Sustainability is not a goal. It’s our minimum requirement.
Every day, we design interiors with people, the planet, and the future at heart.
At Norco Interior, we believe people build businesses by doing business in a good way. This principle guides all our actions — maintaining our commitment to our customers, treating our employees with respect, delivering shareholder value, making a positive impact in the communities where we live and work, and taking steps to lessen our impact on the environment.
Sustainable business
For Norco Interior, sustainability and sustainable business development means we through our product portfolio and interior design concepts, always improve resource efficiency, environmental impact and cost savings and constantly develop more sustainable interior solutions for our customers and for the future.
Every choice matters
Like rings on the water, it matters what decisions we make every day. Decisions that affect our environment and the people we meet. The products we deliver must take the greatest possible consideration of both the environment and people along the entire product life cycle. We do not believe that alone is strong, and we strive to find opportunities and progress together with customers as well as suppliers.
Together with our customers, we will develop high quality products and projects that both include and convey the unique set of qualities and pride that exists in our customers’ brands. With our suppliers, we challenge and cooperate to improve social and environmental performance where our products are produced. We work to have an open and transparent dialogue to constantly encourage improvements and reward those who have come a longer way in their sustainability work.
Our focus on sustainability helps us to minimize environmental impact, contribute towards a positive direction for both people and the planet and ensure our long-term business success.
Efficiency in business & Environmental practices
Norco Interior aims to help the entire value chain achieve improved resource efficiency as well as less emissions and waste through responsible choice of suppliers, raw materials, production processes and transport. For many years, Norco Interior has taken a serious approach to environmental and social responsibility and we continue our efforts towards sustainable operations and a long-term sustainable business
Sustainability requirements for suppliers
Ensuring sustainability throughout the value chain is important for Norco Interior. To ensure that the materials and products we buy have been produced in a sustainable manner by responsible suppliers, we work with clear sustainability requirements. Through our Code of Conduct, we have a set of criteria that we subsequently based on maturity, relation and risk follow up to ensure compliance.
Energy efficient production
For a producer such as Norco Interior, it is important to both reduce energy consumption overall, and to increase the proportion of renewable energy used. Active work in these areas is done from both an environmental and cost-effectiveness perspective. The group’s production facilities are being updated with modern energy management systems, both to increase efficiency and to lower environmental impact. In 2023, one example is the implementation of solar panels on our production facility in Chiechanow, Poland.
Transport
A significant part of the group’s indirect emissions come from transport to and from production facilities. Norco Interior work actively to reduce emissions while ensuring effective transport, and better transport alternatives from a cost reduction as well as an environmental impact perspective. Norco Interior’s local presence and effective logistics between production facilities, distribution hubs and customers, reduces freight distances and cost for our customers. The opportunity to buy and produce locally and minimize freight is an important factor in negotiations with both suppliers and customers.
Business Ethics & Human Rights
In addition to our Code of Conduct for suppliers, Norco Interior secure a clear framework for business ethics and human rights through our Code of Conduct for employees. The code is signed by all employees at their employment to Norco Interior and specify zero tolerance towards all forms of kickbacks, bribery and corruption. (read more under heading Anti-corruption).
Human Rights
Norco Interior respect the internationally declared human rights and strives to ensure that there are no human rights abuses in our value chain. We strive to identify and prevent any negative consequences of human rights and to directly mitigate when breaches or suspected breaches are detected. Human rights are primarily managed through our Code of Conduct and our Supplier code of conduct. The main areas are summarized in abbreviated versions below.
Freedom of association & Collective bargaining
As local or relevant laws allow, all employees are free to form, join or not to join unions and have the right to collective bargaining when employed by Norco Interior.
Forced and compulsory labour
No form of forced labour is tolerated by Norco Interior, and all employees have the right to leave their employment as stated by contracts or local laws.
Child labour
We are not complicit in any form of child labour or other forms of exploitation of the child. No one is employed below the completion of compulsory school or under the age of 15 and no one under the age of 18 is employed for hazardous work within Norco Interior.
