Commited to human and labor rights
Respecting people, human and labor rights is key to Aker. Collaboration with employee representatives has been part of The Aker Model for decades. This builds organizations with a strong workforce, skilled executives, and role models. Aker strives to foster a culture of inclusivity, diversity, and respect at all levels of our organization.
Global Framework Agreement
Through the Global Framework Agreement, Aker and its industrial companies have committed to respecting and supporting fundamental human rights and trade union rights. The applicable principles are laid out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Aker is committed to promoting a safe and healthy working environment and has committed itself to this through the framework agreement. Together with the industrial portfolio companies, Aker uses its influence and works to ensure that the principles set out in the agreement also includes companies’ supply chains and business partners.
Global Works Council
Aker operates a Global Works Council (GWC) which represents the company, employee representatives, and industrial portfolio companies on a global scale. Aker's President and CEO and the operating companies' top management participates actively in the GWC.
In 2023, the GWC held two conferences, with a focus on operational status. An updated Global Framework Agreement between Aker ASA and the unions IndustriALL Global Union, Fellesforbundet, Tekna and Nito, was signed in August 2023.We invest in our employees
Aker shall strive to ensure equality, diversity, and inclusion throughout its operations. We promote health and wellbeing in the workplace and provides a good working environment, with the aim of achieving low levels of sick leave and retaining a highly skilled and motivated workforce. These ambitions are also expected from the portfolio companies. Aker ASA offers benefits packages to all employees, including on-site health and wellness centers.
In 2023, the rate of healthiness in Aker ASA was 97.6 per cent (corresponding to a sickness absence rate of 2.4 per cent), compared to a rate of healthiness of 99.1 per cent the year before. The corresponding figure for the Aker Group was 98.3 per cent in 2023, compared with 97.3 per cent in 2022.
CXO – Aker’s executive management program
It has always been important for Aker to develop capable executives to manage the companies where Aker is an active industrial owner. To train future executives, Aker established a new executive management program, CXO, in 2021. Participants will deepen their insight into each company, learn about different relevant business segments, and work on their personal leadership skills, with each participant building an executive leadership toolbox. A mentoring process is also part of the program, to help participants apply what they learn in their daily practice. Each program cycle spans one year and ensures equal participation of both men and women.
We invest in our communities
Aker is a driving force for the development of knowledge-based industry that creates value for shareholders, customers and society. We are commited to social responsibility and want to have a positive impact on the people around us, and show this through our investments in Aker Scholarship and the VI Foundation.
Read more about the initiatives below:
Aker Scholarship – investing in future leaders
Aker Scholarship supports talented Norwegians from all fields of study to take Master and Ph.D. degrees at nine world-leading universities. Seeking to develop future leaders for business, academia and society at large, the students are secured full funding of their studies as well as substantial guidance and practical support during their studies and early career.
Since 2015, 191 students have embarked on post-graduate studies with an Aker scholarship, and 25 new students were offered scholarships in 2023. The grant is awarded by Anne Grete Eidsvig and Kjell Inge Røkke’s Charitable Foundation for Education, which is privately funded by Kjell Inge Røkke, Aker ASA’s main shareholder. Aker ASA is responsible for operating the foundation.
The grant is awarded by Anne Grete Eidsvig and Kjell Inge Røkke’s Charitable Foundation for Education, which is privately funded by Kjell Inge Røkke. Aker is responsible for operating the foundation.
Read more at: www.akerscholarship.no
Stiftelsen VI
Stiftelsen VI (the VI Foundation) was founded in 2018 by Kjell Inge Røkke’s privately-owned company, The Resource Group, together with Aker Group. The goal was to promote equal opportunities and quality of life for people with disabilities. Aker ASA’s Chair, Kjell Inge Røkke, privately funds the foundation’s basic capital requirement, as well as its operating costs. Aker ASA companies in Aker Group make financial contributions. Stiftelsen VI aims to promote public health in a broad understanding of the term, with sports, education, and working life as the main focus areas. Sport can be used as a vehicle to become more active in different aspects of life. A better education opens for more possibilities to work and contribute to society. A more inclusive work force increases the chances of getting a job. In order to achieve its goals, the foundation aims to eliminate barriers and create shared spaces where individuals with disabilities can thrive and perform just as well as those without disabilities.
Stiftelsen VI works to ensure equal opportunities for people with disabilities, raising awareness of the benefits of closing the exclusion gap in sports, the workplace and society in general. Its goal is to change day-to-day attitudes and actions to create positive ripple effects in all parts of society.In addition to the Aker companies, the foundation also cooperates with other companies. Aker welcomes more businesses to join and contribute to join and contribute to making a difference in the race for equality.
The Transparency Act
The Transparency Act is a new Norwegian law, which shall promote enterprises’ respect for fundamental human rights and decent working conditions in connection with the production of goods and the provision of services. It will ensure the general public access to information regarding how enterprises address adverse impacts on fundamental human rights and decent working conditions, as well as secure public access to information.
The Act applies to larger enterprises that are residents in Norway and that offer goods and services in or outside Norway. The Act also applies to larger foreign enterprises that offer goods and services in Norway.
The Act imposes enterprises to establish guidelines, perform human rights due diligence, establish actions to mitigate risk, monitor results, stakeholder dialogue and access to remedy. The Act became effective on 1st of July 2022.
Aker ASA and its subsidiaries have established guidelines and routines to safeguard human rights and decent working conditions in our business operations. Core governing documents for Aker’s management and compliance of human rights and decent working conditions are:
- Code of Conduct
- Sustainability Policy
- Aker’s Global Framework Agreement with unions
- Code of Conduct for Business Partners
Requests related to Aker’s management and compliance with the Transparency Act can be sent to transparency@akerasa.com.
In accordance with Section 5 of the Norwegian Transparency Act, Aker's annual Transparency Act Report, is available in the Sustainability Library. The report also covers Aker's wholly-owned subsidiaries, Aker Capital AS and Aker Holding AS (non-operating holding companies).
In its governing documents, Aker has clearly expressed its ambitions and expectations regarding Aker Group companies and business partners' efforts to minimize negative impacts on people, the environment, and locally communities through responsible business practices