Norway

Section 2.3: State ownership and practice for supporting the business sector

Responsible management [page 23]:

Another criterion concerns serious violations of individual rights in war or other conflict situations. In 2014, the council reviewed a number of cases of human rights violations in connection with extraction of natural resources, agriculture, food production and textile manufacturing.It follows from the mandate from the Ministry of Finance to Norges Bank that in certain cases the GPFG is prevented from investing in government bonds. The GPFG is not a foreign policy instrument, and only in special cases of comprehensive international sanctions or measures that Norway has endorsed, has such restrictions been imposed on investing in government bonds.

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Section 2.6 Human Rights in Conflict Areas

Companies themselves have a responsibility to identify serious risks connected with areas that have been or are affected by conflict. There is an increasing demand from the business sector for dialogue and cooperation with the public authorities on security, risk assessment and corruption in conflict areas and demanding markets in these areas. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the contact point for companies in matters of security abroad.[paragraph 1, page 26]

…the same section lists measures undertaken or planned by Norway regarding conflict affected areas [page 26], which include: “Strengthen the dialogue with the business sector through the missions abroad on the risks associated with human rights violations, security concerns and corruption in conflict areas.

Section 3.2 Responsible Business Conduct  [page 32]:

Political unrest and conflict entail a particularly high risk of human rights abuses. Companies that operate in such areas should therefore exercise particular due diligence if they are to avoid becoming involved in such abuses. A typical example is abuses perpetrated by security personnel hired to protect the company. There is also a higher risk of corruption, illegal transactions, sexual abuse and other forms of violence against civilians.

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Compliance with Legislation [page 36]:

In some geographical areas, such as conflict-affected areas, a company may unintentionally enter into a business relationship with an enterprise, such as a security company, that is guilty of gross human rights abuses. In such a situation, the Norwegian company should be aware that this may have legal consequences such as liability. The Norwegian Penal Code of 2005, which entered into force on 1 October 2015, also applies to certain punishable offences committed on behalf of an enterprise registered in Norway when the offence is also punishable under the law of the country where it has been committed.

Responsibility to Respect Human Rights page 31]:

In cases of armed conflict companies should respect the standards laid down in international humanitarian law.