Orkla's most important contributions to society are jobs, tax revenues, value creation and innovation. They can only be safeguarded by maintaining efficient, profitable and competitive companies.
By running profitable companies, we also generate positive ripple effects from our core businesses that support development in the local communities in which Orkla companies operate.
Tax revenues and products that society needs, which are direct consequences of Orkla's operations, benefit society as a whole.
Orkla mainly uses local suppliers. As well as creating jobs in the countries and local communities concerned, this promotes human resource development and the transfer of expertise. The Group also seeks to recruit local staff.
Through dialogue and cooperation with authorities, sector organisations and non-governmental organisations, Orkla helps to establish good standards and approaches in areas that are relevant for the Group's activities, including from the perspective of sustainability.
At Group level, Orkla also emphasises the importance of sponsoring cultural and social activities that are not directly connected to its subsidiaries' social relationships with their own customers, employees and local communities. Orkla ASA has entered into a few major sponsorship agreements whose purpose harmonises with the Group's activities in various ways.
Orkla has a fundamental responsibility for running its businesses in a way that reduces risk and maximises value creation, both for the Group and for society, in accordance with its business principles and its value statement, "Goals and Values". In this context, one important individual contribution is to ensure transparency with respect to the operations of its business units.
Orkla has formalised these obligations, among other things by joining the UN Global Compact. Member companies are required to report to and update interested parties on challenges, measures and developments in the key areas of human rights, working conditions, environmental impacts and anti-corruption activities (Communication on Progress).