msc-foundation-annual-report-2019

ANNUAL REVIEW 2019

CONTENTS

“We all have the duty to leave a better world for future generations”

Capt. Gianluigi Aponte - MSC Foundation Chair of the Board

Chair’s Message

My family has always felt strongly that we all have the duty to leave a better world for future generations, and that, with our long seafaring tradition, MSC is in a unique position to make a difference. Moreover, our work as a shipping family makes us particularly conscious that our beautiful blue planet needs urgent help. So, environmental sustainability and philanthropy have always been central to who we are and how we operate.

Ever since MSC was established in 1970, we have invested with a sense of urgency to reduce our environmental impact. Just as we have constantly taken concrete action to support the needs of the most vulnerable and to protect our blue planet, assisting leading organisations and disaster-stuck communities around the world with free shipping and donations.

As the Group and our individual initiatives grew, it became clear that even more could be achieved by a more structured approach, leveraging the increasing scope for synergies offered by our global scale.

Pursuing this approach to its logical conclusion, inspired by a desire to go beyond corporate social responsibility, we realised the most effective action would be to concentrate all these initiatives in a dedicated foundation able to operate in a more structured, cohesive, efficient and harmonised manner.

The publication of the 2019 Annual Review completes the first step in the life of our new MSC Foundation.

My family and I are proud of everything it has achieved in this short time and confident that it will, with the generous support of our stakeholders, continue to achieve lasting impactful results in pursuit of a more resilient, peaceful, prosperous and environmentally balanced world for all.

“My family and I are proud of having created this Foundation, since we feel very strongly that we have a duty to contribute to the improvement of our planet.

Through the future actions of our Foundation, and the support of all our partners, we shall certainly achieve ambitious results”.

Gianluigi Aponte Chair of the Board

The MSC Foundation’s first year has been intense and rewarding, seeing us equip ourselves with a rigorous model of governance, formulate our aims and objectives in bold Vision and Mission statements, set out our operational strategy and bring all the MSC Group’s philanthropic commitments under one roof to advance existing programmes and design and launch new interventions.

The latter included a variety of emergency relief and rebuilding initiatives worldwide that have already made a distinctive impact thanks to MSC’s unique combination of global reach and expert knowledge of the seas.

Our ongoing programmes continued to achieve impressive results thanks to the quality of our partners, four of whom we have worked with closely over the years, learning and achieving much together: UNICEF, Mercy Ships, the Andrea Bocelli Foundation and Marevivo. Our programmes with these committed leaders continue to be an inspiration for the MSC Foundation and the core of our activities.

Crowning these achievements were two significant UNICEF partnership results: saving more than 110,000 young lives from the ravages of severe acute malnutrition through

programmes funded by over €10m direct donations, and as part of that reducing the prevalence of acute malnutrition in children aged under five in Malawi from 4.1% to 1%.

We are equally proud to have launched a programme of our own in the year, developed with a panel of international experts to reverse the steep decline in coral reefs worldwide.

Further initiatives already demonstrating the distinctive capacities of our Foundation were prompt emergency relief and rebuilding support for the Bahamas in the wake of Hurricane Dorian, a televised public fundraising concert in Genoa to accelerate the city’s recovery from the Morandi Bridge disaster, and a high-profile fundraising concert in Hamburg to support an innovative renaturation project for the River Elbe.

Reading through our first Annual Review you will be able to explore all this and more in detail, seeing how we set a clear course in the year and embarked full sail.

None of it would of course have been possible without the work of the inspiring local leaders, partners, community members, MSC clients and cruise guests, donors, institutions and volunteers who have joined with us on our journey.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you all.

Daniela Picco Executive Director

Chair of the Executive Committee’s Report

A little over a year ago, a long-nurtured dream of philanthropy became reality. A reality that was immediately operational in an array of live-changing programmes and initiatives that are already making a difference around the world. And all this was achieved while also putting a tremendous team in place and establishing our governance, which was quite an undertaking in itself.

We can naturally do more and we will. But I can’t help feeling and expressing my gratitude and satisfaction as I look at our impressive initial results.

Having supported a wide array of philanthropic activities over the years, our goal has been to bring all these commitments together under a single banner, doing so in a structured, synergistic and transparent way that leverages our Group resources, whether acting individually or in partnership with like-minded organisations.

Our vision is to play a decisive role in the health of our blue planet, making an impact that is not only economic, but also social and environmental.

This is a matter of urgency for the MSC Foundation. Our Vision Statement explicitly states we want to “restore the critical balance between people and nature within a generation” - before it’s too late, in other words! It’s been clear for a long time that we’re in a race against time on climate change and we must fight it on all fronts while supporting the most vulnerable communities already affected.

We embarked on this journey with the same values and convictions that guide our working lives. We’re a family company and we’re navigating this new path with our usual commitment, passion, determination and professionalism.

The governance of the Foundation reflects this in our decision to adopt a professional organisational structure with independence that guarantees integrity, clear roles, an advisory board of international experts and external auditors.

As this Annual Review goes to print, the world continues to experience a global health crisis that is putting extraordinary pressure on us all. The non-profit sector is playing a vital role, providing critical support for the most vulnerable to help mitigate the effects of COVID-19. We are making every effort to play our part and thank all of you for your generous support in helping us to help others weather the storm.

We look forward to making an even greater impact in the year ahead.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about our work.

Pierfrancesco Vago Chair of the Executive Committee

ABOUT US

The MSC Group’s values have been expressed in powerful initiatives for positive change over the years. The MSC Foundation was established in June 2018 as a non-profit organisation to direct these commitments.

Based in Geneva, the MSC Foundation encourages and implements the sustainable management and protection of ecosystems, empowers vulnerable communities around the world to realise their full potential, promotes equitable and inclusive quality education to support sustainable individual and collective development, and helps disaster-struck populations toward recovery.

The Foundation works to achieve this both independently, leveraging MSC Group engagement, and together with trusted partners that have a strong innovative vision or track record for effective action.

The MSC Foundation is family-led and reflects the vision and values of its founders.

How We Work

The MSC Foundation does not pursue commercial goals, nor does it aim to make a profit. Our priority is to ensure every donation is managed in a balanced fashion in the best interests of all stakeholders, so that the initiatives funded obtain maximum benefit in pursuit of our Vision and Mission.

Vision

To restore the critical balance between people and nature within a generation

Best Practice

We follow sector best practice in all aspects of the Foundation’s governance, administration, auditing and programme design and coordination, with particular emphasis on:

• Specialist Expertise: Our Advisory Board is composed of distinguished authorities in their fields who provide the organisation and Foundation Board with expert guidance.

• Transparency & Accountability: We follow a rigorous system of monitoring and evaluation with transparent reporting to ensure accountability and continuous improvement.

Direct Intervention

Where appropriate, the MSC Foundation intervenes directly, designing and implementing programmes that fill a gap to protect and restore the natural environment, and intervening promptly in natural disasters and pandemics around the world.

Mission

To utilise MSC’s global reach and unique knowledge of the sea to take immediate action that contributes to protecting and nurturing the blue planet and all its people

Broad Partnerships

Our alliances with trusted organisations that have a strong innovative vision or track record for effective action extend the Foundation’s scope beyond the MSC Group’s specific areas of expertise to achieve broader and deeper change.

Everything we do is guided by our Vision and Mission, driven by a sense of urgency tempered by determination to take effective action with sustainable results. The way we work to achieve this is based on the following four pillars, combining sector best practice with targeted intervention approaches, while leveraging the strengths of the MSC Group to maximise our impact.

Global Reach

We leverage the global capabilities, networks and local roots of the MSC Group, with offices close to the sea in 150 countries around the world, to maximise the impact of our initiatives and provide rapid emergency relief in disaster situations.

