Holland America Line & Seabourn Named to 2012 World's Most Ethical Companies List

SEATTLE, March 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Holland America Line and Seabourn have both been recognized as one of 2012 World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere Institute, the leading business ethics think-tank.

This is the first year that the companies have been honored for promoting the highest of ethical standards. Out of a record number of nominations for the award, Holland America Line and Seabourn secured their spots on the list by implementing and maintaining upright business practices and initiatives that are instrumental to each company's success, benefit the community and raise the bar for ethical standards within the industry. 

The World's Most Ethical Company awards come on the heels of Holland America Line and Seabourn earning the coveted Ethics Inside® Certification from the Ethisphere Institute in December. Both cruise lines completed the certification process in 2011 and were awarded certification for 2012-2013. Holland America Line and Seabourn's leading compliance and ethics program and environmental stewardship were two of several noteworthy components of their Ethics Inside Certification.

Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Ethics Officer Kelly Clark accepted the 2012 World's Most Ethical Companies awards on behalf of Holland America Line and Seabourn at an event in New York on March 15. "This is an incredible honor," Clark said, "particularly because we're the first company in our industry to be named to the World's Most Ethical Companies list." Clark explained that Holland America Line and Seabourn were nominated for the award by Corpedia, a leader in governance, risk and compliance education that's a strategic partner of the Ethisphere Institute. "We received an extremely high score for a first-time submission when we applied for Ethics Inside Certification," Clark said. "Corpedia was impressed enough to submit our name for the World's Most Ethical Companies award. To be recognized with these back-to-back honors is a reflection of our commitment to ethics."

"This distinction is founded not only on the strength of Holland America Line and Seabourn's current ethics and compliance programs, but on the organization's continuing efforts to improve. Holland America Line and Seabourn are also recognized for their strong emphasis on workplace health and safety, community engagement and going beyond basic environmental compliance with active support of marine environment and biodiversity. A great example of industry leadership is a software package to prevent whale strikes by ships that Holland America Line developed and makes available to the entire shipping industry free of charge," said Robert Leffel, director of Compliance Advisory Services for Corpedia, a licensed Ethisphere Institute credentialing partner.

The method for selecting World's Most Ethical Company winners includes reviewing codes of ethics, litigation and regulatory infraction histories; evaluating the investment in innovation and sustainable business practices; looking at activities designed to improve corporate citizenship; and studying nominations from senior executives, industry peers, suppliers and customers.

This is the sixth year Ethisphere has published the World's Most Ethical Company rankings. Ethisphere reviewed hundreds of companies and evaluated a record number of applications utilizing its propriety methodology through in-depth research and multi-step analysis, naming the companies that surpassed their industry peers to this year's World's Most Ethical Companies list. The 2012 list features companies in more than three dozen industries, including 40 companies headquartered outside the United States. 

Read about the methodology and view the complete list of the 2012 World's Most Ethical Companies at http://www.ethisphere.com/wme.

Ethisphere, a provider of independent verification of corporate ethics and compliance programs, awards Ethics Inside Certification exclusively to companies that have implemented adequate standards, systems and programs to reasonably prevent compliance failures and ethical breakdowns, and can also demonstrate the existence of a superior employee and leadership culture that promoting ethical business practices.

Ethisphere's licensed credentialing partners look at more than 100 separate criteria during the Ethics Inside Certification process, including corporate citizenship and responsibility; overall compliance and ethics program; organizational health and culture of ethics; corporate governance; and regulatory history. No company is expected to excel in all criteria areas — yet the aggregate score must meet or exceed a level at which ethical behavior becomes the core expectation, fundamental compliance systems are in place, tone from the top is clear and the company's actions bear unmistakable signs of good corporate citizenship. More information about Ethics Inside Certification is available at http://ethisphere.com/inside. 

Information on Holland America's sustainability initiatives can be found at www.hollandamerica.com. For information about Holland America's cruises and cruisetours, visit the website, contact a travel professional, or call 1-877-SAIL-HAL (1-877-724-5425). For more information on Seabourn's award-winning cruise vacations, contact a travel agent, call Seabourn at 1-800-929-9391 or visit www.seabourn.com .

Ethisphere Media Contact:
Jennifer Mitchell, Marketing & Media Director
[email protected]
800.369.7583 ext 7

About Ethisphere Institute
The research-based Ethisphere Institute is a leading international think tank dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, anti-corruption and sustainability. Ethisphere Magazine, which publishes the globally-recognized World's Most Ethical Companies ranking, is the quarterly publication of the Institute. Ethisphere provides the only third-party verifications of compliance programs and ethical cultures that include: Ethics Inside Certification, Compliance Leader Verification and Anti-Corruption Program Verification. The Institute's premier membership group, the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance, is a business ethics forum that includes more than 100 leading corporations, universities and institutions that collectively leverage their experience, expertise and innovative ways to address emerging compliance challenges. More information on the Ethisphere Institute, including ranking projects and membership, can be found at www.ethisphere.com.

About Holland America Line and Seabourn
[divisions of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE:  CCL and CUK)]
Holland America Line's fleet of 15 ships offers more than 500 cruises annually to 354 ports in 98 countries, territories or dependencies.  Two- to 100-plus day itineraries visit all seven continents and highlights include Antarctica, South America, Australia/New Zealand, South Pacific and Asia voyages; a round-the-world Grand World Voyage and Grand Voyages that circumnavigate select continents; as well as popular sailings to ports in the Caribbean, Bermuda, Alaska, Mexico, Canada/New England, throughout Europe and Panama Canal.

Fleetwide, the company features Signature of Excellence enhancements, a commitment totaling more than $525 million, that showcase the Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine magazine — a state-of-the-art onboard show kitchen where more than 60 celebrated guest chefs and culinary experts provide cooking demonstrations and classes — Explorations Cafe powered by The New York Times, Digital Workshop powered by Windows, teens-only activity areas, Club HAL kids activity area, and all new stateroom amenities highlighted by flat-panel TVs and plush Euro-top Mariner's Dream Beds.

Seabourn is consistently ranked among the world's top travel choices by professional critics and the discerning readers of prestigious travel publications such as Departures, Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler. Its stylish, distinctive cruising vacations are renowned for: six intimate ships with just 104 or 225 suites; unique itineraries visiting must-see cities and hidden gems where larger ships cannot follow; Intuitive, gracious service provided by a staff passionate about pleasing our guests; spacious all-suite accommodations with sweeping ocean views - many with verandas; gourmet dining experiences as fine as the best restaurants anywhere; open bars throughout the ship and fine wines poured with lunch and dinner.

World's Leading Cruise Lines
Holland America Line and Seabourn are proud members of World's Leading Cruise Lines which supports the Ocean Conservation & Tourism Alliance, dedicated to education and promotion of best practices for protecting the marine environment. This exclusive alliance also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Cunard Line, Princess Cruises, Costa Cruises. Sharing a passion to please each guest and a commitment to quality and value, World's Leading Cruise Lines inspires people to discover their best vacation experience. Together, we offer a variety of exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations.  Visit us at www.worldsleadingcruiselines.com.

SOURCE Holland America Line and Seabourn