About Metos AS and our approach to fundamental human rights and decent working conditions

Our prioritised areas and risk assessment:

Gender equality:
The company consists of 81 employees, of which 61 are men and 20 women. No women work in our warehouse, and one woman works in our operational service department. There is no reason why the proportion of women cannot be increased, and we actively encourage women to apply.

Use of hired labour
On a general basis, we have assessed a certain risk of violation of labour rights related to one of our suppliers' extensive use of foreign labour. We have initiated a dialogue with the supplier to clarify that we require everyone who works for Metos to have permanent employment, a valid employment contract and pay and working conditions that correspond to collective bargaining requirements.

Safety in the workplace:
The most prominent risk of negative impacts on the life, safety, health, well-being and dignity of individuals in our business is possible injuries that could affect employees in our warehouse and our service technicians. Our HSE risk assessment has revealed that the most critical potential consequences are personal injuries when using cutting machines and lifting equipment and electrocution when troubleshooting equipment. Our risk assessment is based on ISO 31000 risk management Metos Group has initiated the ‘Operating Model Project’ The aim of the operating model project is to define the operating structure and management model at Metos Group level. This project will lay the foundation for improving our processes and increasing co-operation between functions and country units in the future. Risk management is part of this project. We work systematically in co-operation with employees to prevent such injuries from occurring through our HSE procedures. These are described in more detail in our Handbook for Service and JSA. All deviations are followed up. We hold monthly safety meetings to follow up on reported injuries and unwanted incidents. 

Significant risk areas in the supply chain
Our products are mainly produced by leading European manufacturers and therefore represent little risk. We consider all our suppliers to be of a size that is material to our business. In general, we consider the risk of breaches to be low.
We have a clear supply chain in Norway. We know our suppliers well through established partnerships over a long period of time. We conduct annual audits of these suppliers, where we also review human rights and decent labour conditions.
For purchased services, we conduct annual reviews of canteen and cleaning services in particular to ensure that employees have valid labour contracts and pay and working conditions that meet the requirements set out in collective bargaining agreements.
For suppliers outside Norway, these are handled by our owners, Metos Oy and Ali Group. As the world's largest in their field, they have an established policy to ensure compliance with human rights and decent working conditions. Metos Oy is our main supplier, headquartered in Kerava, Finland
We have regular dialogue with our suppliers and clearly communicate our expectations regarding HSE, decent wages, freedom of association and work against any form of discrimination, including gender equality. We consider the risk of modern slavery in our supply chain to be low, but we focus on the issue and will take action if the situation warrants it.

Ongoing measures to minimise risk in the supply chain:
Through our "Code of conduct for suppliers", we clearly communicate our expectation that our suppliers comply with international standards for responsible business and decent working conditions. Our suppliers shall demand the same of their suppliers. If violations of human rights and basic standards for decent work are discovered at a supplier or subcontractor, or if there is a significant risk of such violations, we must be informed immediately. If potential or actual violations are identified in the supply chain, we follow up through dialogue with the supplier in question and relevant stakeholders, such as trade unions. Breaches that are not addressed within a reasonable time may lead to contract suspension or termination.

Implementation:
The CEO has overall responsibility and reports to the Board of Directors.
The commitment and associated policy are embedded in the company's management system and routines.
All employees are made aware of our commitments and their role in contributing to their implementation.
We conduct due diligence assessments for our supply chain and require the same from our suppliers
We establish routines for regular due diligence and reporting in line with the Transparency Act
We follow up on information about negative impacts and significant risks for employees and others affected by our operations
Compliance with our policy on fundamental human rights and decent labour conditions
labour conditions is reviewed annually.