FOCUS AREAS AND SHARED GOALS

We are engaged in four focus areas, presented below in relation to the relevant United Nations Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the Foundation, including SDG 17: Global partnerships for sustainable development.

Most of our programmes are designed to impact synergistically on more than one focus area.

Environmental Conservation

With our global shipping heritage, the MSC Foundation is keenly aware of the increasing fragility of our planet’s ecosystems. That is why we are committed to sustain programmes conceived to protect and/or restore the balance of our blue planet’s natural resources, varied species and human living environments.

Community Support

We support some of the most vulnerable communities around the world, particularly those living by the seas, oceans and rivers, to realise their full potential through humanitarian, health, women empowerment, and sustainable development programmes.

Education

Believing in the transformative power of education, we support environmental, vocational, technical, basic and post-primary education, teacher and other educational personnel training, life skills development, peace education and education facilities and equipment amongst others, in formal and non-formal settings.

Emergency Relief

Leveraging the MSC Group’s global reach and the capabilities of MSC Cargo in particular, we support emergency response initiatives in disaster situations, promptly obtaining and transporting first relief goods to affected areas and their most vulnerable populations.

GOVERNANCE: TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY

The purposes of the MSC Foundation, and progress towards the fulfilment of its Vision and Mission, are overseen by the Foundation Board (Conseil de Fondation) 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 the strategic direction of its bodies. It 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

• Diego Aponte

The Board has established a Finance Committee and Executive Committee from among its members to manage and report on all related matters.

Advisory Board

The Foundation Board is assisted by an Advisory Board of independent experts who provide advice on the activities of the Foundation. Acting as a resource to ensure MSC Foundation’s effectiveness and sustainable development, it contributes strategic, scientific, partnerships and project evaluation advice and inputs, and assists developing new activities.

• Matthew McKinnon (Chair)

• Prof. David Smith (Chief Scientific Advisor), Professor of Marine Biology at the University of Essex (UK)

• Carl Gustaf Lundin, Principal Scientist of the Global Marine and Polar Programme of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) - Switzerland.

Secretariat

The Secretariat performs the administrative, finance and operational functions of the MSC Foundation and manages its inter-institutional relationships. Composed of highly experienced professionals, it is responsible for the day-to-day management, supervision and in some cases 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.

Independent auditors

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. https://www.ey.com/ch/en/home

INSTITUTIONAL REPRESENTATION

The MSC Foundation maintains institutional partnerships with organisations and distinguished specialists to ensure the highest levels of expertise, transparency and accountability:

Joint initiative Associations:

Swiss Foundations swissfoundations.ch

CAF Americas cafamerica.org

Transnational Giving Europe transnationalgiving.eu

Research and Academic Institutions:

Int. Union for Conservation of Nature iucn.org

Global Center on Adaptation gca.org

Nova Southeastern Adaptation cnso.nova.edu

University of Miami rsmas.miami.edu

Perry Institute for Marine Science

oceanconservancy.org

Centre Scientifique Monaco centrescientifique.mc

Center for Ocean Research and Education coresciences.org

Chair of the Advisory Board’s Message

The independent Advisory Board is especially proud to have worked to develop the Foundation’s ambitious Ocean Cay, Bahamas, effort aimed at reversing the steep decline of coral reefs seen around the globe, which threatens one quarter of all marine life. We are likewise proud to have supported MSC’s passenger division become the first ever cruise fleet to target zero single-use plastic and go carbon neutral.

The Foundation’s potential, though, was best demonstrated by its response to Super Hurricane Dorian. Leading the first-ever global Task Force, we mobilized MSC partners, offices and resources across 150 countries to deliver over 140 shipping containers of emergency relief directly to affected Bahamian communities, starting within just days of the disaster.

The Foundation’s drive to support communities caught in the prevailing imbalance of society with nature is a perfect expression of the unique family solidarity that is integral to MSC.

We could not have accomplished what we did without the host of partners that have already come forward to join hands with us: UN and international organisations, governments, MSC customers and partner charities. Neither can humanity overcome the 21st century’s planetary threats unless we work together as one great family. It is precisely in that spirit that we invite you all to journey on with us for the sake of our blue planet today.

We look forward to further supporting this promising Foundation’s development.

Matthew McKinnon Chair of the Advisory Board

THE CARE IN OUR PROGRAMMES

We are committed to supporting a wide spectrum of efforts across the globe that help restore the balance between people and the environment.

What we look for in our programmes Relevance

We seek programmes that fill a gap in current responses to major challenges and concerns affecting the blue planet and its people. Our aim is to advance appropriate and locally-sound action in our four focus areas (environmental and marine conservation, education, community support and emergency relief) while complementing, strengthening and/or leveraging existing actions in the same field without redundancy or overlap.

Impact

We prioritise programmes that generate multiple measurable long-term collective benefits, whether environmental, social, economic, cultural or otherwise, and which do so on more than one level, whether individual, community, institutional or societal, for example. We focus both on the process by which short, medium and long-term changes are generated, and on the quality and relevance of the change/s generated by our investments.

Innovation

We support programmes that leverage existing knowledge, know-how and good practices to deliver innovative responses to the major challenges and concerns of our time. We prioritise programmes that are adaptable, scalable cost-efficient and environmentally and people friendly.

Sustainability

We require our programmes to be environmentally sustainable, have a clear capacity-building strategy and feature strong measures to ensure they have an enduring impact after funding ends, including a viable exit strategy.

Cost-Effectiveness

It is a prerequisite that all programmes include an analysis indicating they have been structured to optimise the use of funds and other resources for maximum impact.

Working for greater impact together

We build long-term partnerships, supporting programmes that approach the most pressing problems and contribute to the implementation of rigorous, measurable solutions which have proven effective for the largest number. Programmes which likewise generate sustainable, measurable environmental and social changes that impact the blue planet (seas, oceans, rivers and biodiversity) and its people, especially the most disadvantaged communities. And in particular programmes that demonstrate an approach which could become a replicable innovative model.

“Contemporary philantropy is anchored in efficiency and accountability: our rigorous selection process and monitoring and evaluation systems ensure we act effectively and benefit from continuous learning and improvement”.

MARINA ANSELME SECRETARY GENERAL, MSC FOUNDATION

2019 AT A GLANCE

For many years, the MSC Group has been committed to making meaningful and impactful contributions to society.

A year of great change and innovation for the MSC Group, distinguished by the landmark step of launching the MSC Foundation.

During these eventful 12 months, which we worked to incorporate the lessons of the past in our roadmap for the future, organising our core areas, Vision, Mission, expertise and resources to support today’s most pressing needs.

A word of thanks

None of this would have been possible without you. The millions of individuals, onboard guests and more than 50 businesses whose generosity, passion and commitment in 2019 enabled us to accomplish so much. The partners who have joined hands with us, from the UN and international organisations to governments, MSC clients and partner charities, working together as one great family. The more than 100 volunteers who gave their time to assist our initiatives and to help run aspects of the organisation. Thanks to your help and that of many others, we’re delivering on our Vision of restoring the critical balance between people and nature.

Thank you, all of you.

7 PROGRAMMES IN 5 COUNTRIES

100% OF DONATIONS GIVEN TO PARTNERS AND CHOSEN PROGRAMMES

MORE THAN 65,000 DIRECT BENEFICIARIES REACHED THROUGH THE PROGRAMMES WE SUPPORT

USD 5,000,000 IN-KIND AND CASH SUPPORT FOR HURRICANE DORIAN DISASTER RELIEF

OVER CHF 800,000 COLLECTED THROUGH 2 HIGHLY-SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISING EVENTS

1 PIONEERING PROGRAMME TO SAVE CORAL REEFS IN THE BAHAMAS

6 PARTNER ORGANISATIONS

A YEAR OF STRONG CONTINUITY AND NEW INITIATIVES

Strong partnerships built over the years have now transitioned seamlessly to the expert management of the MSC Foundation.