Work place
Norco Interior shall provide a working environment that is healthy, safe and in accordance with the relevant local laws for all employees. Norco Interior works systematically to ensure safe and healthy workplaces. Risk assessments are regularly and both incidents and accidents are tracked and addressed with relevant action. Employees have the right to equal pay for equal work and Norco Interior makes every effort to pay fair salaries and remuneration in accordance with relevant norms in the locations in which the Group has operations.
Discrimination
Diversity amongst Norco Interior employees is positive and Norco Interior offers all individuals equal opportunities (i.e. personal development, further education, salary level). No one regardless of ethnicity, colour, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, parental status, marital status, pregnancy, religion, political opinion, ethnic background, social origin, social status, age, union membership or disability shall be discriminated. Harassments in the form of physical or psychological abuse are strongly prohibited within Norco Interior, as is any kind of intimidation or other threats. Employees in Norco Interior have a joint responsibility for this to be achieved.
Drugs
Preventing abuse of drugs (incl. alcohol) concerns all of us. At Norco Interior, we have a common responsibility to achieve and maintain a high level of security for the operations and a good and safe working environment. We aim for a safe workplace free of drugs and that any employee with drug related problems dare to, know where and have access to support.
Purchase of sexual services and child pornography
Purchase of sexual services, sexual exploitation of children and child pornography is illegal based on legislation in several countries, including Sweden, and can support trafficking, which is a violation of human rights. Employees in Norco Interior on assignments and business travel, also internationally, are expected to respect this stance. This applies irrespective of country and both during and after working hours
Anti-corruption
Norco Interior reputation of honesty, integrity and responsibility must be upheld and any involvement in bribery, extortion or corruption in any form is not tolerated by Norco Interior. Norco Interior makes active efforts to ensure that this does not occur within the company.
The term corruption refers to abuse of a position of trust for own or the company’s gain, for example through the use of bribes. It is forbidden to offer, promise, or give, as well as request, accept a promise of, or receive a bribe. A bribe is a gift or other benefit that might influence another person, as part of their employment or duties, to show improper favour to the giver.
Norco Interior employees may, for example, not offer, give, receive, or request gifts, services, entertainment or other rewards that:
- Violate accepted business practice.
- Have an unreasonable value. (not above the equivalent of 45 €)
- Consist of money, securities, cash loans, or other types of personal payments in the form of discounts, commissions, bonuses or fees.
- Consist of pure leisure or vacation trips.
- Violate existing laws.
- Are other rewards which due to their value or other relevant circumstances are typically likely to improperly influence the recipient in the exercise of their professional duties or in another manner risk embarrassing the company or the employee in the event they become public knowledge.
This does not prevent employees of Norco Interior from receiving or offering promotional gifts designed to retain and promote good business relationships with customers and other business partners. This subject to the condition that such gifts are modest, openly accepted and offered and otherwise compliant with this Code of Conduct. Management of respective subsidiary is responsible for preparing appropriate guidelines and routines for employees concerning representation and gifts.
Consumer Interests
When dealing with customers and end-consumers, Norco Interior acts in accordance with fair business, marketing and advertising practices. Norco Interior also ensures that provided goods or services meet all agreed and legal standards.
Competition
Norco Interior is conducting its activities according to applicable laws and regulations and also refrains from concluding unlawful anti-competitive agreements as well as exchanging unlawful price and/or market information with competitors.
Export Control
Norco Interior shall comply with all applicable rules regarding export controls, including not acting contrary to, or with persons implicated in economic sanctions.
Whistleblowing Service
Götessons Design Group (including Norco Interior, Götessons Industri, SIAS, David Design and Scan Sørlie) is committed to maintaining a sound business culture, preventing corruption and regulatory violations, and promoting transparency.
So-called whistleblowers play a central role in upholding the company’s business ethics and internal policies.
