Stena conducts proactive and systematic safety work to increase awareness of safety. This issue is always top of mind in all areas of the Group’s activities, and became even more relevant in 2021, when two of Northern Marine Group’s seafarers tragically lost their lives on board a ship in severe weather conditions. This incident highlights the risks within shipping operations and the great importance of safety measures. As a minimum level, Stena adheres to the national and international conventions governing the safety of human lives at sea, but also focuses on the design of vessels in terms of saving lives, fire prevention and radio equipment.

Other significant risks in shipping operations involve employees being exposed to unsafe and health-hazardous environments or lacking the skills and experience to perform tasks with high risk exposure. Stena works continuously to ensure that employees receive training to be able to perform their work on a safe and secure basis. With clear procedures for hazardous work tasks and the right safety equipment in place, the risk of injury is reduced. A safe and secure working environment is also put to the test in cases where Stena’s seafarers are on vessels in waters and routes where there is a risk of pirate attacks.

Follow-up of relevant key performance indicators for safety is regularly considered by the management and Board of Directors of Stena AB, and in the business units. For some years now, Stena has a Group-wide crisis team, with overall coordination responsibility, for increased emergency measures in the event of crises affecting all or several parts of the Group.

To ensure a safe workplace during the pandemic and to manage current recommendations, Stena has worked actively to develop digital working methods.

Within shipping and drilling operations, maritime activities presented challenges in 2021, as a consequence of the ongoing pandemic. Among other things, this meant longer shifts on board for staff, due to the quarantine requirements. The safety on board of both employees and passengers was the main focus, with a ban on visitors to vessels and clear guidelines and procedures on board for crews and passengers. To support employees, Stena facilitated and enabled the vaccination of seagoing personnel. In total, around 70 per cent of NMG’s seafarers had been vaccinated at the end of January 2022.

Information security is an important area for Stena, and measures to manage these risks are ongoing.

The digitalisation of Stena’s processes imposes stricter security requirements in terms of information flows, IT systems and potential cyber risks, which puts greater focus on these issues.

On an annual basis, Group-wide drills are conducted in order to stress test and identify technical and social vulnerability in digital systems and at physical premises.