Transparency

 

TRANSPARENCY ACT REPORT 2024– AIZE AS

 

 1. INTRODUCTION 

This report has been prepared in accordance with the Norwegian Transparency Act (the “Transparency Act”). 

The report provides information on the implementation and work with the Act in Aize AS (“Aize”) with respect to safeguarding human rights and decent working conditions in the company. 

The Transparency Act entered into force in 2022. The first reporting year was in 2023. The reporting in 2024 is based on the work in 2022/2023 and is complemented with further investigations and risk assessments for 2024. 

2. ABOUT AIZE 

2.1 General 

Aize is a Norwegian limited liability company with subsidiaries in United Kingdom (UK) and in the United States (US). 

Aize’s sole shareholder is Aize Holding AS. The largest shareholder of Aize Holding AS is Aker Capital AS, with Aker ASA as the ultimate parent company. As such, this report has been assessed by both the board in Aize AS and Aize Holding AS. 

Aize has approximately 140 employees, all located in its offices at Fornebu, Norway. Aize UK Limited has approximately 80 employees, and Aize US Ltd. has 3 employees. 

2.2 Product and production 

Aize is a software company. Aize’s main product is a shared workspace which allows the customer to integrate their data, visualize and navigate the asset model and collaborate with suppliers, stakeholders and other third parties. As of the date of this report, Aize’s customers are within the oil and gas sector. 

3. HOW THE COMPANY WORKS WITH THE TRANSPARENCY ACT 

3.1 Responsibilities 

The Board of Directors in Aize (the “Board”) has the overall and oversight responsibility of the company management, including oversight of risks related to adverse impact on human rights and decent working conditions. 

In 2022, the Board nominated a role within Aize as the operative Transparency Act Responsible and established internal instructions for the role. The role includes a primary responsibility for replying to requests for information pursuant to the Transparency Act, and for initiating and preparing risk assessments in accordance with the Transparency Act. If any need for mitigation is found, the Transparency Act Responsible shall inform the Board, who will be responsible for assessing the mitigation measures. 

3.2 Requests for information 

According to Section 6 of the Transparency Act, any person has the right to information from an enterprise regarding how the enterprise addresses actual and potential negative consequences. Since the Transparency Act entered into force in 2022, Aize has not received any requests for information. Aize has included contact information on its webpages to ensure that any information requests are received and handled in accordance with the Transparency Act. The contact email is transparency@aize.io. 

3.3 Aize’s Code of Conduct 

Aize’s Code of Conduct includes, among other items, a whistleblowing system. The system may be used by employees and non-employees to report potential or suspected breaches of basic human rights and decent working conditions. The primary whistleblowing channel is internally in Aize, but Aize has also established an external whistleblowing channel with an independent third party supplier. The Code of Conduct also contains other necessary principles to ensure a safe and secure working environment, both for employees in Aize and in Aize’s suppliers. 

3.4 Policies and procedures 

In addition to the Code of Conduct, Aize developed and implemented procedures and policies directly related to the Transparency Act in 2022. The policies and procedures, which have been resolved by the Board, include: 

• anchoring the Transparency Act work with the Board; 
• nominating an operational Transparency Act Responsible; 
• contact information on Aize.io in case of information requests; 
• instructions for the Transparency Act Responsible; 
• developing a Self-Declaration Form (see below); and 
• procedures for assessing received Self-Declaration Forms, and instructions to the personnel responsible for assessing the forms. 

3.5 Self-Declaration form 

In 2022-2023, Aize developed a questionnaire with various questions relating to company size, location of business, health and safety issues, labour rights and other issues (a “Self-Declaration Form”). The Self-Declaration Form was sent out to selected suppliers to obtain information for a risk-based mapping. 

Based on experiences through the abovementioned mapping, Aize has further developed the Self-Declaration Form in 2024. The form has also been adapted for onboarding of new suppliers and is to ensure the quality of the onboarding process, and Aize is about to implement the form in its onboarding routine. 