Ever since MSC was established in 1970, its founding family and the companies in the Group have built a rich history of philanthropic initiatives.

As the Group and the companies’ individual initiatives grew, it became clear even more could be achieved by a more structured approach, leveraging the scope for synergies offered by our increasing global scale. Pursuing this approach to its logical conclusion, inspired by a desire to go beyond corporate social responsibility, our founding family realised the most effective solution would be to concentrate the coordination and leadership of all these initiatives in a single body.

And so the MSC Foundation was established in 2018, dedicated entirely both to taking forward the Group’s existing initiatives and to launching new ones.

The first year of the Foundation’s life has therefore been one of transition, in which the Group’s ongoing initiatives for positive change initially continued under the aegis of their originating companies.

These were in particular MSC Cargo, which donates exceptional logistics support with its ability to reach every corner of the world quickly and efficiently, and MSC Cruises, whose many generous guests over the years have donated millions of euros to life-changing programmes around the world.

The MSC Foundation’s four principal partner organisations, each with a strong innovative vision and track record for effective action, all fell into this transitional category. They are, in order of length of partnership: UNICEF, Mercy Ships, Marevivo and the Andrea Bocelli Foundation.

Unicef partner since 2009

Marevivo partner since 2015

Mercy Ships partner since 2011

Inception

2019: A LANDMARK YEAR

Panel of marine conservation experts establishes framework for pioneering programme to protect and restore the tropical ecosystems and vulnerable coral species around Ocean Cay in the Bahamas.

From January to June, delivering of 2,250,000 sachets of Ready-touse Therapeutic Foods to 9,964 children in Malawi supported between January and June in the fight against Severe Acute Malnutrition.

Donations to our “Get on Board for Children” project with UNICEF pass the €10 million* mark, saving over 110,000 children’s lives worldwide since the beginning of the partnership.

Launch of the pioneering programme “Plastic waste to schools” in Côte d’Ivoire to recycle plastic waste into building bricks for new classrooms.

Emergency Relief

Providing goods and vital supplies for the victims of Cyclone Idai in Malawi.

The Ballata per Genova fundraising concert raises more than €450,000 to accelerate Genoa’s recovery from the Morandi Bridge disaster.

Around 20,000 Chinese children benefit from the Ying Yang Bao programme to combat child malnutrition.

Emergency Relief Free logistic support provided for Ebola-affected communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

June 2018

of MSC Foundation

* Achieved during 10-year partnership with MSC Cruises prior to the establishment of the MSC Foundation

FOR THE MSC FOUNDATION

1,250 Italian students become Citizens of the Ocean and Guardian Dolphins as part of our programme with Marevivo to raise kids’ awareness of marine protection and sea pollution.

Raising awareness of the most pressing challenges facing our planet in the first MSC Foundation Centre on board the MSC Cruises fleet.

The Elbe Habitat Charity Concert raises €250,000 to restore the unique habitats and natural diversity of the River Elbe.

Support for the ABF Mobile Clinic provides medical care, treatments, vaccines and training for 8,850 direct beneficiaries in 5 of Haiti’s poorest areas.

Season’s greetings and gifts to children in hospital in Switzerland and Italy.

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER

8 November 2019

Emergency Relief

Prompt support both for the immediate and longer-term relief and recovery efforts in the Bahamas following Hurricane Dorian.

The MSC Foundation is officially launched with a press conference in Hamburg, Germany, featuring speeches by its founders, partners, representatives and advisors.

Global presentation of the MSC Foundation’s work on board MSC Grandiosa in Hamburg.

Ocean Cay on the path to becoming a marine reserve with a pioneering coral reef protection and restoration programme.

Celebrating 1,819 free lifechanging surgeries in Africa in one year. with Mercy Ships.

EXPLORE THE MSC FOUNDATION’S WORK AROUND THE WORLD

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

EDUCATION

EMERGENCY RELIEF

DORIAN RELIEF

Bahamas

MARINE CONSERVATION

PROGRAMME

Bahamas

WITH YOU, THEY CAN

Haiti

SHIPS OF HOPE

Senegal

ELBE FORESHORE DEVELOPMENT

Germany

TOGETHER FOR GENOA Italy

PLASTIC WASTE TO SCHOOLS

Ivory Coast

SEVERE ACUTE MALNUTRITION

Malawi

TOGETHER FOR THE SEA

Italy

YING YAO BAO

Qinghai province

China

MOBILISING TO SAVE THE CORAL

The MSC Foundation has partnered with leading marine conservation experts to restore the marine ecosystem surrounding Ocean Cay.

Our Super Coral Programme aims to mitigate the impacts of climate change in The Bahamas and worldwide, pioneering and sharing new conservation and coral restoration techniques.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

Bahamas

BAHAMAS

TIMEFRAME: 2019 - 2024

MARINE CONSERVATION

Challenges

ONLY 16% OF THE CORAL FOUND IN CARIBBEAN REEFS IN THE 1970S SURVIVES TODAY.

80% OF CARIBBEAN CORALS WERE BLEACHED IN A SINGLE RECENT HEATWAVE.

¼ OF MARINE ECOSYSTEMS ARE DEPENDENT ON CORAL REEFS.

UP TO 90% DECREASE IN PREDATORY REEF FISHES DUE TO OVERFISHING.

THE UN ESTIMATES THAT MORE THAN 90% OF THE WORLDS REEFS WILL BE LOST BY 2050.

Answering the call

Coral is under increasing pressure. Major reefs have been damaged and even totally destroyed in the past decades. We are working to reverse this on Ocean Cay island, a former sand mining site in The Bahamas that MSC Cruises transformed into a flourishing marine area and island destination.

A pioneering programme

Our Super Coral Programme has brought together leading local and international experts to restore, regenerate and protect the marine ecosystem around Ocean Cay, applying innovative techniques and the latest scientific research while sharing the results to educate the next generation of marine biologists.

Goals

• Restore the coral reefs around Ocean Cay so it is more resistant to environmental change.

• Pioneer the use of hardy Super Coral species and varieties to increase the resilience of the reefs.

• Develop a scalable replicable model and share scientific understanding to help successful coral and marine restoration worldwide.

• Promote public awareness of marine conservation and coral reef restoration.

“We are constantly bombarded with warnings about the demise of coral reefs around the world, and rightly so, it’s absolutely true they’re being obliterated. There are not many cases where you can say this is a real opportunity, a window of hope”.

DAVID SMITH PROFESSOR OF MARINE BIOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX AND CHIEF SCIENTIFIC ADVISOR OF THE MSC FOUNDATION ADVISORY BOARD

A SCALABLE REEF RESTORATION PROGRAMME

2019 results

• A rapid ecological assessment was conducted. It provided a comprehensive overview of the waters around Ocean Cay to better understand conservation needs.

• High-level workshop held in Bimini with 19 international marine and climate change scientists and experts to discuss, agree and plan an innovative, scalable coral reef restoration programme within the framework of a long-term marine restoration programme The experts involved are affiliated to the Bahamas National Trust, the Centre Scientifique de Monaco, CORE (Centre for Ocean Research and Education, Bahamas), the Department of Marine Resources of The Bahamas, Design Elements, Bahamas (Environnemental Services), Essex University, IUCN (Union Internationale pour la Conservation de la Nature), Mars Sustainable Solutions team, the Perry Centre for Marine Sciences, the Reef Renewal Foundation and the University of Miami.

