What Etisk handel Norge does

Etisk handel Norge is a Norwegian non-profit multi-stakeholder membership organization founded in 2000 that operates as a resource center for sustainable supply chain trade and supply chain due diligence. The organization serves approximately 215 member organizations — businesses, public entities, labor unions and NGOs — whose combined revenue exceeds 400 billion NOK, and it claims responsibility for the working conditions of roughly 6 million workers across members' supply chains. Members receive a dedicated sector advisor (one of 13 across textile, grocery, construction and public sector), structured training courses, access to tools and resources including country-risk briefings and certification guides, and entry into industry networks and production-country projects. Governance is multi-stakeholder with board representation from founding members Virke, Kirkens Nødhjelp, LO and Coop Norge.

The organization's core technology platform consists of a proprietary member reporting portal (Aktsomhetsvurdering Rapporteringssystem) with templates aligned to Transparency Act §5, a three-tier maturity assessment (Basisnivå, Gjennomfører, Ledende) that members must progress through beginning within two years of joining, and a Dobbel Vesentlighetsanalyse Verktøy for CSRD double materiality assessments. An April 2026 integration with Swedish software vendor StratSys extends the platform with automated statement generation and consolidated self-assessment, supplier screening, risk assessment, follow-up and corrective action workflows. Methodology is grounded in OECD due diligence guidelines operationalized through a six-step model, accompanied by an annual 'Åpenhet om ansvar' publication showcasing 57 member due diligence statements.

Revenue mechanics combine annual subscription fees (index-regulated, ranging 8,600-153,400 NOK for businesses scaled by revenue, plus per-inhabitant rates of 1.32 NOK for municipalities bounded at 27,600-110,800 NOK), Norad project grants funding four-country production-country programs (Bangladesh, Vietnam, Côte d'Ivoire, South Africa), and professional services revenue from additional consulting beyond standard membership. Distribution is anchored on direct enterprise sales via 13 dedicated member advisors providing white-glove relationship management to Norway-only accounts, supplemented by a website and annual 'Etisk handel konferansen' conference. Sister organizations exist in Denmark (DIEH, 2008), Sweden (ETI Sweden, 2019) and the UK (ETI, 1998).

Name

Etisk handel Norge

Legal name

Etisk handel Norge

Website

https://etiskhandel.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Etisk handel Norge is a Norwegian non-profit multi-stakeholder membership organization (founded 2000) serving ~215 enterprises, public entities, labor unions and NGOs with due diligence advisory, OECD-aligned reporting tools, and training aligned with Norway's Transparency Act and CSRD compliance requirements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Oslo

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees based on organization type, revenue, and number of employees. Index-adjusted annually. Fees range from 8,600 NOK minimum for organizations up to 153,400 NOK for large businesses. Municipalities pay per inhabitant (1.32 NOK) with 27,600-110,800 NOK range.
2. Additional Consulting Services: Additional advisory services beyond standard membership including project management for double materiality analysis, consulting hours, and access to reporting tools. Provided at hourly rates for non-members and as add-on services for members needing extra support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Etisk handel Norge is a Norwegian multi-stakeholder membership organization that helps businesses, public sector entities, and civil society organizations conduct supply chain due diligence under the OECD framework. Members receive a dedicated personal advisor, access to training courses, a secure reporting portal aligned with Norway's Transparency Act (Åpenhetsloven), a tiered level assessment system, country-risk tools, and entry into industry-specific networks (textile, grocery, construction, public sector). Additional paid services include double materiality analysis for CSRD reporting and access to projects in producer countries.

Product overview

Etisk handel Norge is a membership organization and resource center for sustainable trade. Its core offering consists of a membership portal with due diligence reporting templates aligned with Norway's Åpenhetsloven (Transparency Act), a tiered level assessment system (Basisnivå, Gjennomfører, Ledende), personal advisory services with dedicated sector advisors, and training courses. Members also receive access to a suite of tools and resources including country-risk briefings, risk assessment tools, ethical guidelines templates, and best-practice guides. Additional offerings include sector-specific certification guides, multi-country project work (Bangladesh, Côte d'Ivoire, Vietnam, South Africa), a living wage working group, and a double materiality analysis service for CSRD reporting. A recent integration with StratSys enables members to consolidate due diligence workflows and automate annual statement generation within the StratSys platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Medlemsportal (Member Portal) Secure online portal providing members with a reporting template for due diligence assessments aligned with the Transparency Act (Åpenhetsloven), access to tools and resources, and a feedback loop with Etisk handel Norge advisors.
• Nivåvurdering – Basisnivå, Gjennomfører, Ledende (Level Assessment System) Three-tiered maturity model for due diligence reporting with objective documentation requirements: Basisnivå (entry level), Gjennomfører (implementer), and Ledende (leading). Members must reach Basisnivå within two years of joining.
• Rådgivning og veiledningstjenester (Advisory Services) Personal membership advisors with sector-specific expertise guide companies through due diligence processes, supply chain risk mapping, double materiality analyses, and CSRD reporting. Includes sector-specific teams covering textile, grocery, construction, and public sector.
• Kurs og opplæring (Training and Courses) Course offerings covering due diligence, responsible procurement practice, climate, public sector procurement, the Transparency Act, EU taxonomy, and double materiality analysis.
• Verktøy og ressurser (Tools and Resources) Member-only resource library providing updated country-risk briefings, risk assessment tools, ethical guidelines templates, best-practice guides, action-plan templates, supplier onboarding checklists, and a climate account framework.
• Prosjektarbeid i produsentland (Projects in Production Countries) Multi-country improvement projects in Bangladesh (social dialogue and climate resilience in RMG), Côte d'Ivoire (cashew sector), Vietnam (cashew supply chain), and South Africa (wool industry) with member participation.
• Tilleggstjenester – Dobbel vesentlighetsanalyse, Klima, Sirkulær økonomi (Additional Services) Optional paid services including double materiality analysis for CSRD, climate and environmental work, circular economy guidance, and consulting hours for additional member support, billed at hourly rates.
• Levelønnsarbeidsgruppe (Living Wage Working Group) Working group of 18 members across textile, food and farming, tech, and tire sectors focused on living wages, using the Anker methodology and ILO/OECD guidance to close the gap between minimum wage and living wage.