Götessons Design Group’s whistleblowing function is a reporting channel that forms part of the Group’s efforts to prevent and detect irregularities, as well as to protect whistleblowers. Reports may be made by current or former employees, suppliers, subcontractors, job applicants, volunteers/interns, or other internal or external stakeholders. Through this channel, whistleblowers can confidentially and anonymously report suspected violations or misconduct.
Report here or enter the following address in your web browser: https://wbreport.kpmg.se/5592036502
You may also call: +46 (0)771 401 683
The reporting channel is a secure system provided by the independent third party KPMG AB. KPMG’s whistleblowing service is entirely separate from Götessons Design Group’s intranet and websites, and is available to receive reports 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Reporters may choose to remain anonymous or provide their contact details to enable further information exchange. No registration or personal details are required to submit a report, although such information may facilitate investigation and follow-up. To ensure anonymity, KPMG AB does not collect IP addresses or metadata. The system also protects the report itself as well as all information relating to the person(s) mentioned in the submission.
Since 2021, the Board of Directors has approved a whistleblowing policy with an associated procedure for handling cases.
The Whistleblowing Committee within Götessons Design Group consists of:
Stellan Bygård (ESG Manager)
Tommy Torwald (Accent Equity)
Helen Swedberg (E-commerce Manager)
Work environment
Norco Interior shall provide safe and healthy working conditions to prevent work-related injury or illness. The goal is safe and healthy business operations where risks are eliminated and work environment risks are reduced. Norco Interior considers its employees to be its greatest asset. Attracting, involving and developing the employees is a decisive factor for the business. Norco Interior’s goal is to be a responsible employer that attracts and retains employees.
Skills development and Career opportunities
Motivation, job satisfaction, commitment and participation are central factors for the Group’s employees to be able to develop within Norco Interior; they are also important elements in the Group’s ability to continue to grow.
General
Health and safety work are to cover systematic analysis, surveys and risk assessments as well as measures and follow-up.
The work must as far as possible be handled consistently throughout the Group with Group-wide rules and prioritizing good communication. The work is to be run preventively together with the employees and their representatives in all areas with focus on risks and safe behavior’s. Particular attention must be paid to health and safety in the event of changes.
Norco Interior is to make demands on suppliers, requiring them to comply with the local work environment rules.
Safety
Norco Interior is to create a safe workplace. Safety equipment shall always be in place. For all activities involving health and safety work there shall be procedures describing what to do, how to do it, when to do it and who participates. Accidents, incidents and risk observations must be reported, analyzed and result in remedial action. Norco Interior’s objective is that no accidents in the workplace shall occur.
Norco Interior is to identify risks in possible situations regarding fire, chemicals spills, machinery stoppages and power cuts and for these situations establish evacuation and action plans to minimize the risk of injury.
Health
The psychological and social work environment is as important as the physical work environment. Norco Interior is to emphasize good leadership and attentiveness in handling these issues. The work environment must be adapted to the varying circumstances of employees as far as reasonably practicable. The importance of participation and influence for employees regarding their work must be emphasized, including clear information on duties, relevant expectations, responsibilities and scope for action.
Procedures for surveying risk of ill-health, bullying and harassment must be in place for all operations. Discrimination, offensive treatment, harassment, abuse and threats are not accepted in Norco Interior. Employees must be able to feel comfortable, safe and respected in their workplace.
Norco Interior is to work preventively to reduce the need for sick leave and rehabilitation. Employees that are, however, injured in an accident or fall ill are to be given work-related rehabilitation with the aim of returning to work as soon as possible. When handling information regarding work adaptation and rehabilitation, rules on confidentiality according to work environmental legislation must be followed, which means that information about an individual’s personal circumstances is to be treated as confidential information.
Responsibility
Norco Interiors employees shall contribute to their own and their colleagues’ healthy and safe work environment by acting safely and following the instructions and procedures in place, and for reporting risks and incidents that occur. Each employee is expected, if applicable, to participate in suggested rehabilitation.
CEO bears overarching responsibility for work environment issues and this is to be delegated, in one or more steps. Delegation and further delegation is to be set out in writing.