• The elaboration of a 5-year roadmap for restoration of Ocean Cay coral reefs and to create a scalable, replicable model based on resilient coral species validated at Bimini workshop.

• The MSC Foundation advocated for the creation of a Marine Reserve area around Ocean Cay . The Government of The Bahamas committed to protecting 64 square miles of waters around Ocean Cay by designating it a Marine Reserve.

“A key to reversing the rapid decline in coral reefs lies in assisting coral’s natural selection process by establishing hardy coral varieties, dubbed “super corals”, that are more resilient to severe environmental stresses like extreme heat. This work will also combat ocean pollution through helping to restore healthy ecosystems”.

CARL GUSTAF LUNDIN IUCN PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST OF THE GLOBAL MARINE AND POLAR PROGRAMME AND MEMBER OF THE MSC FOUNDATION ADVISORY BOARD

“The vision for the development of Ocean Cay was to restore the island’s original ecosystem and re-establish its pristine state. This involved cleaning up the industrial waste on and around the island, and providing a safe, natural habitat for marine life and seabirds”.

LINDEN

COPPELL DIRECTOR OF SUSTAINABILITY MSC CRUISES

10 YEARS TRANSFORMING CHILDREN’S LIVES TOGETHER

PARTNERING IN PROGRAMMES, ADVOCACY AND EMERGENCY RELIEF

The MSC Group and UNICEF have partnered in 7 life-changing programmes since 2009, ranging from education for vulnerable children in the slums of Brazil’s large urban conglomerations to combating malaria in Africa and child malnutrition in Africa and in China, saving over 113,000 young lives.

Programmes in 2019

PLASTIC WASTE TO SCHOOLS

FIGHTING SEVERE ACUTE MALNUTRITION

Malawi

SUPPORTING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO NUTRITION

Qinghai province, China

Leveraging the MSC Group’s extensive global network, the MSC Foundation reaches out to millions of children and families all over the world with advocacy campaigns and integrated initiatives that inform and motivate.

The MSC Foundation and UNICEF also join forces in emergencies, providing immediate vital support to countries in need.

“Our partnership is now entering an important new phase: developing environmental programmes that will benefit children and the planet, an inspiring example of what we can achieve when we join forces”.

HENRIETTA FORE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UNICEF

Côte d’Ivoire

RECYCLING PLASTIC WASTE INTO BRICKS AND BUILDING NEW CLASSROOMS

The MSC Foundation has been partnering an innovative UNICEF programme in the Ivory Coast sole corporate funder since its launch in 2019. This multipronged programme combines environmental conservation, poverty reduction, women empowerment and children’s education.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT EDUCATION ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

IVORY COAST

PARTNER: UNICEF

TIMEFRAME: 2019 - 2022

Challenges

46% OF HOUSEHOLDS LIVE BELOW THE POVERTY LINE.

1,6 MILLION CHILDREN ARE OUT OF SCHOOL MAINLY DUE TO POVERTY AND LACK OF CLASSROOMS.

288 TONS OF PLASTIC WASTE PRODUCED EVERY DAY IN THE CITY OF ABIDJAN.

5% ONLY OF PLASTIC WASTE IN IVORY COAST IS RECYCLED.

Plastic Waste to Schools

The innovative “Plastic Waste to Schools” programme has a triple impact. Firstly, it reduces plastic pollution through recycling. Secondly, it empowers the women who collect and sell the plastic waste for recycling to lift their families out of extreme poverty, providing them with a stable, fair income. And thirdly, it uses the plastic waste they collect to produce recycled plastic bricks with which it builds modern low cost and quality classrooms to increase access to education. Moreover, the modern classrooms provided not only improve access to schooling, but quality of education too, reducing class sizes so that the children benefit from safe, conducive learning environments with a lower pupil-toteacher ratio.

Goals:

880,000

KG PLASTIC RECYCLED

2019 results

• The MSC Foundation provided catalytic funding, pre-ordering classroom construction kits to enable the first plastic brick plant in Africa to be built in Côte d’Ivoire.

• By providing funds for the development of a sustainable investment model and for the global scale-up of sustainable plastic recycling markets, we are making an important contribution to address the global waste management problem.

“I’m looking forward to starting at the new school made out of plastic bricks. Later I want to become a teacher. Teach in a school like this!”.

66 WOMEN OUT OF POVERTY PER YEAR

152 LOW-COST MODERN CLASSROOMS BUILT

The benefits of addressing plastic waste pollution, education and women’s empowerment simultaneously make us an enthusiastic partner of this innovative programme.

“The programme contributes to a cleaner environment, provides income opportunities for families and families and will offer better learning conditions for 8,350 children. Thank you you MSC Foundation for your outstanding commitment!”.

SOPHIE CHAVANEL CHIEF OF COMMUNICATIONS UNICEF CÔTE D’IVOIRE

MARIE KOUADIO AYA 9 YEARS OLD

FIGHTING SEVERE MALNUTRITION

UNICEF’s distribution of lifesaving Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) provides community-based assistance to children suffering from severe acute malnutrition in countries affected by crises, saving many thousands of young lives and helping reduce inequalities.

MSC provided four and a half years’ continuous support for the programme in Malawi, enabling it to achieve remarkable results.

PARTNER: UNICEF

TIMEFRAME: 2016 - 2020

MALAWI

Challenges

6,5 MILLION PEOPLE AT RISK OF SEVERE HUNGER BETWEEN 2016 AND 2017.

6,6% GLOBAL ACUTE MALNUTRITION RATE IN SOUTH MALAWI IS HIGHEST IN WORLD.

100,575 CHILDREN UNDER 5 AT RISK OF SEVERE ACUTE MALNUTRITION IN 2017.

868,895 PEOPLE AFFECTED BY SEVERE FLOODING FROM CYCLONE IDAI IN 2019.

Therapeutic food saves children’s lives

Malawi faces many challenges, including food aid needs that exceed availability, leaving many children’s lives threatened by severe acute malnutrition. Drought and intense flooding have aggravated the situation. We supported UNICEF’s response to this urgent need for 5 years, supplying Ready-to-Use therapeutic food and significantly reducing deaths from Severe Acute Malnutrition in children under five in food-insecure populations.

The incidence of Severe Acute Malnutrition was reduced from 4.1% to 1% between 2016 and 2019. An exceptional result after 5 years’ continuous support by MSC.

2019 results

16,479 children under five suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition received the following therapeutic treatments in 2019 thanks to our support:

• 15,000 boxes containing a total of 2,250,000 sachets of Ready to Use Therapeutic Food.

• 720 boxes (18,000 tins) of “Starter Diet” milk (F75).

• 200 boxes (4,800 tins) of “Catch-up Diet” milk (7100).

• 240 boxes (1,200 tins) of Rehydration Solution.

“My son has gained weight and is now able to play with his friends. My child would’ve been in bad shape if it weren’t for the help he received”.

ZINENANI A SINGLE MOTHER FROM SOUTHERN MALAWI WITH HER SON RAPHAEL NOW HEALTHY AGAIN

“Thanks to MSC’s multiyear support, UNICEF was able to provide lifesaving treatments for almost 68,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition in Malawi”.

RUDOLF SCHWENK UNICEF REPRESENTATIVE MALAWI

ENSURING HEALTHY GROWTH

The Chinese Government has a powerful food supplement for children called Ying Yang Bao. With our help, UNICEF has been supporting take-up of the supplement and advocating for the expansion of the Ying Yang Bao programme through health worker training and counselling in the community, an approach that has achieved encouraging results.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

PARTNER: UNICEF

TIMEFRAME: 2018 - 2019

YING YAO BAO Qinghai province China

Challenges

CHILD STUNTING PREVALENCE 2 TO 3 TIMES HIGHER IN CENTRAL AND WESTERN CHINA THAN EASTERN CHINA.

