themselves accountable for their actions. Although there are plenty of unethical companies, there are also companies who are committed to being proactive about disclosing relevant information, such as beneficial ownership. Only The Strong Survive At the end of the day, consumers have more power than they know. If we reach a time when everyone refuses to purchase goods that resulted from unethical practices in the transportation process, unethical companies will either be forced to change for the better or go out of business. Change doesn’t always start with new regulations and policies. Often, it starts with a handful of courageous individuals who are able to acknowledge a problem and ask how we can fix it. If we want to know exactly where our freight is in real-time and the conditions under which it’s being transported, we need greater transparency industry-wide. Neal Elbaum originally published this blog on his website at https://nealelbaum.net/increasing-transparency-in-the-shipping-industry/.