Team size:    Eight  

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organisation’s resilience?  

Managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises requires a proactive and adaptable approach, especially for a leading ship technical management, crew management and other related marine services providing company like ours. 

Firstly, we conduct a comprehensive assessment of both immediate and long-term legal risks, ensuring we understand the evolving regulatory and operational challenges. The legal landscape in shipping can shift quickly during crises, so we collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to ensure our legal strategies are aligned with the broader business objectives and not developed in isolation.  

Secondly, compliance and quality assurance are inseparable. While our quality assurance department ensures adherence to safety protocols, crew certifications, and environmental regulations, legal oversight ensures these standards are maintained, particularly during crises when operational pressures may increase. Legal compliance is integrated with our safety and quality assurance strategies, providing seamless protection for both our workforce and assets. 

Lastly, aligning our legal strategy with the company’s resilience goals is essential. Working alongside crew management and operations, we ensure that legal decisions regarding contracts with vessel owners, charterers, and service providers support business continuity while upholding our commitments to safety and security. This includes proactively managing risks related to crew welfare, piracy, and environmental regulations—crucial for maintaining stable operations during uncertain times. 

Our legal strategy is built with resilience in mind, emphasising flexibility and adaptability to ensure that contracts, policies, and risk management frameworks can withstand different scenarios. By integrating legal, safety, and operational strategies, we keep the organisation compliant, resilient, and well-positioned to navigate challenges while safeguarding our workforce and the global shipping interests we serve. 

What measures has your company taken to embed sustainability practices into its core business operations, and how does the role of the general counsel contribute to driving and ensuring sustainable practices within the company?  

Our company has taken significant measures to embed sustainability practices into the heart of our operations, guided by the OSM Thome sustainability strategy. As a leading company in ship technical management, crew management, and marine services, we are committed to setting the industry standard for sustainable ship management, with a focus on contributing solutions to global sustainability challenges. This is reflected in our approach to the “3 P” framework; people, process, and planet. 

For people, we prioritise human rights, diversity, equality, and inclusion. We ensure that labour rights, including safety, health, wellness, education, and crew development, are central to our operations. Our focus on crew welfare is a core component of how we manage sustainability, recognising that a resilient and well-supported workforce drives both operational success and sustainability outcomes. 

Under process, we integrate sustainability into operational efficiency, ensuring our procedures promote safe, compliant, and ethical practices. Anti-corruption measures are embedded in our operational policies to maintain transparency and integrity across the company, further strengthening our commitment to sustainability through responsible business conduct. 

For planet, we actively pursue green initiatives aimed at reducing our environmental footprint, such as managing energy consumption and implementing strategies to minimise emissions and protect marine ecosystems. Our efforts to align with global environmental standards, such as IMO and EU regulations on emissions, are central to our sustainability drive. 

As a legal and compliance team, our role in driving and ensuring sustainable practices is multifaceted. First, we work closely with executive leadership to ensure that sustainability initiatives are aligned with regulatory requirements and industry standards. This includes advising on compliance with evolving environmental laws, human rights legislation, and ethical business practices across different jurisdictions. Additionally, we play a key role in embedding sustainability into contracts, supply chain management, and corporate policies, ensuring that sustainability becomes not just an aspirational goal but a contractual and operational commitment. 

Furthermore, we contribute to shaping the company’s sustainability strategy by identifying potential legal risks and opportunities related to ESG initiatives. This proactive approach helps us anticipate challenges and positions the company as a leader in sustainable ship management. We also ensure that the company’s sustainability reporting is transparent, accurate, and in line with international standards, building trust with stakeholders and reinforcing our dedication to responsible corporate citizenship.