NIR is a non-profit organisation owned by the members and governed by the Board of Directors, as designated by NIR’s
By-Laws.
According to NIR’s By-Laws, NIR’s Board of Directors is comprised of a Chair, Vice Chair and a Board member from each fully paying member. The responsibilities of NIR’s Board of Directors include: setting NIR’s strategic framework and overseeing achievement of strategic goals and objectives; NIR’s compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations; ensuring NIR continuously strengthens its ethics and compliance programme; and guaranteeing NIR has sound finacial management and a good economy, including efficient management of financial resources and that independent financial audits are routinely conducted. The Board of Directors also guides NIR and its operations to align with the core values of NIR’s members.
Implementing an effective and integrated ethics and compliance programme at the organisational level and in our operations is a key priority for NIR. An effective compliance programme means reducing risk and empowers staff and partners and builds respect and confidence on all levels. It defines the processes and routines that ensure transparency and accountability from the organisational to operational level and aligns us with the core values of our members.
Ensures that we actively engage in identifying, assessing, managing and mitigating corruption risks, which are vital to preventing negative effects in our operations and managing reputational risk. Moreover, our anti-corruption measures ensure that we are transparent and accountable to all our stakeholders.
Our Code of Conduct prescribes a zero tolerance for any form of bribery and corruption and provides standards for ethically and professional engagement.
Central to us delivering on a zero tolerance for any form of bribery and corruption and to identify risks related to human rights, labour rights and the environment
Provide a roadmap for our day-to-day operations, give staff guidance for decision making and streamline internal processes.
Ensure procurement of goods and services openly and transparently.
Ethics and compliance is a essential component of creating a healthy and sustainable workplace by ensuring transparency and predictability in parallel with a culture of integrity, trust and responsible conduct.
NIR joined Fremia’s collective agreement for ‘salaried employees in civil society’ as of 1 January 2023, and also aligned our employment contracts and internal policies with the collective agreement..
Our Travel Action Protocol ensures safety and security and mitigate risks for staff traveling. All NIR staff have received Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT) for medium and high-risk countries in line with the European Union’s ENTRi standard.
NIR is integrated into Business Sweden’s IT environment which means strengthened and improved processes for overseeing internal and external access to our IT systems, user management, data security and physical IT security.
In accordance with NIR’s By-Laws, NIR’s organisational auditor independently examines and evaluates NIR’s accounts and annual reports as well as the Board of Directors and CEO’s management of NIR’s finances and internal controls. The Annual General Meeting elects and appoints NIR’s organisational auditor on an annual basis. At the 2023 Annual General Meeting, Grant Thornton was re-elected as NIR’s organisational auditor, with Elisabeth Raun as the lead auditor. NIR’s externally funded programmes are audited annually in separate project audits by auditors procured in accordance with the applicable contract.
As of January 2023, NIR’s financial services are fully managed internally. A new financial system was procured and implemented during autumn 2023 to facilitate and support the project-specific accounting requirements and internal controls. The new financial system will be fully integrated into operations from 1 January 2024. Payroll services are managed by an external service supplier.
NIR’s core operations are funded by anual membership service fees from members. In 2023, NIR received grant funding from Sida for the Swedish Workplace Programme, the Sustainability Impact Accelerator and a design phase of Responsibility and Sustainability in Latin American Mining. Grant funding from Sida was also used to close out the Sustainable Bank Management Programme in Cuba and the Private Sector Contribution to Social Dialogue in Colombia.
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Team Sweden is a network of government authorities, agencies and Swedish companies that support major infrastructure projects globally, with the aim to contribute to the development of sustainable projects.
This executive summary presents the findings from the study “Workplace Cooperation: Finding Practical Solutions in the Colombian Context,” conducted by the Fundación Ideas para la Paz (FIP). The study evaluates the added value of the Swedish Workplace Programme (SWP) dialogue and cooperation model within the Colombian labor market.
Throughout 2022, FIP dedicated efforts to thoroughly understand the SWP model, including its concept, foundations, implementation process, and contributions to the labor market. In 2023, FIP documented the experiences of three companies—SKF Latin Trade, Securitas, and Epiroc—that implemented the SWP model in practice. The study also included face-to-face workshops to gather feedback from various stakeholders including civil society, businesses, government, academia, and international cooperation. The findings suggest that the SWP model has the potential to strengthen labor relations, contribute to decent work, and resolve workplace conflicts in Colombia.
The case studies highlight the importance of collaboration between employers and workers to promote decent work and sustainable development in Colombia. They demonstrate that social dialogue facilitates worker participation in labor decision-making, enhances their representativeness, and promotes cooperation between employers and employees, thus improving labor relations and contributing to the well-being of both employees and companies.
The SWP model is particularly noted for improving workplace relationships and commitment to jointly finding solutions to challenges faced by workers and the company. It empowers workers, enhances leadership, and helps integrate business policies into daily practices, reducing the initial disconnect between management objectives and the day-to-day realities of workers. The study also highlights the model’s capacity to manage conflicts constructively, transforming the perception of conflict as an opportunity for improvement. Structured dialogues deepen understanding of the underlying causes of conflicts, fostering empathy and facilitating effective resolution. This promotes a culture of collaboration and a democratic approach to decision-making, building trust.
Additionally, the model is recognized for enabling workers to make decisions, identify challenges, and propose solutions that impact their well-being, and bridging gender gaps in the workplace. Its inclusive approach adapts to the unique needs and characteristics of each company, promoting a stronger and more diverse organizational culture. It also drives good work performance and productivity by involving workers in problem identification and resolution, as well as in implementing improvements and efficiently identifying ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) risks for companies.
The document identifies the SWP model’s added value in empowering direct interaction among labor stakeholders in Colombia, overcoming historical or cultural reservations, and contributing to the development of stronger labor relations and improved workplace environments in the country.
Challenges and opportunities of the model are also discussed. The study points out the importance of addressing value chain risks, particularly in a global context where corporate clients demand decent work processes and due diligence. It emphasizes the need to integrate SMEs into this process and use anchor companies as drivers of social dialogue throughout the value chain. The role of the state in social dialogue and the importance of highlighting the benefits of the model for adoption across various business sectors are discussed.
The opportunities of the model include raising awareness of human rights in the workplace in line with the United Nations Guiding Principles (UNGP), to strengthen due diligence, manage risks, promote long-term sustainability, and improve organizational culture. The document also underscores the importance of involving workers in change processes, leveraging their insights for continuous improvement of processes, and fostering innovation opportunities. Lastly, it suggests replicating the model in value chains to address work environment risks and gender biases, involving suppliers and contractors, and integrating the model into corporate policies to strengthen existing programs and transform organizational culture towards resource efficiency and effective participation of employers and workers.
