We recognise the importance of facilitating social activities for overall wellbeing…
Key Points
- Onboard Social Wellbeing: Every ship has a welfare committee to enhance recreational needs, with an annual budget for crew entertainment (BBQs, parties, sporting activities).
- Onshore Social Wellbeing: Regular organised events and activities like The Mirth Club and a football team help promote interaction and teamwork.
- Volunteering Initiatives: We encourage and facilitate volunteering to strengthen relationships and contribute to community causes.
- Family Support: Initiatives like wedding anniversary celebrations and new baby gifts help to maintain family connections for seafarers.
- Families Ashore Programme: Offers workshops and community engagement activities for the families of seafarers, focusing on wellbeing and support
Social Wellbeing Onboard
At Berge Bulk, we value our people as individuals, not just as employees. Hence, we have established a welfare committee onboard each ship, dedicated to enhancing the social and recreational needs of all crew members.
To support the wellbeing of the crew, Berge Bulk grants each vessel an annual budget to spend as they see fit. Crew entertainment activities can include BBQs or weekend parties, festive birthday celebrations, and holiday gatherings for occasions such as Christmas and New Year.
The company actively encourages sporting activities by providing equipment for activities like basketball, table tennis, or carrom board. Additionally, entertainment items like karaoke machines and musical instruments are welcomed.
We celebrate the many talented seafarers on our team and are committed to providing opportunities for them to showcase their skills and enjoy quality time with their fellow crew members. Crew members are invited to share their recommendations and suggestions for utilising the welfare fund with the Master.
“Our journey in Berge Bulk’s Got Talent has been immensely enjoyable. On behalf of my colleagues, the Daisetsu Dance Crew would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all. Winning this is wonderful news.”OS Leovan Glumalid
Winning team member
Social Wellbeing Onshore
Our Berge Bulk colleagues onshore have many opportunities to get together socially. We organise fun events and sporting activities that allow team members to interact, relax and socialise with one another in a setting other than the workplace. This culture of camaraderie fosters genuine friendships, building trust and a sense of wellbeing at work.
The company actively encourages initiatives such as The Mirth Club, the office football team and volunteering activities to bring colleagues together.
The Mirth Club
The Mirth Club was established to organise enjoyable activities for the Berge Bulk shore team, bringing together colleagues from various departments to enjoy an annual calendar of social events. With an emphasis on empathy and inclusivity, the club has organised several well-attended events, including outings to Universal Studios, go-karting challenges, bowling nights, and cooking workshops, providing great opportunities for co-workers to connect outside the office.
The Office Football Team
A team from Berge Bulk’s Singapore office participates in the annual Mariners’ Turbo Solutions Cup, a competitive football tournament that fosters a healthy competition among industry professionals. Featuring sixteen teams, the tournament not only provides an opportunity for glory but also promotes physical activity and serves as a valuable platform for team building and networking with colleagues from other maritime organisations.
Shore Team Volunteering
We believe that volunteering acts as a fantastic workplace social event. It enables employees to connect outside the office, strengthening relationships and building friendships. By contributing to a range of meaningful causes, team members feel a sense of fulfilment and pride, which boosts morale, job satisfaction and creates a positive workplace culture.
Example activities include a group that volunteered to build solar Buddy lamps for children in energy poverty and others that collected plastic waste from local rivers and beaches in Batam, whilst also sorting and repurposing waste at the Material Recovery Facility.
Beyond the Workplace
We extend a culture of care that prioritises empathy and inclusion beyond the workplace to support the families of our employees.
Celebrating Family Events
Understanding the challenges of long seafaring absences for our married crew, we are delighted that our wedding anniversary programme has been so successful. This initiative ensures that our crew members at sea can share special moments with their spouses back home. A celebratory announcement is published in The Summit, our fleetwide newsletter, and a gift hamper is delivered to their home.
Similarly, when seafarers or staff on shore welcome new babies into their families, we extend our well wishes with a gift hamper delivered to their homes, and a celebratory announcement in The Summit.
Berge Bulk Families Ashore
Our Families Ashore programme supports the families of our seafarers, recognising the importance of family connection, health and wellbeing.
This initiative fosters community by connecting families and providing engaging activities, while also focusing on charitable efforts and local outreach. Already established in the Philippines and India, it will soon be up and running in China. The programme offers workshops on vital topics such as marriage guidance, healthy living, financial management, mental health, culinary skills and small business start-up strategies.
“I’m very proud to be part of the Berge Bulk family. They are not only concerned with all our families, at sea and on shore, but also with the bigger picture — they’re actively involved with caring for the environment.”Roberto Tomambo
Chief Engineer