We see human rights as fundamental principles for protecting people’s dignity and ensuring freedom and respect both in our own operations, in the companies with whom we work, and in the communities where we operate. Our commitment to upholding human rights is outlined in our 'Sustainability commitment', 'Global human rights policy', 'Global labour and employment rights policy', 'Stakeholder engagement policy', and 'Just transition policy'. Our 'Global human rights policy' aligns with the UN Guiding Principles on Business & Human Rights (UNGPs), the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, the International Bill of Human Rights, and the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles & Rights at Work. The policy explicitly highlights our dedication to ensuring freedom of association, the right to collective bargaining, the elimination of forced, trafficked, or compulsory labour, the effective abolition of child labour, and the elimination of discrimination in employment and occupation, among other critical issues.

We work actively to ensure a safe and inclusive working environment as all employees deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Employees can report grievances and complaints via the designated mechanisms, depending on the nature of the incident. Regardless of the reporting mechanisms and its severity level, we take all incidents seriously and handle all cases in a professional and confidential manner where all parties’ needs are taken into consideration.

Channels for own employees to raise concerns We are dedicated to ensuring that our employees not only have access to grievance channels but also have the knowledge, confidence, and psychological safety to utilise them when necessary. Ørsted as an organisation has the responsibility to take all reported cases seriously and provide fair outcomes for investigated cases that take all parties’ needs into consideration. We also maintain secure and confidential records of reports and outcomes.

All employees have the right to make a complaint or raise a grievance without fear of retaliation. All concerns and complaints raised to People & Culture are taken seriously and handled confidentially to the extent possible.

Employees can use various mechanisms for raising their concerns or complaints. Firstly, an employee always go to their direct people leader for support. Secondly, employees can reach out to the People & Culture organisation if they have a question or a concern via either an HR business partner or a local People & Culture colleague. Thirdly, the employees can raise their concerns on an anonymous basis in the annual People Matter survey.