Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility

Our commitment
We take active responsibility both in how we manage our business and through contributing beyond our own sphere. We have been certified as an «Eco-Lighthouse» since 2009, and through purchasing climate quotas we are today a climate neutral company. We aim to exceed the expectations placed upon us, and sustainability and corporate social responsibility are integrated parts of our business strategy. We and our business partners must comply with the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact, the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the ILO conventions including the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, and the UN RIO Declaration on Environment and Development.

Ethical requirements and guidelines
We are dedicated to ensure high ethical standards, and we have solid routines for the prevention of money laundering and conflicts of interest. We have established our own ethical guidelines which is expected to be adhered to by everyone who performs work for our company, including our supply chain. As part of our effort to raise awareness of ethical requirements and compliance, several of our lawyers participate in various public committees, hold board positions in associations, and are authors of professional books and articles.

As a law firm, we are concerned with legal protection and rights. For several years Simonsen Vogt Wiig has been a financial supporter of Amnesty International Norway. In a new project from 2023 our collaboration has been extended to also encompass an academic side, where our dedicated specialists will prepare two memorandums connected to artificial intelligence and the EU Commission’s proposed AI Act.

We provide pro bono legal assistance in relation to judicial review of matters of fundamental importance and offer our expertise to both individuals and organizations as part of our social commitment. Among others, we have worked with the Norwegian Patient Organization, Gatejuristen, Jussbuss and NOAS.

The Norwegian Transparency Act
In accordance with the Norwegian Transparency Act, we have anchored accountability in our internal guidelines and routines. The OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct as well as widely accepted sector-specific guides for responsible supply chains are leading for our activities. We map and assess actual and potential negative impacts on basic human rights and decent working conditions that may arise from our business conduct. We follow applicable requirements for handling the occurrence of such actual or potential consequences and enact mitigating measures. We adapt our internal routines continuously and ensure active audits of the supply chain. Collectively, this minimizes the risk of negative impacts on basic human rights and decent working conditions.