Ethical Guidelines for Suppliers (Supplier Code of Conduct)
SalMar is aware of its ethical, social, climate, and environmental responsibilities and actively works to act as a responsible societal actor. For SalMar, such responsibility encompasses every aspect of our value chain and is an integral part of our corporate culture. We also support hundreds of small and large local initiatives in all municipalities where we are present. Our primary responsibility is towards our own employees and the welfare of our salmon, but we also have a responsibility towards the many thousands of employees in companies of all sizes that supply goods and services to our business. SalMar recognises that our responsibility extends beyond our own activities and that we must use our influence throughout the salmon value chain to ensure responsible and sustainable activities.
In our quest to promote sustainability, integrity, and accountability in everything we do and in our value chain, we have developed a set of ethical guidelines and expectations (the “Guidelines”) to hold our suppliers to the same high standards that we hold ourselves.
Our suppliers shall loyally and actively strive to meet the requirements of these Guidelines. SalMar therefore expects our suppliers to implement the standards and principles of the Guidelines in their own management and control systems, procedures, and supplier follow-up, and to do their utmost to ensure that these standards and principles are also adhered to in their own value chains.
The Guidelines apply to suppliers, partners, or other third parties with activities with or for SalMar ASA and all subsidiaries in the group ("SalMar").
SalMar's suppliers shall comply with all applicable laws and regulations in the countries where they operate. Furthermore, it is expected that suppliers comply with international conventions, guidelines, and standards relevant to their business activities.
SalMar respects and supports all internationally recognised human rights, as enshrined in the International Bill of Human Rights, the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the ILO Declaration and Conventions on Human and Labour Rights.
We also actively work to ensure that human rights and decent working conditions are upheld in our supply chain in line with our obligations under the Transparency Act.
SalMar expects our suppliers to support and respect internationally recognised human rights and ensure that they do not contribute to human rights violations. This includes adhering to the following principles:
· Prohibition of child labour
· Right to an adequate standard of living
· Respect for minority and indigenous rights
· Freedom from forced labour or similar involuntary labour under threat of punishment
· Right to freedom of association, establishment of trade unions, collective bargaining, and peaceful assembly, and can demonstrate a policy that affirms these rights
· Working hours in accordance with legal requirements and minimum requirements in the ILO core conventions
· Right to remuneration in accordance with the law, including minimum wage, binding agreements, and minimum requirements in the ILO core conventions
· Right to sick pay and paid overtime in accordance with legal requirements and minimum requirements in the ILO core conventions
· Right to holidays according to applicable regulations
· Right to a good working environment that ensures health, environment, and safety, including an environment free from violence, harassment, or threats
· Right to equal opportunities without discrimination based on ethnicity, national or other origin, disability, age, gender, sexual orientation, language, religion, or status.
SalMar also expects our suppliers to actively work to ensure decent work characterised by diversity, safety, social justice, equal labour rights, and opportunities for influence.
If the supplier has employees under 18 years of age, the supplier may not, under any circumstances, allow these employees to perform hazardous work, including work that may endanger their health, safety, or development. A documented risk assessment must be conducted in each case to ensure that the work meets the mentioned criteria.
Suppliers are encouraged to seek guidance from relevant international frameworks and guidelines, including the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Safety and health are important at SalMar. Our suppliers shall actively work for an injury-free and health-promoting working environment.
Employees of our suppliers shall receive relevant and documented health and safety training. Safety risks shall be regularly identified, assessed, and controlled. Compromises at the expense of safety shall never be made, regardless of the reason.
SalMar has zero tolerance for corruption. Our suppliers shall comply with applicable national and international anti-corruption regulations. This means that suppliers shall not tolerate and shall combat all forms of corruption in both the public and private sectors.
SalMar also has zero tolerance for any form of money laundering and shall only conduct business with suppliers and others who operate legally and whose funds come from legal sources. All of SalMar's suppliers shall take measures to prevent financial transactions from being used to launder money or other proceeds from criminal activities.
SalMar always acts in accordance with the applicable sanctions legislation and requires that our suppliers do not do business with countries, groups, organisations, or individuals subject to sanctions.
SalMar aims to compete fairly and openly in all markets, both in Norway and abroad. The applicable competition legislation for SalMar's operational areas prohibits competitors from entering into agreements and participating in coordinated practices to coordinate their competitive behaviour. SalMar requires the same from our suppliers, including that they always compete in a fair and ethically responsible manner.
For SalMar, it is important to manage marine areas for future generations. SalMar's fundamental principle is to have a minimal footprint in the areas we operate. Sustainability in everything we do is one of SalMar's most central goals.
SalMar's suppliers must consider the environmental impact of their operations and actively work to achieve the lowest possible climate footprint through sustainable practices and reduction of waste and emissions. SalMar expects its suppliers and partners to have established climate goals that are in line with SalMar's own goals and to have other established sustainability goals in line with their activities, such as reduction targets for water consumption, targets for reducing environmental emissions, responsible discharge of nutrients, etc. Suppliers and partners to the SalMar group commit to always comply with our requirements for transparency in ESG data.
SalMar's production is subject to regulations for food production in Norway, the EU, and all countries we operate in. All operational units in SalMar are certified according to a standard recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). In addition, SalMar has its own sampling program, based on HACCP risk analysis, EU legislation, standards, and customer requirements throughout the production cycle/process.
SalMar is always committed to ensuring that the strictest standards for food safety are met throughout our value chain and imposes the same requirements on our suppliers. All suppliers shall comply with applicable laws and regulations for their production/operations at all times.
All of SalMar's suppliers are carefully selected through prior assessment and approval processes, and it is required that the supplier at least maintains the same standard throughout the contract period with SalMar.
SalMar's suppliers commit to transparency and traceability in everything they do. This means that the supplier is obliged to give SalMar (or an independent third-party auditor authorised by SalMar) unrestricted access to conduct audits and access to all relevant documentation at the supplier's own expense, with or without prior notice. This includes making information and documentation available to SalMar as part of fulfilling SalMar's information and oversight obligations.
SalMar's suppliers are obliged to report in writing to SalMar without delay if deviations or violations of the Guidelines are identified. Written reporting should be sent to:
[Name/position/role]
[Email address]
A violation of the requirements set out in the Guidelines is considered a material breach of contract, giving SalMar the right to terminate the supplier relationship with immediate effect without liability and risk.