Tag Archives: Footprint

Aurora Releases 2025 Impact Report

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Aurora Releases 2025 Impact Report

Photocredit Spacejunkie2, Flickr account https://flic.kr/ps/GkiQt

Aurora Expeditions has released its 2025 Impact Report, showcasing the company’s strides in environmental stewardship, scientific collaboration and community engagement globally.

“Every expedition leaves a footprint, and our responsibility is to minimise that impact and create a shift in the way people think so that they come back with a passion to protect our planet,” said Michael Heath, CEO of Aurora Expeditions.

“Our 2025 Impact Report reflects our commitment to investing in restoring and regenerating the environments we visit,” Heath added.

The company said in a press release that highlights from the 2025 report include the following:

  • The launch of the Ocean Regeneration program: Aurora funds the planting of kelp forests, seagrass meadows and coral restoration, along with the removal of ocean-bound waste.
  • It became the first expedition company to trial Counter Current’s AI ship routing, designed to allow ships to flow with currents, reducing fuel consumption.
  • With Cleaner Seas, Aurora was the first expedition company to install microplastic filters on a ship, preventing microplastics from entering the ocean.
  • More than 74,000 children accessed free environmental courses through Aurora’s partnership with Upschool, and
  • The Sylvia Earle was the first Infinity Class ship to trial a 100 per cent biofuel.

According to the press release, additional highlights from the report’s two focus areas include the following:  

Planet: Restoring Ocean Health and Reducing Emissions

  • The expansion of partnerships with global conservation leaders, including Mission Blue, CleanHub and Veritree, supporting habitat restoration from the Coral Triangle to British Columbia, and
  • The removal of salmon from onboard menus starting in the 2025-26 season to align with stricter sustainable seafood practices.

 People: Inspiring Global Ambassadors for the Natural World

  • Seven Citizen Science projects, from whale tracking (HappyWhale) to ice studies (TIPI), are engaging passengers in research that advances global climate understanding
  • $236,436 USD in-kind expedition support provided to environmental scientists and researchers, plus $90,937 USD in donations to conservation organisations
  • Continued support for the Inuit Community Ambassador Program with The Oxen Network
  • Having a Certified B Corporation 87.5 B Impact Score, well above the global average of 50.9, and
  • The company’s commitment to recertify under the new B Corp standards by 2027, ensuring continuous improvement across governance, community, and environmental performance.

The full Impact Report is available to view here.

Image credit: Spacejunkie2

Hurtigruten Receives Best ESG Ranking of a Cruise Company

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Hurtigruten Group has received an industry-leading ESG Risk Rating of 19.7 (Low) following an assessment by Morningstar Sustainalytics, an ESG research, ratings and data firm, according to a statement.

With ratings categorized across five risk levels, Hurtigruten Group is the only cruise company to be awarded a Low ESG Risk Rating and ranks fourth (out of 127 companies) in the “Travel, Lodging and Amusement” subindustry category.

“This rating is a result of our company-wide focus on emissions, nature, community and people,” said Daniel Skjeldam, CEO of Hurtigruten Group. “We have made significant strides over the past year, investing 66 million euros in emissions reduction. Our pioneering Green Bond, issued in 2022, has enabled us to finance ongoing environmental upgrades, including converting our fifth battery hybrid-powered ship. Simultaneously, we strengthened governance with executive compensation linked to ESG targets, a new whistleblower policy and improved supply chain control, emphasizing local procurement.”

In its latest ESG rating report, Morningstar Sustainalytics stated: “The company [Hurtigruten Group] is at low risk of experiencing material financial impacts from ESG factors, due to its medium exposure and strong management of material ESG issues. The company is not publicly held, which reduces its corporate governance risk compared to its peers. Although the company has a moderate level of controversies, its favourable risk assessment is primarily due to its above-average policies and programmes.”

“This rating is a quantitative method to assess our ESG efforts and a valuable tool to scrutinize how we execute on our ESG strategy through programmes and policies across the entire business,” explained Skjeldam. Hurtigruten Group – consisting of Hurtigruten Norway, Hurtigruten Expeditions, and Hurtigruten Svalbard – seeks to change the industry’s approach to sustainability. Hurtigruten Group was the first cruise line to ban heavy fuel oil (2009) and single-use plastics (2018). In 2019, Hurtigruten Expeditions added the world’s first battery hybrid-powered cruise ship and has since added two.

In 2022, Hurtigruten Norway converted its first battery hybrid-powered ship, with one more joining the fleet in 2023 and a third planned for 2024. The conversions are part of a 100-million-euro green upgrade that will reduce CO2 and NOx emissions by 25% and 80%, concurrently. Moreover, this June, Hurtigruten Norway’s first-of-kind Sea Zero initiative revealed early concept plans for the world’s most energy-efficient cruise ship.

“In addition, our Svalbard operations have made considerable progress in reducing their impact, deploying two electric tour boats and eight electric snowmobiles. We are working towards becoming cleaner, greener, and quieter,” added Skjeldam.