The Norwegian National Contact Point
The Norwegian National Contact Point for Responsible Business Conduct comprises four members. The members are appointed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion, and the Ministry of Finance. They are appointed on the basis of their professional expertise and based on proposals from the social partners (the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO) and the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO)) and civil society, represented by the Forum for Development and Environment (ForUM).
The Secretariat engages in efforts to promote the OECD Guidelines and due diligence, prepares the handling of specific instances for the NCP and facilitates mediation.
Members
- Frode Elgesem, Chair, Judge at Borgarting Court of Appeal
- Cathrine Dehli, Head of Product and Sustainability, Celsia
- Gro Granden, Special Adviser, LO
- Beate Ekeløve-Slydal, Political Adviser, Amnesty International Norway
Secretariat
- Kristel Tonstad, Head of Secretariat and Policy Director
- Åse Sand, Senior Adviser
- Elisabeth Andvig, Senior Adviser
- Elisabeth Andvig worked in the Secretariat until 19 February 2024.
Handling of specific instances – temporary staff
If members are deemed to have a conflict of interest in specific instances, stand-ins are appointed. Ola Mestad, Professor dr. juris at the University of Oslo, led the handling of a specific instance as stand-in for Frode Elgesem. Per Bondevik, Senior Adviser at FOKUS, was a stand-in for Beate Ekeløve-Slydal in the handling of two specific instances. Katarina Sætersdal, Senior Advisor at NHO, was a stand-in for Cathrine Dehli in one specific instance.
New members
The term of office of two of the NCP members, Cathrine Dehli and Gro Granden, was completed in 2024. New members proposed by NHO and LO, Anita Househam and Liv Tørres, were appointed on 1 March 2024.
Anita Househam is Senior Adviser for Social Sustainability at Statnett. She has previously served as Director of Human Rights at Telenor ASA and Senior Manager at UN Global Compact’s headquarters in New York. She has been a board member of the Global Network Initiative and also a member of the Steering Committee that led the development of the Children’s Rights and Business Principles.
Liv Tørres is International Secretary at LO. Before joining LO at the end of 2021, she was Director of Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies in New York. Liv has previously served as Director of the Nobel Peace Center, Secretary General of Norwegian People’s Aid, Director of Research at Fafo and Political Adviser to the Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion.