MSC Signs Buckingham Palace Declaration Against Wildlife Trafficking

MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A., a leading global transportation company, confirmed a pledge to combat illegal wildlife trafficking by signing the Buckingham Palace Declaration at a ceremony in London with HRH Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge.

“As a responsible, sustainable company, MSC is proud to be a signatory to the Buckingham Palace Declaration. We play an active role in the crackdown on the illicit trade of wildlife and we will work with conservation organisations and governments to dismantle the connections between buyers and sellers,” said Diego Aponte, President and CEO of MSC.

The Buckingham Palace Declaration is an initiative of United for Wildlife, a movement created by The Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry to protect iconic species such as elephant, rhino and tiger, as well as lesser known species such as pangolin, from extinction. The Declaration has attracted 90 signatories since the first signing ceremony in March 2016, predominantly from the transport industry.

Diego Aponte discussed the importance of businesses playing a sustainable and ethical role in society with The Duke of Cambridge, President of United for Wildlife, and Lord William Hague, Chairman of the United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce, at the ceremony in London on 1 November.

As a family company led by strong values, MSC has a longstanding commitment to marine and wildlife conservation.

Through the Buckingham Palace Declaration, MSC has agreed to: encourage a zero tolerance policy on illegal wildlife trade; improve systems of detection and information sharing on suspicious activities related to wildlife; and support customs and other enforcement agencies.

MSC also implements its own ethical initiatives to support wildlife preservation, for example, banning the carriage of animal hunting trophies and endangered shark fins.

Lord Hague of Richmond said:

“Our work is one part of a great international effort to save some of the world’s most treasured animal species from extinction in the wild. While we are making progress, we are all determined to intensify our efforts, making greater use of our information sharing system and communicating to customers, passengers and further companies about how they can help.”