Business ethics

Code of Ethics

We stand by our corporate values every day, and endeavor to implement them in our daily business activities and in our relationships with various stakeholders.

The ZIM Code of Ethics is an extension of our values and serves to guide ZIM employees in making business decisions, in ethical management of ZIM’s business activities, and in compliance with the requirements of the law. The Code of Ethics outlines our commitment to fairness in business and integrity in doing business, uphold and comply with the law, protect company assets, avoid conflict of interests, strive for constant improvement while setting challenges and meeting them, and create an equitable and supportive work environment.

The ZIM Code of Ethics includes: Commitment to uphold and comply with the law Commitment to fairness in business and integrity in doing business, including commitment to reliability and integrity, quality customer service, and contracting with suppliers and business associates Protecting company assets, including protection and proper use of assets, proper use of IT systems, protection of confidential proprietary information, avoid conflict of interests, and fair dealing and gifts Creating an equitable and supportive work environment: offering equal employment opportunities, complying with safety and hygiene standards at sea and on land, preventing sexual harassment, protecting the environment, and supporting community investment The Code of Ethics is communicated to all our employees and agents and is available to the public on the ZIM website. Every new employee reads and signs the Code, and once a year, all employees are required to confirm reading the full Code of Ethics on our internal training system, 90% of our employees completed a review of the code in 2022.

You are welcome to view our code ethics highlights here.

Read the full version here.

ZIM’s Vision & Values

Our Vision and values are the compass that guide us toward success and profitability. Moreover, ZIM management is determined to turn the vision and values into practical, real-world practices, which will carry ZIM forward.

Our values highlight the principles and beliefs that define ZIM and set clear goals for the future. They express our commitment to act fairly, taking into account the society and environment in which we operate, and to strive for excellence in all our activities.

Check out our dedicated Vision & Values page.

Compliance and Regulatory Changes

We strictly abide by all applicable laws, including all local regulations, in each geographical location in which we operate. This applies to all functions and business units of the company. ZIM ensures compliance in all its offices by performing ongoing reviews and audits – this is done internally by carrying out HR audits and process controls, and by conducting ZIM Internal Auditor reviews and frequent audits in various countries. We also engage with external auditors and survey companies who carry out assessments and reviews of a wide range of corporate governance functions, such as salary and benefits compliance issues.

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Antitrust, Anti-Bribery and Corruption

ZIM has a zero-tolerance approach to bribery & corruption, and we have adopted a comprehensive compliance plan to prevent and mitigate ABC risks.

Antitrust and competition laws are designed to promote free and honest competition. They reflect the belief that in a competitive market, the most innovative and efficient companies will thrive by providing the best products and services at the lowest prices. We are committed to abiding by all antitrust laws wherever ZIM operates. This commitment is one of the first principles set forth in ZIM’s code of ethics: to comply with the requirements of the law. ZIM is subject to antitrust laws in many jurisdictions, which can be complex and can impose different and varying requirements. Antitrust laws are strictly enforced, and an investigation can have severe consequences for the company, including financial penalties and reputational damage to ZIM and ZIM’s business partners, as well as requiring significant time and resources to address. Individuals that violate the antitrust laws can also be punished.

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 For ZIM's Anti-Bribery & Corruption policy click here.

 For ZIM's Anti Trust policy click here.

ZIM is committed to conducting business in an honest, ethical and professional manner wherever we operate.

We adhere to these standards and ZIM’s Code of Ethics, even when it means we lose business, suffer delays or face unfair government sanctions.

No employee will ever suffer a penalty or face retaliation for refusing to pay bribes or for reporting demands for bribes or other corrupt activity.

Whistleblower

ZIM encourages and promotes an open, safe work environment where employees feel secure to report a complaint regarding any suspected irregularities across business functions or activities, including corruption, bribery, sexual harassment, or any other issues.

They can do so through any of several available channels, including making an anonymous complaint via the Company’s whistleblower reporting system.

The anonymous report is forwarded to the Company’s Internal Auditor for further inquiry.

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To go to our whistleblower tool click here.

Data Privacy and Cyber

We take privacy seriously and continuously work to protect our customers’ and employees’ data privacy. In an evolving digital world, cyberspace is a new and unique challenge for all companies and organizations, and as such presents new, unexpected issues that must be dealt with promptly and efficiently. The ZIM Cyber Security policy outlines guidelines and provisions for preserving the security of data and our technology infrastructure. We are compliant with all relevant privacy regulations, including GDPR and local privacy regulations, and we are ISO 27001 and 27701 certified. We have a variety of procedures in place for employees and suppliers to maintain and protect our systems across environments, including email, internet, sending and receiving files. We work continuously and diligently to protect our networks and systems from any cyber threats or attack. We conduct a privacy and cyber protection audit when we begin working with a new supplier. We have thousands of suppliers and customers, and there is a risk of target fraud attempts by email, spear phishing, impersonating suppliers or the company, and attacks on our website. We have an advanced filtering system in place, and there are simple-to-use mechanisms in place for employees to report any suspicious emails.

