Supplier guidelines

Norfax AS works to satisfy the requirements of the Transparency Act and promote good working and environmental conditions within ourselves and in our supply chains. With regard to our supply chains, we want to work in close cooperation with our suppliers and partners. To clarify what we expect from our suppliers, Norfax AS follows, among other things, the UN Global Compact guidelines, which are based on ten principles in the areas of human rights, labor standards, the environment and anti-corruption - which all companies should follow.

All our suppliers must comply with these requirements.

The UN Global Compact has two main objectives:

  • Make the ten principles part of business operations in companies and around the world
  • Promote activities and partnerships that contribute to fulfilling the UN's goals for sustainable development.

See more info about the UN Global Compact

Norfax AS sees a connection between our environmental and social commitment and the company's long-term profits. We want our social responsibility to strengthen our risk management and credibility, reduce costs as a result of lower energy consumption and increase satisfaction among our customers and employees. Everyone in Norfax AS should be aware of the UN Global Compact's ten principles and our attitude to social responsibility and thus contribute to strengthening our reputation.

Norfax AS will continuously work to improve our own policies and practices that can contribute to suppliers following our ethical guidelines.

UN Global Compact's 10 principles

Human rights

  1. Businesses shall support and respect the protection of internationally recognized human rights, and
  2. Ensure that they do not contribute to human rights violations.
  3. Businesses shall uphold freedom of association and ensure that the right to collective bargaining is recognized in practice,
  4. Ensure that all forms of forced labor are abolished
  5. Ensure that child labor is effectively abolished, and
  6. Ensure that discrimination in the workplace is abolished.
  7. Companies shall support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges,
  8. Take initiatives to promote increased environmental responsibility, and
  9. Encourage the development and dissemination of environmentally friendly technology.
  10. Companies shall combat all forms of corruption, including extortion and bribery.

Working life

Environment

Combating corruption

Our ethical guidelines

Our suppliers shall deliver goods and services to Norfax AS that are produced in accordance with the guidelines. Suppliers shall also communicate and follow up on the principles with their subcontractors.

At the request of Norfax AS, the supplier must be able to document that the guidelines are complied with. This can be done by self-declaration, follow-up discussions with Norfax AS and/or surveying the working conditions at the production site. If Norfax AS wishes to survey a subcontractor, the supplier is obliged to provide the name and contact information of the subcontractor.

In the event of a breach of the ethical guidelines, Norfax AS will work with the supplier to create a plan for correcting the deficiencies. Correction must be made within a reasonable time. Termination of the contract will only occur if the supplier, after repeated requests, does not show willingness to correct the situation.

Social and environmental standards will be given importance when selecting new suppliers.

Requirements for own operations

Norfax AS will continuously work to improve its own policies and practices that can contribute to suppliers following our guidelines for ethical trade.

Norfax AS, including all employees, shall never offer or receive illegal or improper gifts of money or other compensation to obtain business or private advantages for itself or advantages for customers, agents or suppliers.

Norfax AS's suppliers shall avoid trading partners that have activities in countries that have been imposed a trade boycott by the UN and/or Norwegian authorities.

Supply Chain Requirements

Norfax AS ethical guidelines are based on internationally recognized UN and ILO conventions and set minimum and not maximum standards. The legislation at the production site shall be respected. Where national laws and regulations cover the same subject as these guidelines, the highest standard shall apply.

1. Forced/slave labor (ILO Conventions No. 29 and 105)

  1. There shall be no form of forced, slave or involuntary labor.
  2. Workers shall not be required to provide deposits or identity papers to their employers and shall be free to terminate their employment with reasonable notice.

2. Trade union and collective bargaining (ILO Conventions No. 87, 98, 135 and 154)

  1. Workers shall have the right, without exception, to join or form trade unions of their own choosing and to bargain collectively. The employer shall not interfere with, impede or discourage trade union organization or collective bargaining.
  2. Trade union representatives shall not be discriminated against or prevented from carrying out their trade union work.
  3. If the right to freedom of association and/or collective bargaining is restricted by law, the employer shallfacilitate and not impede alternative mechanisms for free and independent organization and bargaining.

3. Child labor (UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, ILO Conventions Nos. 138, 182 and 79, ILO Recommendation No. 146)

  1. The minimum age for employment shall not be less than 15 years and in accordance with

The national minimum age for employment, or;

  1. The minimum age for compulsory schooling, whichever is the higher. If the local minimum age is set at 14 years in accordance with the exception in ILO Convention 138, this may be accepted.
  1. New recruitment of child laborers in violation of the above minimum age shall not take place.
  2. Children under the age of 18 shall not perform work that is harmful to their health, safety or morals, including night work.
  3. Action plans shall be established for the immediate phasing out of child labour that is in breach of ILO Conventions 138 and 182. The action plans shall be documented and communicated to relevant staff and other stakeholders. Support schemes shall be made available to provide children with the opportunity for education until the child is no longer of compulsory school age.

