Communication on Progress

Participant
Published
  • 04-Nov-2021
Time period
  • November 2021  –  November 2022
Format
  • Stand alone document – Basic COP Template
Differentiation Level
  • This COP qualifies for the Global Compact Active level
Self-assessment
  • Includes a CEO statement of continued support for the UN Global Compact and its ten principles
  • Description of actions or relevant policies related to Human Rights
  • Description of actions or relevant policies related to Labour
  • Description of actions or relevant policies related to Environment
  • Description of actions or relevant policies related to Anti-Corruption
  • Includes a measurement of outcomes
 
  • Statement of continued support by the Chief Executive Officer
  • Statement of the company's chief executive (CEO or equivalent) expressing continued support for the Global Compact and renewing the company's ongoing commitment to the initiative and its principles.

  • At Zaptec we are continuously working towards the goal that we should combine our main mission of changing the world through electric vehicle charging while implementing the key principles of human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption based on the Ten Principles of the United Nations. There is continued support for it as we are expanding into other countries. Everyone at Zaptec is continuing to support the UN Global Compact both in our business strategy, in our shared culture and in our daily operations. We at Zaptec are fully committed to spread the word in our channels to our stakeholders in all markets. Especially at this challenging time when the economy is bouncing back it’s as crucial as ever before to keep working together as a unity and the UN Global Compact is instrumental in doing so.

    Yours sincerely,
    Anders Thingboe
    CEO at Zaptec

Human Rights
  • Assessment, policy and goals
  • Description of the relevance of human rights for the company (i.e. human rights risk-assessment). Description of policies, public commitments and company goals on Human Rights.

  • Zaptec aims at treating every employee and business partner equally.
    This is becoming important with an expansion abroad where differences are more significant than where we come from. We need to make a continued framework for every employee to follow.

  • Implementation
  • Description of concrete actions to implement Human Rights policies, address Human Rights risks and respond to Human Rights violations.

  • Zaptec is implementing the UN Human Rights Principles to the handbook and translating it into English to make sure that each employee understand our shared principles.

  • Measurement of outcomes
  • Description of how the company monitors and evaluates performance.

  • When all employees in all the countries where we are present have read and adapted the principles, we will assume success in the field.

Labour
  • Assessment, policy and goals
  • Description of the relevance of labour rights for the company (i.e. labour rights-related risks and opportunities). Description of written policies, public commitments and company goals on labour rights.

  • Zaptec supports the strictest labor standards applicable. We aim to protect workers and reassure them that they work according to reasonable and considerate standards, free from exploitation and unfair business practices. Zaptec seeks to follow a combination of national rules with those provided by being a member of the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise. The Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise is also a member of the UN Global Compact, building on the ten principles. In addition to this, we have brought HR in-house. This reassures closer control of adhering to HR.

  • Implementation
  • Description of concrete actions taken by the company to implement labour policies, address labour risks and respond to labour violations.

  • Zaptec has strict protections for the employees in place, and we provide a collaborative working environment. This is outlined in our Employee Handbook where protections for whistleblowers, both working on permanent and temporary contracts, are outlined.

    Zaptec is a member of the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise that regulates the employer and sets out specific guidelines for the employees to follow.

    In terms of salary adjustments, the company follows the central negotiations conducted between the Labor Organization and the Employer Representative. This is the standard procedure according to the Norwegian Model of three-party collaboration. This is a model where the employees, employers, and government work in areas of work environment and HSE questions.

    In addition to this, HR is working to implement and safeguard decent labor principles internally.

  • Measurement of outcomes
  • Description of how the company monitors and evaluates performance.

  • Zaptec is continuing with an equal number of employee representatives as a part of the Working Environment Committee, where the management and the employees contribute. This is to even out the balance in-between the management and the employees. An extra employee representative was added.

    Additionally the salary adjustment matched the percentage negotiated at the central level as a part of the three-party collaboration model.

Environment
  • Assessment, policy and goals
  • Description of the relevance of environmental protection for the company (i.e. environmental risks and opportunities). Description of policies, public commitments and company goals on environmental protection.

  • Zaptec works continuously to reduce emissions and participate in creating a livable future for our next generation. We produce charging stations aiming at electric cars and to electrify the transportation sector in Norway and internationally.

    We aim at reducing the size of our chargers as well.

    In addition to this, Zaptec works to reduce emissions at the office. We are aiming at reducing the footprint made by our employees by creating a culture of reducing emissions through recycling bottles, trash, and other items. Zaptec is also working towards creating more environmentally friendly transport to the office.

  • Implementation
  • Description of concrete actions to implement environmental policies, address environmental risks and respond to environmental incidents.

  • Zaptec is continuously delivering electric car charging to the customers. We are making sure that people can make conscious decisions upon their transportation needs by selecting electric vehicles because of the convenience of refueling them in their own homes. Zaptec is also reducing the size of the chargers. This helps to reduce emissions and production cost.

    When it comes to the office, a webinar solution has been implemented to train and make the installers certified. This has replaced the concept of traveling to Norwegian and foreign cities to hold the installer course.

    To facilitate more environmentally friendly transportation Zaptec is participating in the Home-Office-Home program by the public transport company, Kolumbus. This is giving employees significantly reduced cost at public transport, including the city bikes.

  • Measurement of outcomes
  • Description of how the company monitors and evaluates environmental performance.

  • By seeing that an increased amount of people can charge their car when they need to and to avoid range anxiety, we know that we can help the environment in even a small way. Despite this, we have a vision of electrifying an ever-larger part of the transportation sector both in Norway and internationally.

    When more people choose Zaptec for the commitment to the size, we consider this a success. When it comes to the reduced emissions in the office, we have been able to do it in the case of having a web solution for the installer course. The web solution reduced travels from six nationally in October 2019 to none in October this year. This has helped to reduce emissions as there were usually two employees attending each installer course.

    When more people have started to use public transport again, we will consider it a success. Each employee traveling by public transport or bike help us all to reduce emissions.

Anti-Corruption
  • Assessment, policy and goals
  • Description of the relevance of anti-corruption for the company (i.e. anti-corruption risk-assessment). Description of policies, public commitments and company goals on anti-corruption.

  • Zaptec works to comply with high standards of anti-corruption work. We aim to work to cease the cases of corruption, extortion, bribery and grey zone cases.

    We aim to have our subcontractors participate in implementing the Anti-Corruption Principles by working closely with them. Zaptec is also scaling up the operations by onboarding more support in the supply chain and operations.

  • Implementation
  • Description of concrete actions to implement anti-corruption policies, address anti-corruption risks and respond to incidents.

  • Zaptec has Ethical Rules as a part of its Employee Handbook regulating gifts and other economic advantages. In case of uncertainty, the CFO is accessible to reply to questions for review. The company is also operating with red periods with regards to purchasing and sale of stocks.
    To comply with the principles of working with sub-contractors to verify their actions Zaptec is collecting reports from our Norwegian factory assembling the products assessing their subcontractors delivering the material and the parts for the production process.
    The company is documenting the reports we receive through our documentation system.

  • Measurement of outcomes
  • Description of how the company monitors and evaluates anti-corruption performance.

  • There have been zero corruption, extortion, and bribery cases at Zaptec and its subcontractors in this period. In addition, there have been instances where the CFO advisory mechanism has been used to search for advice. This shows a culture of reflection upon the issue and openness to raising questions regarding corruption, extortion, and bribery internally.

    There have also been no cases of inside trading in the period.