Getinge Norge AS
1. INTRODUCTION
Getinge Norge AS ("Getinge Norge") is comprised by the Norwegian Transparency Act (the "Act") and is obliged to publish an annual statement. This statement for Getinge Norge is prepared in accordance with section 5 in the Act. The statement sets out our work on human rights due diligence to ensure respect for fundamental human rights and decent working conditions in our own business and in our supply chain.
This statement has been supported by our leadership and formally approved and signed by the Getinge Norge's board of directors and managing director.
Getinge Norge is part of the Getinge group in which Getinge AB (publ) is the ultimate holding company (the "Getinge Group" og "Getinge"). Getinge Norge is a subsidiary of the Swedish company Getinge Business Support Services AB. As only the Norwegian entity is comprised by the Act, this report is made on behalf of Getinge Norge. However, as Getinge Norge shares its governance system on compliance, business ethics and human rights with the Getinge Group, the content of this statement reflects the Getinge Group's work on human rights due diligence.
2. OUR ORGANIZATION, STRUCTURE AND GOVERNANCE ON HUMAN RIGHTS
2.1 About Getinge
Getinge is a global organization providing products and solutions that aim to improve clinical results and optimize workflows in hospitals and life science institutions. With more than 12,000 employees, among them 34 employees in the Norwegian company, operations in 40 countries, sales in more than 135 countries and production facilities in Europe, Asia and Americas, the company’s impacts on economy, environment and people span over a wide array of areas.
The Getinge Group’s corporate headquarters is located in Gothenburg, Sweden, and Getinge AB (publ) is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. The Norwegian office is centrally located outside Oslo at Enebakkveien 150. For more information about who we are and what we do please visit www.getinge.com/int/about-us/.
2.2 Our governance structure for Ethics and Compliance
Getinge‘s ethics and compliance program is organized within the Sustainability, Legal & Compliance (“SLC”) department. The SLC department includes the Global Ethics & Compliance office. The activities of the Global Ethics & Compliance office are implemented regionally through Regional Ethics & Compliance Officers in partnership with regional management.
The Global Ethics & Compliance office has the overall responsibility for adequate design and implementation of the ethics and compliance program. This group also ensures that global standards, processes and tools are developed and implemented regionally. Periodic reporting of program activities is also provided to the Audit & Risk Committee of the Board of Directors and Getinge Executive Team.
Getinge’s ethics and compliance program is designed to address six identified focus areas: Antitrust, Anti-Bribery & Corruption, Data Privacy, Human Rights, Interactions with Healthcare Professionals & Healthcare Organizations, and Trade Compliance. Program activities are designed to address regulatory requirements, enforcement trends, and evolving best practices. Additionally, the program is designed to support and encourage responsible leadership and ethical decision-making by all Getinge employees.
For more information, please see our Ethics & Compliance report available at (page 133) https://www.getinge.com/dam/corporate/documents/investors/annual-reports/english/getinge-annual-report-2023-en-global.pdf
2.3 Getinge Group's policies and procedures on human rights
Getinge Group has signed the UN Global Compact Initiative and supports the ten principles of the UN Global Compact on Human Rights, Labor, Environment and Anti-Corruption. All Getinge Group's employees are required to follow the company Code of Conduct and accompanying policies, which stipulate how the company does business and describes the company’s and the employees’ responsibilities to its stakeholders. Since 2019, Getinge Group has issued a dedicated Policy on Human Rights, accepted and adopted by the Getinge AB (publ) Board of Directors and implemented worldwide in Getinge Group. According to Getinge Group’s Human Rights Policy, we respect Human Rights and believe that all people should be treated with dignity and respect. We are committed to identifying, mitigating, and preventing Human Rights abuses in our business, operations, supply chain, and the communities in which we operate. Getinge Group’s Human Rights Policy is available at www.getinge.com/int/about-us/sustainability/social-responsibility/.
