Lloyds Register
Centuries-old British maritime group Lloyd's Register has apologised for its historical role in transatlantic slavery, after launching an investigation into its past.
LR was founded in 1760 as the world's first classification society, responsible for inspecting and certifying ships.
Many of its early shipping records "include details of ships that transported kidnapped African people under horrific conditions," the group said in a statement published on Monday.
"What is clear from this initial research is that ... until the UK's Slavery Abolition Act in 1833, we played an important role supporting a maritime system that enabled the slave economy," it added.
Some of its early committee members were also identified as traffickers and enslavers themselves, according to the research commissioned with the Wilberforce Institute at the University of Hull.
"We are deeply sorry for this part of our history. Acknowledging this legacy is important for our organisation ... and society as a whole," the company said.
LR, now owned by the registered charity LR Foundation, announced it has made a £1 million ($1.2 million) grant to fund scholarships, archiving and international exchanges on slavery in the Caribbean and West Africa.
It also announced another proposed partnership with the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool.
The findings come after it launched an examination into its history in 2022.
A similar examination into the history of the Scott Trust, the owners of British newspaper The Guardian, nearly two years ago, revealed the role of its founders in transatlantic slavery.
The Scott Trust apologised for its role and announced a decades-long programme of restorative justice.
© Agence France-Presse
