1. Introduction

Nor Seafoods AS currently has 15 permanent employees, of whom 6 are men and 9 women. There are no gender differences as regards pay conditions or opportunities for development.

The company makes active, determined and systematic efforts to promote equality and prevent discrimination. The activity and reporting duty is statutory and is set out in the Equality and Discrimination Act. Understanding societal developments and the expectations placed on us as a company is an essential part of taking active social responsibility. Consequently, taking such responsibility entails both business risk and opportunities.

Opportunities as a result of taking social responsibility

• The company is perceived as forward-looking and development-oriented
• We help to resolve important societal challenges
• We contribute to higher labour force participation, increased added value and a competitive working environment
• We reflect expectations in the market and society and can use them to identify new business opportunities.

Risks as a result of not taking social responsibility

• Failure to take social responsibility entails a risk of lagging behind developments in society and of a negative impact on reputation.
• Inability to meet the diversity expectations of different stakeholders.
• Missing out on skills and development opportunities and thereby risking reduced value creation.

2. Why work actively to promote equality and prevent discrimination?

The main purpose of the activity and reporting duty is to increase awareness of equality and discrimination issues in the company’s day-to-day operations. The activity duty entails an obligation on the employer’s part to take measures to promote equality and prevent discrimination. The Board of Directors has chief responsibility for ensuring compliance with the duty to actively pursue gender equality and report on it. The employer’s duty to promote equality and prevent discrimination is therefore twofold: it involves both a duty to describe/report on the state of affairs and a duty to do something about it. The activity and reporting duty is laid down in the Equality and Discrimination Act. The activity duty requires employers to work actively, purposefully and systematically to promote equality, prevent discrimination and prevent sexual harassment and gender-based violence. The activity duty applies to the following grounds for discrimination set out in the Act: gender, pregnancy, leave of absence in connection with childbirth or adoption, care responsibilities, ethnicity, religion, life stance, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. The duty also includes discrimination on multiple grounds, which means that the employer must focus on conditions that can lead to discrimination on multiple grounds at the same time.

3. The activity duty

The activity duty means that the employer must specify goals and measures in relevant areas of their own organisation. The duty applies to personnel policy functions in the broad sense and covers recruitment, pay and working conditions, promotion, development opportunities/training, facilitation and the work-life balance. In addition, the employer shall endeavour to prevent sexual harassment and gender-based violence. By purposeful efforts is meant that the company clearly defines goals for the work and who is responsible for achieving them. The following goals have been defined for Nor Seafoods AS:

Goals

Recruitment: we shall be equally attractive to both genders

Pay and working conditions: equal conditions, depending only on experience and expertise

Development opportunities: equal opportunities regardless of gender

Work-life balance: the possibilities of maintaining a good balance shall be equal regardless of gender

Timeline

Ongoing

Responsibility

General manager

3-1 Identification of risks or other obstacles to equality in the organisation:

The availability of labour and expertise in the market can affect the company’s gender balance. In the organisation, leaves of absence in connection with, for example, childbirth may affect an employee’s progress with regard to development. We cannot influence the gender balance in the educational system in the short term, but we can contribute in the long run by making the relevant study programmes attractive and in demand. A continuation plan must be drawn up for employees who are on leave or otherwise temporarily not part of the organisation. Responsibility rests with the general manager.

4. Equality statement

The statement contains a systematic description of matters relevant to assessing the degree of gender equality in the company.

4-1 Recruitment

In a recruitment and hiring process, the company will pay particular attention to ensuring a balanced, gender-neutral approach to applications and interviews. 

4-2 Pay and working conditions

The company pursues a gender-neutral wage policy. Qualifications, responsibilities and guidelines form the basis for pay conditions and specific adjustments.

4-3 Promotion

In accordance with our current procedures, vacancies shall be advertised internally and externally. This means that all employees have the same opportunity to apply.

4-4 Development opportunities/training

The company’s employees must be skilled, performance-oriented and concerned with good teamwork. This means that all employees should have the same opportunity for professional development, and it is a goal that the facilitation of competence-raising measures applies to all employees regardless of gender.

4-5 Facilitation

There are minor variations in how duties are performed in the company. To the extent necessary, work tasks, aids/tools and premises shall be adapted to suit both genders.

4-6 Work-life balance and family

The company’s employees all have core hours that coincide with normal working hours. In addition, they have flexible working hours, the possibility of working from home and making necessary adaptations that are compatible with a good work-life balance.