PREVALENCE OF ANAEMIA 70% IN CHILDREN IN SEVERAL POVERTY COUNTIES.

STUNTING IN 18,7% OF CHILDREN UNDER 5 IN POOR RURAL AREAS.

STUNTING IN 4,3% OF CHILDREN UNDER 5 IN URBAN AREAS.

The micronutrients for children to thrive

The programme promoted equitable access to appropriate nutrition support across different geographical areas and socioeconomic and ethnic groups in China by supporting and advocating for the expansion of the Government’s Ying Yang Bao (YYB) food supplement programme. It achieved this by building health workers’ capacity to improve Ying Yang Bao delivery and provide infant and young child health counselling across 5 demonstration counties in Qinghai, also training peer counsellors to promote healthy feeding practices and dietary diversity for young children.

2019 results

(January - June 2019)

NATIONALLY:

• 3 national training of trainers workshops held in several provinces of China.

• 120 maternal and child health staff from the programme provinces were trained in YYB programme management.

IN QINGHAI PROVINCE:

• 99.63% of the 19,739 children aged 6-23 months in the 5 counties received YYB.

• 80.02% of the children ate 1 sachet of YYB per day for at least four days per week.

• 66.70% of the children reported increased dietary diversity.

“My granddaughter cries less and her appetite has improved since she started taking YYB. She can play all day long, is becoming stronger and rarely catches cold. It’s so much easier to take care of her than before”.

KONG LINGTING OF YYB PROGRAMME BENEFICIARY

“With MSC’s help, UNICEF supported the Chinese Government’s work to prevent child malnutrition. Our joint work will allow us to expand the programme to additional parts of the country, so more children can benefit”.

DR. DOUGLAS NOBLE DEPUTY REPRESENTATIVE, UNICEF CHINA

DELIVERING HEALTHCARE WHERE OTHERS DON’T REACH

MSC partners the Andrea Bocelli Foundation (ABF) in Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world, funding an innovative Mobile Clinic that visits 5 remote disadvantaged communities which would not otherwise be served.

Providing training and community seminars alongside medical services, the Mobile Clinic supports sustainable health development as well as delivering immediate life-changing care.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT HAITI

PARTNER: ABF

TIMEFRAME: 2018 - 2019

The MSC Foundation funds a Mobile Clinic which provides regular health screening, medical consultations, treatments, vaccines, counselling and training for 5 communities in some of the poorest and most remote areas of Haiti.

Serving thousands of direct beneficiaries per year, the Mobile Clinic has a strong life-changing impact.

“With its generous support, MSC actively contributes to supporting our mission –Empowering People and Communities – with the aim of helping people in need due to diseases, conditions of poverty and social exclusion, by promoting and supporting projects to overcome these barriers”.

ANDREA BOCELLI FOUNDER, ABF

HEALTHCARE SERVICE FOR REMOTE COMMUNITIES

Challenges

HAITI IS THE POOREST COUNTRY IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE.

OVER 6 MILLION HAITIANS LIVE BELOW THE POVERTY LINE.

1 IN 3 CHILDREN DIE OF HUNGER OR PREVENTABLE DISEASES BEFORE THE AGE OF 5.

ONLY 30% OF PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN COMPLETE THE 5-YEAR EDUCATION CYCLE.

Community healthcare through schools

Haiti’s extreme poverty is a barrier to children’s health and ability to fulfil their potential. According to the Human Capital Index, children born in Haiti today who do not receive full educational and healthcare support will be only 45% as productive as their peers when they reach adulthood. This is nowhere more apparent than the country’s underserved remote areas.

The Andrea Bocelli Foundation addresses the educational challenges by running schools which double as community centres in 5 remote areas. The Mobile Clinic funded by the MSC Foundation visits these schools quarterly, providing healthcare services, training and seminars in the communities to help ensure they and their children can fulfil their potential.

2019 was a particularly challenging year, with considerable political tensions and civil unrest in the country. This made travel by the mobile clinic difficult and dangerous, reducing the number of community visits possible from the usual 20 to 9.

Thanks to the team’s courage and determination, the clinic nevertheless reached all 5 communities in the programme.

2019 results

• MSC funded the Mobile Clinic and its team of 2 doctors, 3 nurses, 3 auxiliaries and 1 driver throughout the year.

• Despite political tensions and civil unrest, the Mobile Clinic continued to provide medical support through each of the 5 schools in Haiti run by the Andrea Bocelli Foundation: St. Augustin in Abricot Jeremie, St. Philomène in Kenscoff, Notre Dame du Rosaire in Croixdes-Bouquets, Manitane in Dame Marie and St. Raphaelin De Varenne Grand Rivière (Fondwa-Jacqumel).

• Total of 9 Mobile Clinic visits of at least 1 day in the year, down from the usual 20 visits due to civil unrest.

• 2,850 children supported to be healthy in school.

• 60 teachers potentially engaged in the programme.

• Direct programme beneficiaires: 4.695 children and 1.224 adults.

• MSC Foundation provides free shipping of two 40-foot containers of medical equipment from Genoa to Santo Domingo.

5 community centres in Haiti

“The Mobile Clinic offers the population better living conditions, hygiene and good health: being healthy is vital for adequate growth and development of the body and mind, to have enough energy to spend the day on school desks”.

“Thanks to the support of the MSC Foundation and the constant dialogue with the communities, ABF started a structured project in Haiti to ensure constant healthcare not only for the students of the ABF projects but also for their families. The Mobile Clinic guarantees free basic care for children of ABF Foundation St Luc schools in five of the most remote communities in Haiti”.

LAURA BIANCALANI GENERAL MANAGER

ST. RAPHAEL SCHOOL TEACHER DE VARENNE, COMMUNITY, HAITI

TEACHING CARE FOR THE SEAS

As a family-owned Group with a long seafaring tradition, MSC is committed to inspiring young people with a passion for the sea. We consequently joined forces with the Italian marine conservation NGO Marevivo in 2015, aiming to build a community of young “Citizens of the Ocean” who advocate for and conserve our planet’s marine resources for the future.

EDUCATION ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

MEDITERRANEAN SEA

PARTNER: MAREVIVO

TIMEFRAME: 2015 - 2019

Challenges

95% OF MARINE DEBRIS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA IS PLASTIC.

731 TONS OF PLASTIC WASTE ENTER THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA EVERY DAY.

250 BILLION FRAGMENTS OF PLASTIC POLLUTE ITS WATERS.

62% OF THE MEDITERRANEAN’S FISH STOCKS HAVE DECLINED.

Inspiring young minds worldwide

MSC joined forces with the Italian marine conservation NGO Marevivo in 2015.

We are one of Marevivo’s main partners and we commit to support extensive educational programmes, raising awareness of marine biodiversity, pollution, illegal fishing, sustainable development and the restoration of marine protected areas.

Together, we provide youth-focused educational activities in the Mediterranean that have reached more than 3,500 island school children and 1,500 Italian nautical institute students since the beginning of our partnership. In addition, 200,000 young people engage in Marevivo “edutainment” activities on MSC Cruises ships every year.

GIUGNI PRESIDENT, MAREVIVO

“Our organisation has prioritised education and information on protecting the sea since it was founded 35 years ago. Thanks to MSC’s support and partnership, we are bringing up a younger generation who are more aware of the immense value that the oceans have for the survival of the human species”.

ROSALBA

CREATING YOUNG GUARDIAN DOLPHINS OF THE ISLANDS

Guardian Dolphins of the Islands is an educational programme for the primary schools on Italy’s islands to raise awareness of and foster initiatives for the protection and conservation of the marine environment.