4. Discrimination (ILO Conventions Nos. 100 and 111 and the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women)

  1. There shall be no discrimination in employment, remuneration, training, promotion, dismissal or retirement based on ethnicity, religion, age, disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, trade union membership or political affiliation.
  2. Protection shall be established against sexually harassing, threatening, abusive or exploitative behaviour and against discrimination or dismissal on unfair grounds, e.g. marriage, pregnancy, parenthood or HIV status.

5. Cruel treatment

  1. Physical abuse or punishment, or the threat of physical abuse, is prohibited. The same applies to sexual or other abuse and other forms of humiliation.

6. Health, safety and environment (ILO Convention No. 155 and Recommendation No. 164)

  1. Work shall be made to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for workers. Hazardous chemicals and other substances shall be handled properly. Necessary measures shall be taken to prevent and minimize accidents and health injuries resulting from, or related to, conditions in the workplace.
  2. Workers shall receive regular and documented health and safety training. Health and safety training shall be repeated for newly employed and reassigned workers.
  3. Workers shall have access to clean sanitation facilities and clean drinking water. Where relevant, the employer shall also provide access to facilities for the safe storage of food.
  4. If the employer provides accommodation, this shall be clean, safe, adequately ventilated and with access to clean sanitation facilities and clean drinking water.

7. Wages (ILO Convention No. 131)

  1. Wages for a normal working week shall be at least in line with national minimum wage regulations or industry standards, whichever is higher. Wages shall always be sufficient to cover basic needs, including any savings.
  2. Wages and the payment of wages shall be agreed in writing before work commences. The agreement shall be understandable to the worker.
  3. Deductions from wages as a disciplinary measure shall not be permitted.
  4. Workers shall always be paid overtime for hours worked in excess of normal working hours (see point 8.1 above), at a minimum in line with applicable laws.

8. Working hours (ILO Conventions Nos. 1 and 14)

  1. Working hours shall be in line with national laws or industry standards and shall not exceed working hours in accordance with applicable international conventions. Normal working hours per week shall not normally exceed 48 hours.
  2. Workers shall have at least one day off per 7 days.
  3. Overtime shall be limited and voluntary. The recommended maximum overtime is 12 hours per week, i.e. a total working time of 60 hours per week. Exceptions to this may be accepted if regulated by a collective agreement or national law.

9. Regular employment

  1. Obligations to workers, in line with international conventions, national laws and regulations on regular employment, shall not be circumvented through the use of short-term engagements (such as the use of contract workers, casual workers and day workers), subcontractors or other employment relationships.
  2. All workers have the right to an employment contract in a language they understand.
  3. Apprenticeship programmes shall be clearly defined in terms of duration and content.

10. Marginalised populations

  1. Production and use of natural resources shall not contribute to the destruction of the resource and income base of marginalised populations, for example by seizing large areas of land, irresponsible use of water or other natural resources on which the populations depend.

11. Environment

  1. Measures to reduce negative impacts on health and the environment throughout the value chain shall be implemented through the minimization of emissions, the promotion of efficient and sustainable use of resources, including energy and water, and the minimization of greenhouse gas emissions in production and transport. The local environment at the production site shall not be exploited or damaged by pollution.
  2. National and international environmental legislationg and regulations shall be complied with and relevant emission permits shall be obtained.

12. Corruption

  1. All forms of bribery are unacceptable, such as the use of alternative channels to secure illegitimate private or work-related benefits to customers, agents, contractors, suppliers or their employees as well as public officials/women.

Management system at suppliers

Management system is central to the implementation of ethical guidelines.

Norfax AS emphasizes the importance of suppliers having systems that support the implementation of these. The expectations are made clear by:

  • The supplier should appoint a person responsible, centrally in the organization, for the implementation of the ethical guidelines in its own business
  • The supplier shall make the guidelines known in all relevant parts of its organization
  • The supplier shall obtain consent from Norfax AS before production or parts of production are outsourced to a subcontractor/contractor where this has not been agreed in advance
  • The supplier shall be able to account for where goods ordered by Norfax AS are produced.

This is so that our customers receive a product based on good ethical guidelines so that the customer can make a safe and secure choice by choosing Norfax as a supplier.

Norfax AS

Per Henriksen

CEO

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