Getinge Group’s commitment to human rights is set out in Getinge Group’s Code of Conduct and Human Rights Policy which are applicable for everyone working for and on behalf of Getinge Group, which extends to consultants, suppliers and business partners. Training in this area is conducted as part of Getinge Group’s Global Ethics & Compliance program. Getinge Group’s Code of Conduct (including the Human Rights Policy) is available at www.getinge.com/code-of-conduct.
Getinge is in the process of implementing a human rights impact assessment . The focus of the ongoing initiative is to understand and monitor the evolving regulatory landscape, educate key stakeholders, identify salient risks related to Getinge Group's business, and develop mitigating, risk-based strategies as an integrated part of Getinge’s risk management processes.
3. OUR HUMAN RIGHTS DUE DILIGENCE PROCESSES AND RISK EXPOSURE
3.1 Business Partner Risk Management
Getinge Group is committed to working with the right business partners to support its business based on social responsibility, ethical, environmental, and commercial aspects.
Getinge Group’s current Business Partner Group Purchasing is now implementing a process for improving assessment and management of ESG risks, including human rights, within the supply chain. This process is retroactively done in regards to existing suppliers.
3.2 ESG Materiality assessment
The content of the 2023 Materiality assessment is based on material sustainability matters for Getinge that were determined based on previously conducted materiality assessments and external analyses. The materiality assessment ensures that the sustainability strategy and the sustainability targets as well as the company’s reporting focus on the matters where Getinge has a major impact on people and the environment and that are important to internal and external stakeholders. The materiality assessment and its results cover all parts of the organization, Group companies and Getinge employees.
Risk areas for consideration under Human Rights include those linked to child labour, forced labour or compulsory labour, but also the risk of discrimination, prevention of association and freedom of negotiation and work environment related problems. All forms of violations of human rights are taken very seriously and addressed accordingly upon evaluation.
For more information, please see our Sustainability report available at https://www.getinge.com/dam/corporate/documents/investors/annual-reports/english/getinge-annual-report-2023-en-global.pdf
3.3 Risk exposure
We have identified two main areas in Getinge Group's supply chain with increased risk for infringing human rights and decent labour conditions. These are the supply chains related to the extraction of metals and minerals used in our products and the supply chain related to transportation of our products.
Some of Getinge Group’s products contain tantalum, tin, tungsten and gold, most often in electronic devices needed in Getinge Group’s products. These metals, often named 3TG, have become known as 'conflict minerals' because they may be, in part, sourced from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where a long civil war is ongoing. Illegal armed groups control some of these mines and transit routes to fund their violent operations.
Getinge Group is committed to having a conflict-free supply chain and when minerals that could potentially come from areas of conflict are used in Getinge Group’s products, Getinge Group conducts due diligence activities on its supply chain to reasonably ensure that if the minerals originate from within the conflict area they are from conflict-free sources. For more information on Getinge Group’s position on conflict minerals please visit www.getinge.com/int/about-us/our-responsibility/conflict-minerals/ Based on work conducted up to date we have not yet identified actual negative consequences or potential risk of negative consequences.
3.4 Actions and results
All stakeholders have the opportunity to raise questions and or concerns regarding potential and actual adverse human rights impacts by using the Getinge Group Speak-Up Line. The Speak-Up Line is available 24/7, 365 days per year on Getinge internal and external webpages.
Getinge Group has also established grievance mechanisms and is committed to investigating any concerns. If Getinge Group discovers any severe adverse human rights impacts, Getinge Group will act appropriately without delay.
Getinge Group is on a journey of continous improvement with regards to due dilligence in the supply chain including human rights due dilligence. The first focus is to identify, prevent and mitigate any adverse impacts on people and to reasonably remediate if any impacts are found. Getinge Group actively encourages its partners and stakeholders to help it progress by approaching Getinge Group directly or through the appropriate channels established. Getinge Group welcomes any feedback and is committed to incorporating such feedback and subsequent actions in future Transparency Act statements.
This statement is approved and signed by Getinge Norge's Board of Directors and our General Manager.