keita Shinohara, new COO of Green Award Foundation © Kingdom of the Netherlands, 2024

Green Award is pleased to announce the appointment of Keita Shinohara as Chief Operating Officer (COO).

This appointment reflects the continued development and widening of Green Award’s programs and services. Over time, the organization has expanded its portfolio of certification, research, and survey/inspection activities across seagoing and inland navigation, responding to regulatory developments, sustainability ambitions, and stakeholder expectations. The formalization of the COO role supports the continued alignment of these diverse program offerings and Green Award’s long-term organizational resilience.

Keita has been part of Green Award for 24 years, having joined the organization at an early stage of his career and progressed through a range of operational and leadership roles. Drawing on this extensive experience, and working closely together with colleagues across the organization, the role focuses on aligning Green Award’s services to create additional value for stakeholders, strengthen safety and sustainability impact, and improve operational efficiency.

As Chief Operating Officer, Keita will provide operational leadership across the Certification, Research, and Survey/Inspection units. His responsibilities include leading and supporting teams, ensuring consistent quality and efficiency across operational processes, and translating strategic objectives into operational plans and improvement initiatives.

A key focus of the role is the further alignment and development of Green Award’s diverse certification programs across seagoing and inland navigation. These include SEA certification and related labels, waste and GHG-related modules, inland navigation and river cruise certifications, and initiatives supporting zero-emission and CO₂ registration frameworks.

In addition, the COO maintains close relationships with clients and partners and acts as the primary point of contact for operational and substantive inquiries, working in close collaboration with the Executive Director on organizational development and growth.

Commenting on his appointment, Keita stated: Green Award has built a strong reputation based on quality, independence, and a long-term commitment to safety and sustainability.