By
Laura Hyde |
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has become the first cruise line to be awarded Silver Carbon Literate Organisation status by The Carbon Literacy Project. It is a United Nations-recognised initiative created to provide organisations with access to Carbon Literacy – the recognised global benchmark for climate understanding and action.
The accolade, which was presented at The Carbon Literacy Project’s seventh annual Carbon Literate Organisation (CLO) awards, reflects the cruise line’s commitment to embedding Carbon Literacy across the business by equipping employees with the knowledge to understand the carbon impact of everyday choices and empowering them to reduce emissions at an individual, community and organisational level.
“As the first in the cruise industry to achieve CLO status, it marks an important milestone and reflects the genuine commitment of our colleagues to better understanding our carbon impact – and to taking meaningful, informed action in support of a more responsible future for our sector,” said Dominic Simpson, sustainability manager at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines. “Carbon Literacy has helped us move from awareness to action, embedding climate considerations into everyday decisions across our business and in our colleagues’ daily lives – turning knowledge into positive, practical progress.”
In November 2025, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines achieved Bronze Carbon Literate accreditation and since then has delivered Carbon Literacy training to an additional 88 employees across 17 departments. This means the cruise line has now provided Carbon Literacy training to 40 per cent of its workforce.
The training has resulted in numerous practical changes being implemented across the organisation, including the digitalisation of selected shipboard services and the adoption of artificial intelligence-powered food waste monitoring technology onboard Fred. Olsen’s 1,338-guest ship Bolette.
“Carbon Literacy is an essential skill, vital to every thriving industry and workplace; nothing proves this quite like a major player in a high-impact industry gaining CLO accreditation,” said Dave Coleman, co-founder and managing director at The Carbon Literacy Project. “Fred. Olsen becoming the world’s first cruise line accredited as a Silver Carbon Literate Organisation reflects their understanding that cruising, like any industry, is impacted by the environmental and economic consequences of climate change and, importantly, that it can do a lot to minimise these impacts. By becoming first, a Bronze and now Silver-accredited Carbon Literate Organisation, Fred. Olsen demonstrates a sustained, industry-leading commitment to coordinated carbon reduction and preparing its workforce for a sustainable future.”