Carbon Accounting for Decarbonization Disclosure to SDG7: Content analysis of major shipping companies’ reports

This study investigates the decarbonization practices implemented by shipping companies to meet SDG7 - Target 7.2, included in the United Nations 2030 Agenda. The International Maritime Organization aims to reduce or zero shipping emissions by regulating shipping companies, who are increasingly quantifying and accounting their commitment to decarbonization to prove responsibility and transparency to stakeholders. This study highlights that while shipping companies have made efforts to report on decarbonization practices and outcomes, the use of carbon accounting frameworks to guide accountability and reinforce responsibility needs further investigation. Likewise, the content of non-financial reports depends on the methodologies and metrics used for measurement. To fill this gap, this study analyses 60 reports published between 2018 and 2023 by the ten major shipping companies. The analysis uses a double-level content analysis with Leximancer v5 software and manual content analysis to explore themes, concepts, and measures to meet SDG7-Target 7.2. The results highlight the increasing attention of shipping companies on decarbonizing their value chains, particularly concerning Scope 3 emissions. However, the difficulty of collecting primary qualitative data and the need for close collaboration with stakeholders are still matters not resolved. As a result, there is a need to clarify in companies’ reports the role and extent to which carbon accounting supports the reporting of their contributions to the SDGs, especially SDG 7, Target 7.2. This lack of clarity could be seen as a limitation to effective carbon disclosure for meeting SDGs. This study claims the need for an integrated decarbonization process that addresses direct and indirect emissions in complex logistics chains, leveraging international carbon accounting frameworks (e.g. Greenhouse Gas Protocol, Science Based Target Initiative, Carbon Disclosure Project) to quantify emissions and enhance accountability and legitimacy, supported by tailored training on carbon accounting tools to ensure high reporting standards. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that explores, through the analysis of shipping companies’ external reports, how carbon accounting tools are key sources in the decarbonization disclosure of these companies, especially for disclosing SDG7-Target 7.2.