Hagland is subject to the Norwegian Transparency Act and has a duty to carry out human right’s due diligence, to ensure that we do not contribute to adverse impacts on human rights through sourcing of goods and services.
Following up on the actions mentioned in our public statement from 30 June 2023 (below), Hagland has implemented a Supplier Code of Conduct.
Concerns regarding violation of laws, internal policies or human rights can be reported here.
Åpenhetsloven / Norwegian Transparency Act
Lov om virksomheters åpenhet og arbeid med grunnleggende menneskerettigheter og anstendige arbeidsforhold («Åpenhetsloven») trådte i kraft 1. juli 2022. Virksomheter som er omfattet av loven er forpliktet til å offentliggjøre en redegjørelse for sine aktsomhetsvurderinger.
Redegjørelse for Hagland-konsernet som gjelder fra 1. juli 2022 til 31. desember 2022 kan lastes ned her.
Photo by: UAVPIC
The Norwegian Transparency Act entered into force on 1 July, 2022. The purpose is to promote companies’ respect for basic human rights and decent working conditions with business partners and in supply chains. Businesses that are covered by the Act are required to publish an account of their due diligence assessments.
This is Hagland’s account for the period 1 July 2022 to 31 December 2022. The official version (in Norwegian) can be downloaded here. The following is a version in English:
The group’s parent company R.G. Hagland AS offers shipbroking services within the dry cargo, offshore and tanker markets as well as fishing/aquaculture. The shipbroker services are carried out under the brand name Hagland Shipbrokers, which also includes part-owned companies in Esbjerg, Hamburg and Aberdeen. The parent company R.G. Hagland AS also provides services to other companies in the group related to shipping operations and administrative support such as accounting and secretarial services. Hagland Agency provides ship agency services to ships calling the Haugesund region.
At the end of 2022, the group’s shipping business Hagland Shipping comprised a fleet of 13 self-discharging bulk carriers of approx. 3,700-4,800 DWT. The ships operate on contracts of affreightment and in the spot marked, servicing industrial companies in Northern European.
The real estate business Hagland Eiendom includes the purchase, operation and sale of properties and participation in other companies with similar purposes. The real estate activities of the company, including subsidiaries, comprise over 20 properties/buildings with totalling approx. 33,500 square meters which are predominantly commercial properties for rent, in addition to land areas under development for commercial and/or residential purposes. The group’s properties are primarily located in the Haugesund region.
The business Hagland Finans comprises accounting services and business management for companies within the Hagland group and a range of external customers. Hagland Finans AS is registered as an approved accounting company by the Norwegian Financial Supervisory Authority (“Finanstilsynet”).
The company Storm & Bull Shipping AS is agent for a number of international shipyards and service companies, and acts as an intermediary between these yards and shipping companies operating in/from Norway.
As a service provider, Hagland is dependent on its reputation and trust among customers, clients and others. Good business ethics and honesty are crucial for our competitiveness, and implies that we strive to act in an appropriate and ethical manner in all contexts. Our choice of suppliers reflects what we ourselves stand for. We therefore expect our suppliers and business partners to act in a similar manner.
The Hagland group has its own Ethical guidelines which include respect and compliance with basic human rights and decent working conditions, not only among its own employees but also with suppliers.
From a group perspective, the various businesses mentioned have significant differences in organisation and operation, which also imply significantly different probabilities for potential negative consequences regarding basic human rights and decent working conditions. Based on a risk-based approach, it is the shipping business Hagland Shipping which is deemed to entail the highest probability of any negative conditions.
Shipbroking, ship agent and shipyard representation activities are all characterised by the fact that the services provided are as an intermediary between shipping companies and/or port/terminal/shipyard. Even if these are thus not considered suppliers or business partners in the usual sense (i.e. in relation to the Transparency Act), it is nevertheless important to Hagland that all the parties with whom we conduct business respect and live up to the same expectations when it comes to basic human rights and working conditions. At the same time, it is of important to note that the majority of these companies are themselves large Norwegian and international businesses that have established similar guidelines for their own operations.
As the shipbroking, ship agent and shipyard representation activities, as well as Hagland Finans, are only service providers, their own suppliers and business partners are largely limited to providers of financial services (insurance, pension), IT/telecommunications, etc.
With regards to Hagland Shipping, the operation of owned and chartered ships is covered by international regulations (SOLAS and STCW) which deal with, among other things, safety and working conditions at sea. Agreements between Norwegian and foreign seamen’s organizations and the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association specify minimum requirements for, among other things, salary conditions. Within Hagland Shipping’s trading area, there are certain geographical areas where there may be an increased risk of uncovering objectionable conditions related to basic human rights and decent working conditions, for example while undergoing ship repairs in other countries for the company’s ships.
Through our due diligence assessments, there has not been uncovered or brought to Hagland’s knowledge any objectionable conditions relating to basic human rights and decent working conditions .
Partly due to the Transparency Act, the group has worked to develop and highlight the requirements placed on our suppliers, and is in the process of making a “Supplier Code of Conduct” which will become mandatory for the group’s suppliers. Another measure that the company will implement is the possibility of anonymous notification through a separate form on the group’s website. In addition to helping to uncover any objectionable conditions, the purpose of these measures is to further raise awareness among suppliers, business partners and other interested parties about our requirements and expectations.
Haugesund, 30 June 2023