Young SDG Innovators from Grieg Maritime to talk on UN Summit

Why is shipping so reluctant to cooperate on the decarbonisation of existing fleet? Our Young SDG Innovators, Ragnhild Høvik and Kjerstin Hernes, have a solution, and the UN Global Compact want them to talk about it on the world stage.

Working as Project Engineer and Analyst in Grieg Star (Ragnhild) and Manager Portfolio, Strategy and Innovation in Grieg Maritime Group (Kjerstin), our two young experts know how important it is for the shipping industry to improve the carbon footprints of the existing world fleet. They also know how excruciating slow improvement processes can be in shipping. 

They have been Grieg Maritime Group’s representatives in The UN Global Compact‘s Young Sustainable Innovators Program (YSIP) through the last ten months. Together with other young professionals, they have discussed and developed ideas for new business and innovative, sustainable products and services. The programme has challenged them to look at traditional business models in a new and sustainable way. 

Promoting partnership

Ragnhild and Kjerstin won over the Norwegian jury with their idea of a closer partnership between shipping companies to ensure a more speedy modernisation and decarbonisation of ships already in operation. 

“Our philosophy is that shipping companies should compete in delivering the best services to their customers and work together to make sure shipping becomes carbon neutral,” says Kjerstin Hernes. 

Working together with teams from companies like Norsk Hydro, Equinor and Asplan Viak, they have honed their idea over the last months. And this month, it was clear that the Norwegian UNGC jury wants to send the Grieg Maritime team and the team from Asplan Viak to the YSIP Solution Showcasing 2021. The showcasing is fully digital and is held during the UN General Assembly Week on the 21st of September. 

“We have pitched our solution several times, but it will be exciting to do it on such an international stage. Still, we believe in our idea and look forward to promoting partnership for decarbonising the existing fleet as well,” Ragnhild Høvik says. 

Inspiration and help

Together with 31 other teams from all over the world, they will have seven minutes to describe their idea in front of a panel of judges representing experts from business, NGOs, and civil society. 

“This idea is not something we have developed alone. We have discussed it with many people in our organisation, with the Grieg Group’s Leader Sustainability and Public Affairs Gry Larsen as our mentor. Eli Munkelien of Innovation Norway has also been of tremendous help,” says Kjerstin. 

Their presentation will be shown on the UN Global Compact “Uniting Business LIVE” on the 21st of September at 15:25 CET