PARTNER: MAREVIVO

TIMEFRAME: 2015 - 2019

EDUCATION ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION ELBA

AEOLIAN MILAZZO EGADI

The Guardian Dolphins programme delivers more than 6 days’ teaching in each school. Combining multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary lessons with experiential learning, field experiences and outdoor classes, the programme provides learning opportunities through observation, exploration and the discovery of different marine habitats.

The seashore and sea are transformed into an outdoor classroom with activities that include beach clean-ups, the sea under the microscope and sea museum visits.

2019 results

• 1,000 new young Guardian Dolphins of the islands watch over the dolphins and their beaches

• 10 islands: Island of Elba, Lipari, Salina, Vulcano, Panarea, Stromboli, Filicudi, Alicudi, Favignana, Marettimo and the city of Milazzo

• Reach: 66 classes in 22 primary schools

• Over 80 teachers and experts and 18 Marevivo operators

• Indirect impact: approx. 3,200 parents, family members and residents

“On the islands where we’ve been running our Guardian Dolphins programme for years, entire communities have begun to see the environment and especially the sea in a different way”.

LAURA GENTILE MAREVIVO GUARDIAN DOLPHINS PROJECT MANAGER

“I look at the sea and think of Marevivo. I can’t wait to start our activities again. In the meantime, I’m following the video lessons. I like them very much. They’re very interesting”.

CELESTE LIPARI PRIMARY SCHOOL

“The Sea is a vast expanse of blue / you’ve got to love and take care of it too / it’s a beautiful treasure / unfurling waves like flags beyond measure”

MATTIA MILAZZO PRIMARY SCHOOL

BRINGING CONSERVATION INTO ITALY’S NAUTICAL INSTITUTES

Nautici in Blu is an innovative Marevivo and MSC programme which brings environmental conservation and marine sustainability into the curriculums of nautical institutes throughout Italy with the aim of making future maritime professionals more environmentally aware.

EDUCATION ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

PARTNER: MAREVIVO

TIMEFRAME: 2017 - 2019

BARI

LA SPEZIA GENOVA

TRIESTE ANCONA PALERMO MILAZZO

PORTO SANTO STEFANO PIANO DI SORRENTO

PROGRAMMES

The Nautici in Blu programme delivers an intensive 5 day course of 25 hours’ teaching centred on marine biodiversity in each institute, with visits to Marine Protected Areas, Port Authorities and to explore the relationship between humans and the sea. The students also help in beach cleanups with a scientific approach to the selection and study of waste similar to Citizen Science. The course components have been designed and are being delivered in conjunction with conservationists, legal experts, port authorities and eminent university specialists in every area from Biology to Conservation Studies, Environmental Science, Geology and Zoology.

2019 results

• 700 Nautical Institutes students received diplomas as Citizens of the Ocean.

• Reach: 10 nautical Institutes: Genoa, Ancona, Piano di Sorrento, La Spezia, Trieste, Civitavecchia, Bari, Palermo, Milazzo, Porto Santo Stefano.

• 80 teachers, 25 Marevivo operatives and 3/4 experts involved per school.

• Indirect impact: approx. 2,800 institute peers, parents and family members.

“Nautici in Blu is a fullimmersion educational programme that teaches students to look at the sea with new eyes, to understand and respect it”.

MARIA RAPINI MAREVIVO PROJECT MANAGER

“Nautici in blu is an experience I’ve always dreamed of: to talk about the marine ecosystem and how to protect it. Thanks for making my dream come true”.

“The sea is our passion, the environment our future”

NINO BIXIO NAUTICAL INSTITUTE SORRENTO

CARMINE SICIGNANO

CLASS 1 E, NINO BIXIO NAVAL ACADEMY, PIANO DI SORRENTO

“Nautici in blu enabled me to increase my knowledge not only of the marine ecosystem but also of other plants and animals that are threatened by the impact of human activity”.

GIOVANNA DE SIMONE

CLASS 1 E, NINO BIXIO NAVAL ACADEMY, PIANO DI SORRENTO

COMMUNITY SUPPORT PROGRAMMES /MERCY SHIPS

TRANSFORMING HEALTHCARE IN AFRICA

MSC has partnered with Mercy Ships since 2011, providing free container shipments and utilising all our resources to support its lifesaving operations and capacity building in areas without easy access to healthcare facilities. Together, we help build a healthy and more prosperous future for people of all ages.

SENEGAL GUINEA

PARTNER: MERCY SHIP

Mercy Ships is a global charity that uses hospital ships staffed by all-volunteer crews as the most efficient way to deliver free, world-class healthcare services. Its hospital ship Africa Mercy was based in Guinea and Senegal in 2019. A total of 18,550 life-changing surgeries have been performed since the partnership was launched.

“Through MSC’s support, we are able to provide thousands of free, life-changing surgeries to the poorest of the poor in each nation we serve.

This is made possible by MSC’s logistical and financial support for which we are so grateful”.

DON STEPHENS FOUNDER OF MERCY SHIPS

A FLOATING HOSPITAL THAT CHANGES LIVES

Challenges

OVER 93% OF THE POPULATION OF SUBSAHARAN AFRICA DOES NOT HAVE ACCESS TO SAFE, AFFORDABLE SURGERY.

OVER 18 MILLION PEOPLE DIE IN AFRICA EVERY YEAR DUE TO LACK OF SURGICAL CARE.

LESS THAN 10 PHYSICIANS PER 100,000 PEOPLE ON AVERAGE.

25% OF THE WORLD’S DISEASES ARE CONCENTRATED IN AFRICA.

OVER 50% OF THE WORLD POPULATION CAN BE ASSISTED FROM THE SEA.

The ship of hope

We provide logistical support to Mercy Ships, enabling it to concentrate more of its resources on providing free professional healthcare and surgery for the most disadvantaged children, youths and adults living in coastal regions in Africa, together with training, mentoring, capacity building and infrastructure renovations.

2019 results

• More than 20,000 direct beneficiaries

• Over 1,800 life-changing surgeries

• More than 19,500 medical consultations

• 29,900 dental procedures

• Over 200 palliative care encounters

• 30 healthcare workers trained in nutritional agriculture

• 1,300 professionals trained in their fields

Mercy Ships is transforming healthcare in Africa, performing life-changing surgery that frees patients to embrace the future.

“Thank you to MSC and Mercy Ships for their support, which has enabled us to equip our dental school to provide clinical training for our students”.

“The partnership with the MSC Foundation allows us to increase access to healthcare for some of the most vulnerable people in Africa”.

RUSS HOLMES DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT, MERCY SHIPS

DR. FADIGA MOHAMED SID-DICK CHEF DE DÉPARTEMENT D’ODONTOLOGIE DE L’UNIVERSITÉ GAMAL ABDEL NASSER DE CONAKRY, GUINEA

REBUILDING THE FUTURE

Genoa’s Morandi Bridge collapsed in August 2018, killing 48 people, injuring 16 and causing the entire area under the bridge to be evacuated. The disaster inflicted immense economic and material loss.

We organised a high-profile concert of international stars, the award-winning Ballata per Genova, to support Genoa’s recovery and launch the fundraising for an innovative MSC Foundation community park project with a focus on the sea and environmental protection, Il Parco del Mare.

TIMEFRAME: 2019 - 2022

GENOA Italy

Challenges

ALMOST 4,000 RESIDENTS EVACUATED IN THE WAKE OF THE DISASTER.

500,000 SQ.M AREA IN VAL POLCEVERA AREA NEEDS REGENERATION.

MAJOR TRANSPORT ROUTES BLOCKED.

LOCAL RETAIL BUSINESS SEVERELY DISRUPTED.

TOURISM STRONGLY IMPACTED.

LACK OF PARKS AND SPACE FOR FAMILIES.