Quantifiable outcome

• 6 million workers in members' supply chains benefit from ethical trade initiatives
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• ETI SwedencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2019Sister organization established in autumn 2019 with support from Etisk handel Norge. Ongoing close collaboration similar to other sister organizations. Etisk handel Norge provided 'birth assistance' during establishment.
• Etisk handel Danmark (DIEH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Sister organization established in 2008 with central involvement from Etisk handel Norge. Close ongoing cooperation including tool development and activities in production countries.
• Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998ETI was established in 1998 and is IEH's British 'sister'. ETI has internationally known brands and organizations in its membership. ETI and Etisk handel Norge have close ongoing cooperation, strategically and operationally.
• Direktoratet for forvaltning og økonomistyring (DFØ)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDFØ's tasks include renewing public sector, including public procurement. DFØ and Etisk handel Norge promote, collaborate on, and facilitate socially responsible procurement.
• MiljøfyrtårnminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEtisk handel Norge is certified as an Eco-Lighthouse business. Membership provides good tools for concrete sustainability work in areas like work environment, waste management, energy use, procurement and transport.
• Inades FormationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIvorian NGO that for decades has worked to empower rural communities through capacity development. Project partner in Cote d'Ivoire targeting sustainability and livelihood challenges at farmer and SME processor level through creating new linkages in the Ivorian cashew sector.
• Ethical Trading Initiative BangladeshmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner in Bangladesh project 'Decent work, gender equality and climate resilience for RMG workers'. Project funded by Norad (2021-2024) focusing on social dialogue, strengthening civil society actors and workers' rights with gender and climate as cross-cutting factors.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• BSR (Business for Social Responsibility): Global sustainable business network and consultancy providing advisory services on sustainability, supply chain due diligence, and human rights. Overlaps with Etisk handel Norge's advisory services but operates as a paid consultancy rather than a multi-stakeholder membership body.
• amfori: International business association for sustainable trade, formerly the Foreign Trade Association. Operates globally with multi-stakeholder governance and similar trade-focused mission; broader geographic scope but comparable advisory and due diligence offering.
• EcoVadis: Global sustainability ratings provider widely used by companies for supplier due diligence. Competes in the supplier assessment space that Etisk handel Norge helps members navigate, but with a tech-enabled ratings model versus Etisk handel Norge's advisor-led model.
• Rainforest Alliance: International non-profit for sustainable agriculture and forestry engaged in ethical supply chain work and certification for member companies. Broader environmental focus but overlaps with Etisk handel Norge's supply chain sustainability and member-driven advocacy model.
• Fairtrade International: Global non-profit focused on ethical trade with widely recognized certification and labeling schemes. Larger scale operation but narrower focus on certified products versus Etisk handel Norge's multi-sector due diligence and advisory scope; provides comparable member-driven ethical trade model.

Emerging players

• SEDEX: Global technology platform and membership organization for ethical trade, operating the SMETA audit methodology. Provides comparable technology-enabled service model for member companies to manage supplier ethical trade assessments across global supply chains.

Regional players

• Danish Institute for Human Rights: National human rights institution that publishes business and human rights guidance including frameworks directly relevant to due diligence assessments. Several Etisk handel Norge advisors have prior experience at this institution, indicating shared methodological approach.

Direct peers

• ETI Sweden: Swedish sister organization established in autumn 2019 with 'birth assistance' from Etisk handel Norge. Closely comparable multi-stakeholder ethical trade model in another Nordic market, demonstrating the exportable framework.
• Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI): UK-based sister organization established 1998 and the original multi-stakeholder initiative that Etisk handel Norge was modeled on. ETI and Etisk handel Norge have close ongoing cooperation, strategically and operationally, making it the most direct comparable peer in terms of governance, member composition, and mission.
• Etisk handel Danmark (DIEH): Danish sister organization established in 2008 with central involvement from Etisk handel Norge. Provides direct comparable membership-based ethical trade model in an adjacent Nordic market, with ongoing tool development and joint activities in production countries.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/etiskhandel
• Facebookfacebook.com/EtiskhandelNorge
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ieh---initiativ-for-etisk-handel-ethical-trading-initiative---norway

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Etisk handel Norge