We work in a complex digitized environment to enable us to deliver our services in an effective and flawless manner.

Our Information Security unit’s primary focus is the balanced protection of the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data while maintaining efficient policy implementation.

The unit uses cutting-edge technological solutions to provide end-to-end information and cybersecurity coverage for ZIM’s computing and network infrastructure.

ZIM applies a strict personal data protection policy to all its activities with respect to personal data that ZIM collects, processes and stores in the course of its business.

The full policy can be found on ZIM’s website.

Our data protection policy describes the types of personal information recorded, the purposes for using such information and the Company’s responsibilities as regards the data’s security.

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ZIM’s IPO in January 2021

In early 2021, ZIM recorded a breakthrough in another field we completed our IPO on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). This is the first IPO of a global shipping company since 2015, and we are the first global container liner to be listed in the US.

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Economic Impact And Market Changes

We believe that as one of the oldest cargo shipping companies in the world, our extensive experience, consistent track record of stable operations, and our reputation for reliability and efficiency enable us to retain our existing customers and attract new customers.

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2022 Financial Results

We take pride in providing world class service to our customers, and we have positioned ourselves to achieve industry leading margins and profitability through our focused strategy, agile approach, and flexibility in responding to changing market conditions and enhanced digital tools.

At ZIM, we are proud of the value we generate for all stakeholders, including employees, suppliers, investors, financial institutions who have lent us money and received it back with interest, and shareholders. In addition, our prosperity is shared with local communities and the countries in which we operate through our taxes. Our retained amount was smaller this year compared to last, due to the dividends we handed out in 2022.

Financial Highlights

Prosperity

We take pride in providing world class service to our customers, and we have positioned ourselves to achieve industry leading margins and profitability through our focused strategy, agile approach, and flexibility in responding to changing market conditions and enhanced digital tools. As part of our Innovative Shipping vision, we rely on careful analysis of data to better understand the needs of our customers and digitize our products accordingly, without compromising our personal touch. We operate and innovate as a truly customer centric company, constantly striving to provide a best-in-class product offering. Through our core values and in accordance with our Code of Ethics, we aim to uphold and advance a set of principles regarding Ethical, Social and Environmental concerns. Our success is intertwined with other organizations in the sector, and we aim to uphold a strong, secure, and responsible supply chain. Furthermore, we seek to work with innovative companies across the value chain to help us learn and develop. At ZIM, we are proud of the value we generate for all stakeholders, including employees, suppliers, investors, financial institutions who have lent us money and received it back with interest, and shareholders. In addition, our prosperity is shared with local communities and the countries in which we operate through our taxes. Our retained amount was smaller this year compared to last, due to the dividends we handed out in 2022.

Innovation

Our approach to innovation is demonstrated through a variety of ways, both internally and externally, and we recently expanded our internal innovation team. We promote innovation and creativity through a variety of programs and initiatives, internally and externally.

Digitalization

We are committed to bringing the latest technology tools and platforms to improve the customer experience and optimize our own operations. Below are examples of recent digitization tools we offer to customers through partnerships, as well as innovative solutions we developed internally.

Offering digital solutions to customers to simplify the supply chain experience.

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Partnerships

As a company whose operations span the globe, we recognize the importance of seeking changes on a large scale with global impacts. We believe that creating partnerships with peers is crucial to support development and improvement within the sector. Furthermore, we value our cooperation with institutions, nonprofit organizations, and academia to advance social and environmental issues.

Collaborations

We work closely with other companies and entities to provide our customers with a wide range of offerings to suit their needs. We also partner with nonprofit organizations to promote environmental and social development.

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Social Impact and Community Involvement

We cooperate with a wide range of social and nonprofit organizations around the world to support individual and community development.
We take pride in our role in the community, and we are active participants in local community development. Members of the public can contact ZIM for any issues though our website and phone. There have been no negative inquiries from the public in the past year.
We participate in educational programs to inspire and encourage young women to fulfill their professional goals.

We participate in educational programs to inspire and encourage young women to fulfill their professional goals.

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Memberships, Associations and Sector Initiatives

We are dedicated to promoting sustainability and responsible business within the shipping industry, and we are members of various national and international groups working to advance these important issues.