NILU’s ethical guidelines apply both to the institute and subsidiary companies, all employees, temporary employees and hired personnel.
NILU’s employees are all considered to be equal, independent of age, disabilities, beliefs, language, cultural difference and sexual preferences. An individual’s qualities are to be respected and valued. NILU will strive for employees of different ethnic backgrounds to thrive in the company, and will not accept discrimination during the employment process nor later in the period of employment.
Requirements of employees
NILU’s employees should behave in accordance with laws, regulations, relevant industry code of ethics and internal rules and procedures applicable to NILU’s business. Managers are especially responsible in this regard. If there is doubt as to whether a course of action is ethical, the employee should not take action or should ask their closest supervisor and follow NILU’s routines for alerting supervisors.
Requirements of clients, collaborators, suppliers and sub-suppliers
NILU has certain requirements related to business ethics, research ethics and social responsibilities when a contract is signed. This includes a commitment from our partners to follow international conventions for human rights, employees’ rights, safety and fair competition, and to distance themselves from corruption.
Research ethics and principles
NILU’s results/research affect the development of society. Research should be done with integrity and scientific quality, based on well-known research methods and should be in accordance with national and international standards.
Research practices
Scientific research is based on trust. Research should not hide, warp or falsify details in planning, implementation or reporting. Individuals have responsibility to practice good and fair research and to not change their results.
NILU’s employees are to respect one another’s research, practice good reference ethics and are not to take credit for other’s results.
NILU will not take part in research projects that are unethical or that do not respect individual dignity.
Publishing results
NILU wants its research to be published. All contributions should be respected, and standards for authorship and cooperation should be followed. Contributions that do not qualify for authorship should be recognized in an afterword.
Copyright
Copyrights are to be respected and everyone is to be given credit for his or her ideas.
Relationships with authorities, collaborators, customers and suppliers
NILU services markets all over the world and must obey a variety of different laws, cultural norms and social standards.
NILU respects the UN’s universal declaration of human rights and follows the UN’s convention on the rights of children and ILO’s eight conventions on fundamental labour standards such as child labour, forced labour, unions and collective bargaining, and discrimination in the workplace.
Protecting the environment
NILU will perform its research and projects in an environmentally friendly manner and in a way that meets our commitments to occupational safety and health. All employees should be aware of applicable laws and regulations, as well as our standards for the work environment.
Information and confidentiality
Employees at NILU should not give confidential information to outsiders. We respect legitimate property rights and company secrets that belong to customers, suppliers and other third parties.
Business information, accounting and reporting
Business information about NILU should be communicated precisely and completely – both internally and externally. Accounting information should be correct, registered and presented in agreement with applicable laws and regulations, including the Norwegian accounting standard (NRS).
Corruption
NILU distances itself from bribes and undue influence on purchasing. It is in all circumstances forbidden to bribe or to accept bribes. Consultants, agents or middlemen should not be used to channel payment to or from any of the mentioned parties. Third parties that sign contracts with NILU are committed to follow the same rules and procedures as NILU in terms of bribes and corruption.
Competition rules and price fixing
NILU complies with all competition rules in the way we do business. We do not engage in price fixing or dividing up markets.
Media relations
NILU has a duty to participate in public debates based on the knowledge that the research institute has created. Such communication should be honest, open and accessible.