4. SUPPLIER MAPPING 

4.1 Introduction 

In 2022-2023, Aize initiated a risk-based mapping of suppliers who provided an estimated annual delivery to Aize of more than NOK 100 000. The mapping was conducted by asking the suppliers to reply to the Self-Declaration Form. Based on these answers and other generally available information, Aize did a subsequent assessment of the suppliers. 

In 2023-2024, Aize has categorized suppliers that provides an estimated annual delivery of more than NOK 200 000. The suppliers have been categorized into type of sector and home country of the supplier. The mapping has given Aize a better overview of risk factors. 

Furthermore, the company has made a closer assessment of suppliers who deliver for more than NOK 750 000. The total supplier cost to Aize, and the number of suppliers above the limit, indicate that this 3 limit of NOK 750 000 is reasonable. Aize collaborates closely with these suppliers, and the reasoning has been that since Aize is such a large customer for these suppliers, the possibility of positive impact in case of any breaches or potential breaches, is higher. However, within these suppliers there are several international cooperations where the possibility of impact is minimal. 

4.2 Summary of the mapping 

Aize has performed a due diligence as described above. The due diligence relates to several topics, including (but not limited to) human rights and decent working conditions. 

In the questionnaire carried out in 2023, there were 13 suppliers who responded to the Self-Declaration Form. The form has not been sent out in 2024, but Aize have carried out a closer review of the risk factors in the information that was obtained in 2023. 

The overall assessment is that the supplier responses and Aize’s additional research do not indicate any risk of actual or potential adverse impact related to human rights and decent working conditions. Accordingly, the supplier responses have not triggered the need for any further investigation by Aize. 

The supplier due diligence has contributed to giving Aize a better overview of its suppliers and partners. Aize will continue its work related to suppliers to identify and assess risks of adverse impacts on human rights and decent working conditions and to take measures to stop, prevent or reduce such risks. 

Aize will continue to do supplier due diligence on a running basis. Going forward, Aize will also continue to develop its supplier due diligence. 

5. RISK ASSESSMENT 

Aize, with headquarters in Fornebu, Oslo, and offices in Aberdeen, Scotland, and Houston, Texas, offers oil and gas companies software for operational data collection and systemization. Aize is committed to adhering to high working conditions and human rights standards in each region, complying with local laws and international standards. 

In Fornebu, Aize operates under Norwegian laws known for strong labor protections. In Aberdeen, Aize upholds UK labor laws, and in Houston, it aligns with US federal and state-level labor standards. 

The data within Aize is primarily third-party information related to customers’ physical assets. Aize implements stringent data privacy and protection measures. Aize is mindful about the potential challenges related to monitoring of individual users, and whether customers shall get access to information about the individual user’s use of Aize. 

While Aize’s operations is considered low risk, oil and gas globally have some higher risks in certain markets. Aize is continuously considering and mitigating this risk when entering business partnerships with customers and suppliers. 

Based on the information that has been reviewed, the risk of violations of basic human rights and decent working conditions in its own operations, and with suppliers, is low. Aize has not uncovered actual negative consequences or a significant risk of negative consequences through the risk assessments that have been carried out. A large portion of Aize’s suppliers are software companies and suppliers related to ordinary office operations. Reference is made to Aker’s Transparency Act report, which includes a risk analysis of different county-sector areas. 

The company has therefore found no need to implement mitigation measures at this time. The company will continue the ongoing work of mapping its own operations and suppliers. 

 

6. CONCLUSION 

The Board has found the risk of breach of basic human rights and basic working conditions by Aize’s suppliers to be low. Aize has not identified any actual or potential adverse impacts on human rights and decent working conditions related to its business. Consequently, the Board has not found a need for initiating any mitigation measures as of the date above. 

On 28 June 2024, based on the information that emerges from the report and other underlying documentation, the Board believes that Aize meets the requirements set out in the Transparency Act.