Il Parco del Mare

The Parco del Mare project created an opportunity to envision a new public space symbolising the Genoa: A park within easy reach of its citizens, featuring a section equipped with innovative facilities designed specifically for family recreation and informational activities, including playground installations and areas dedicated to raising awareness of environmental issues, reuse and recycling.

Goals

• Create a 5,000 sq.m eco-park to help regenerate the Val Polcevera area under the new bridge.

• Provide a cultural meeting place and creative works in the park celebrating Genoa’s history and achievements to stimulate social interactions and community recovery.

• Enrich the park with innovative facilities for family recreation, including playground installations and areas raising awareness of environmental issues, reuse, recycling and care for the sea.

“We are working hard on the urban regeneration of the underpass area and the neighbouring district. Thanks to the MSC Foundation we can count on additional funds, but that’s not all. The initiative has brought visibility to Genoa and the entire project.”

“We’re delighted to contribute to the success of “Il Parco del mare”. We’ll be partnering the MSC Foundation and the City and Regional Councils in every phase of the project, while also contributing to the educational paths and workshops designed to foster social integration and the involvement of schools in the park experiences.

ALESSANDRO GRASSINI GENERAL SECRETARY HELPCODE

COUNCILLOR SIMONETTA CENCI GENOA CITY COUNCIL

CONTRIBUTING TO GENOA’S RECOVERY

MSC Foundation made a high-profile contribution to Genoa’s recovery from the bridge disaster, gifting its citizens the open-air concert Ballata per Genova on 14 June 2019, organised in conjunction with Genoa City Council and Liguria Regional Council.

2019 results

• High-profile all-star concert gifted to Genoa, with all 16,000 free tickets for Genoese citizens snapped up in just a few hours.

• Ballata per Genova gained Italy’s biggest TV audience share (18.5%) with over 3 million viewers.

• Increased national and international visibility boosted Genoa tourism.

• Concert significantly raised visibility of the project for regenerating the area under the bridge, attracting other corporate funders.

• Event kickstarted fundraising for Il Parco del Mare project, raising more than €450,000.

• 2 Awards: Ballata per Genova gained a Festivalmare Special Award and the fundraising campaign was awarded the Premio Agorà.

A public concert on Genoa’s seafront with 40 internationally-renowned Italian stars on stage, Ballata per Genova was broadcast live on TV and radio, showcasing Genoa’s culture and seafaring history to millions across Italy and worldwide. The event also launched the fundraising campaign for Il Parco del Mare.

“Ballata per Genova celebrated our city and our people, showcasing our talents, traditions and achievements. A concrete sign of MSC’s affection for the city 10 months after the collapse of the bridge, this impactful event played a powerful role in helping the city get back on is feet again”.

ILARIA CAVO REGIONE LIGURIA COUNCIL

Luca Bizzarri, Paolo Kessisoglu and Lorella Cuccarini (artists), Marco Bucci (Mayor of Genoa), Giovanni Toti (Regione Liguria President), Antonella Clerici and Amadeus (artists)

RESTORING THE ELBE’S UNIQUE NATURAL HABITATS AND BIODIVERSITY

We committed to giving visibility to and helping fund the Elbe Habitat Foundation’s Kirchwerder Lifeline project to create new habitats for endangered species including the Elbe water dropwort, while also increasing fish feeding grounds and refuges.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

HAMBURG Germany

TIMEFRAME: 2019 - 2020

A shared commitment

The Elbe Habitat Foundation was established in 2010 by the City of Hamburg to enhance the ecological status of the Tidal Elbe, preserve its natural diversity and strengthen the unique habitats of its river landscape.

The MSC Group has close ties with Hamburg as one of its principal ports, and the health of the world’s seas and rivers is a priority for the MSC Foundation.

“I would like to thank the Aponte family and MSC Group very much for their exemplary commitment to the unique natural environment of the River Elbe”.

DR. ELISABETH KLOCKE DIRECTOR OF THE ELBE HABITAT FOUNDATION

Christian Hein, MD MSC Cruises Germany, Nils Kahn, MD MSC Germany, Dr. Elisabeth Klocke, ED The Elbe Habitat Foundation.

TOGETHER TO RENATURE THE RIVER ELBE

Challenges

DRASTIC LOSS OF SHALLOW WATER NATURAL HABITATS

MASSIVE DECREASE IN FISH SPAWNING GROUNDS AND REFUGES

90% OF RIVER BANKS EAST OF HAMBURG HEAVILY REINFORCED

HABITAT QUALITY OF MANY TIDAL CREEK SYSTEMS LOST DUE TO DEEPENING OF THE ELBE AND DIKE EMBANKMENTS

RIVER DYNAMICS INHIBITED BY BANK PROTECTION SYSTEMS

Creating new tidal habitats

The Tidal Elbe is the final 148 km stretch of the Elbe which flows into the North Sea. The embankments and fairway deepenings built along this stretch of the river over the years have caused crucial tidal habitats to be lost. The Kirchwerder Lifeline Project will address the problem by providing better connections between the River Elbe and its foreland again, establishing a tidal creek and shallow pond in the dike foreland near Kirchwerder between Spring and Autumn 2020.

This will enhance the river landscape’s natural diversity by providing new habitats for a wide variety of species.

Goals

• Restore a 46.800 m² large embankment area.

• Construct a 310 m long tidal creek.

• Re-establish diverse endangered species including the endemic Elbe water dropwort.

Achievements

• Renature 770 metres of Elbe tributary with meanders, marshy ponds, tidal creeks & flats.

• Create 33 new bodies of water or wet hollows.

• Re-establish diverse endangered species including the Elbe water dropwort.

A concert for the Elbe

To celebrate the official launch of the MSC Foundation we conceived, organised and funded an exclusive fundraising gala concert in aid of the Elbe Habitat Foundation’s Kirchwerder Lifeline Project.

The high-profile event, held at the Elbphilharmonie Hall in Hamburg on 8 November 2019, featured the renowned soloists and conductors Johannes Moser, Carlo Ponti, Kenneth Tarver and Clemens Malich performing an exclusive selection of popular orchestral works with the Felix Mendelsohn Youth Orchestra

The Elbe Habitat Charity Gala was a gift to the citizens of Hamburg, with the entire proceeds from all ticket sales and donations supporting the Kirchwerder Lifeline Project.

• 1,920 tickets sold for a visionary performance.

• €250,000 donated to the Elbe Habitat Foundation’s Kirchwerder Lifeline Project.

• Importance of preserving River Elbe’s unique habits and natural diversity acquires global visibility during launch of MSC Foundation.

”It was a great honour for me to take part in this special evening dedicated to the preservation of one of Europe’s most precious ecosystems. I applaud the MSC Foundation’s commitment to making our world a better place to live for our future generations”.

CARLO PONTI LOS ANGELES VIRTUOSI ORCHESTRA, FOUNDER AND MUSIC DIRECTOR

HURRICANE DISASTER RELIEF

Hurricane Dorian was the most intense tropical cyclone on record to strike the Bahamas, making landfall on the Abaco Islands with sustained winds of up to 185 mph (295 km/h) on 1 September 2019, and hitting Grand Bahama Island a day later. Tremendously destructive, it inflicted a humanitarian crisis and USD 3.4 billion material damage.

The MSC Foundation formed and led the first-ever global MSC Task Force, rapidly mobilising our partners, offices and resources across 150 countries to donate and deliver over 146 shipping containers of emergency relief supplies directly to affected Bahamian communities, starting within just days of the disaster.

TIMEFRAME: 2019 - 2020

EMERGENCY RELIEF COMMUNITY SUPPORT

BAHAMAS

Challenges

AT LEAST 70 PEOPLE KILLED

70,000 PEOPLE LEFT HOMELESS

EXTENSIVE DESTRUCTION OF ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE

USD 3,4 BILLION MATERIAL DAMAGE

An immediate and long-term commitment

The MSC Foundation and MSC Group took immediate action to provide $5 million of vital aid in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian in September 2019, delivering an initial consignment of 19 containers of humanitarian relief just 8 days after Dorian hit, with a further 127 containers arriving soon after.

In addition, including these containers, MSC shipped, stored in Freeport and passed over for distribution more than 250 containers of humanitarian relief shipped free or discounted into Freeport and stocked free of charge at the Freeport container terminal.

The MSC Foundation’s emergency response included a direct commitment to providing concrete assistance for the rebuilding efforts, commencing in 2020.

2019 results

Over 250 containers of humanitarian relief shipped free or discounted, including:

• 146 containers of donated humanitarian relief delivered, including water, rice, generators, building materials, tools, furniture, mattresses and medical supplies

MSC Foundation Emergency task force members meet with Hubert Minnis, Prime Minister of the Bahamas and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)

YEAR OVERVIEW

From a financial perspective, the first operational year of the MSC Foundation was a year of transition: our support for non-profit partners remained consistent, being centred on the continuation of grants and commitments made in prior years and still partially funded by the MSC Group.

In 2019 we increased our portfolio, designing and launching a pioneering marine conservation programme, awarded special initiative grants to organise two high-level fundraising events in support of concrete initiatives to meet pressing needs, and demonstrated our ability to provide prompt and effective emergency relief thanks to the global reach and synergies of the MSC Group.

Two important developments in the year enabled us to increase our impact: the introduction of our Donation Match Pledge on MSC Cruises ships, which matches the one-euro / one-dollar donations of guests on board, and the creation and sales of a line of MSC Foundation retail products, all proceeds of which go to our projects and programmes.

The Foundation operates with complete transparency and produces financial statements that are independently audited by Ernst & Young.

Expectations for 2020: due to the impact of the Covid-19 global pandemic, the Foundation expects a decrease in core activities for 2020 compared with 2019 and an increase in emergency relief.

2.5

7

MILLION SWISS FRANCS TO PROGRAMMES AND INITIATIVES PROGRAMMES

5

6

PARTNERS COUNTRIES

2

2

FUNDRAISING EVENTS PROJECTS

1

EMERGENCY RESPONSE INITIATIVE

Partners: UNICEF, Marevivo, Andrea Bocelli Foundation, Mercy Ships, Helpcode, The Elbe Habitat Foundation

KEY FIGURES

• CORPORATE AND INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS

Revenues: CHF 2,466k

• ON-BOARD FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN

• MSC MATCHING SYSTEM

• MSC FOUNDATION RETAIL LINE SALES

Funding allocated to Programmes & Initiatives: CHF 2,504,553

88% Programmes & Projects*

7% Emergency Relief & Recovery

5% Research & Development

(*) Funds allocated to Projects and Programmes in 2019 and to be allocated in 2020. Including fundraising activities, awareness & education initiatives.

Financial years cover the period Jan-Dec 2019. MSC Foundation audit statements are available on request.

A VISION FOR THE FUTURE

As we complete this Annual review, it is too early to know the full effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. People across all continents are still struggling to contain the virus, save lives and limit the disruption to their livelihoods. We will continue to reach out to them as we have done throughout the year, partnering in the global efforts to combat the coronavirus.

There are encouraging signs that the crisis will be brought under fuller control in the year ahead. As that time approaches, the Foundation will do its part to help rebuild the global economy from the devastation that has struck so many.

We are preparing for this future, consolidating our structure and building strong relationships with an increasing number of national and international organisations and government institutions to support our programmes and initiatives. Because delivering effective and enduring results depends on close cooperation and strong coalitions.

The pandemic has demonstrated the unique ability of our Foundation to bring concrete support swiftly where it’s needed because:

• We are able to respond quickly as a family-owned Group to meet emergency needs without delay, also acting as a catalyst for resources thanks to MSC’s global reach and networks, mobilising donations and moving large quantities of emergency relief and rebuilding materials around the world to great impact.

• The Group’s marine know-how puts us in a special position when it comes to protecting the seas and oceans.

• MSC’s local offices with their long history of philanthropy worldwide give us a strong local presence and networks.

• We have substantial advocacy capacity, being able to reach millions of cruise guests and leverage a wide range of media to inspire people to action.

We shall continue to harness these strengths and learn from how we do so, following a clear strategy to ensure maximum impact and learning.

Looking to the future, we are working on a fundraising campaign to restore the coral reefs around Ocean Cay in The Bahamas to make an extended contribution to combat the effects of climate change. We will continue providing emergency relief, particularly related to the containment and mitigation of COVID-19 in the most affected countries, we will continue supporting the programmes of longstanding partners, promoting environmental education in Italy, supporting women empowerment, environmental conservation and education in Côte d’Ivoire through an innovative plastic recycling social entrepreneurship model and providing healthcare and surgery for vulnerable populations, and looking for new projects in line with our mission.

Because one thing is certain, if we are to rise to the challenges our planet now faces, we can only do so together.

Which of course brings us to you, reading this Annual Review. Thank you for your support.

Together with you, anything is possible!

Thank you!

Our Mission to restore the balance between people and nature depends on one word: Together

Which is why we want to thank our donors and supporters, corporations, on-board guests, communities, suppliers, volunteers, MSC employees, government and public sector staff…. everyone

who joined us to play a part in protecting and restoring our planet. We are truly grateful for your energy and generosity.

Working together alongside our partners, learning along the way, we have built increasingly strong global and local relationships of trust, which inspire us to build many more. So, to our partners, we say an equally heartfelt thank you. None of the results we report here would have been possible without you.

To all of you we pledge: We will professionally and passionately continue to work for a better world.

MSC Foundation

Chemin Rieu 12-14, 1208 Geneva, Switzerland

Tel: +41 22 703 88 88 - fax +41 22 703 87 00

For more information: secretariat@mscfoundation.org mscfoundation.org

Copyright © 2020 by MSC Foundation

All rights reserved. This review 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.

Photo credits

© Ivan Sarfatti (page 4, 7, 8, 9, 13, 21, 22, 23, 30, 54, 55, 66, 67)

© Rossella Murgia (page 8, 55)

© UNICEF / MLIA2012-01168 (page 12)

© UNICEF / Frank Dejongh (page 16, 31)

© Furgeri (page 18, 19)

© Marevivo / Rossella Murgia (page 21, 66)

© ABF / Rich Photography / Osme Julmane (page 21)

© Conrad Schutt (page 23)

© Mercy Ship/ Saul Loubassa Bighonda (page 23, 29)

© UNICEF / UN0254005 / Dejongh (page 31)

© UNICEF / UN0304067 // Frank Dejo (page 32)

© UNICEF / UN0250905 / Dejongh (page 33)

© ABF (page 38, 39, 41, 66)

© Marevivo (page 42)

© 2018 Mercy ships / Catrice Wulf (page 48)

© 2017 Mercy ships / Shawn Thompson (page 50)

© 2017 Mercy ships / Photo Credit Timmy Baskerville (page 51)

© 2018 Mercy ships / Photo Credit Catrice Wulf (page 51)

© The Elbe / 2016 Johannes Arlt (page 57)

© The Elbe / Mark Maryanovich (page 59)

© 2013 Mercy ships / Suzanne Scheumann (page 66)

© Ballata per Genova / Rossella Murgia (page 67)

© 2019 Getty Images / Anthony Devlin (page 67)

© UNICEF / UN0287715 // Frank Dejo (page 67)

The MSC Foundation invites any image copyright holders that we have been unable to contact to kindly approach us directly.

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