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Human rights management and integration

We see human rights as fundamental principles to protect people’s dignity and ensure freedom and respect.

We also believe they’re foundational for enabling a rapid and just green energy transition.

On this page
What are we doing?
Latest updates
Our salient human rights areas
Frameworks and partnerships

Why are human rights important in the green energy transition? 


Developing our projects and supply chains in new markets poses important human rights considerations that we need to fully understand and address as we continue to grow.  Through our ‘Global human rights policy’, we’re committed to leading a build-out that works for people. In practice, this means that we want to proactively address any potential risks of negative impacts on human rights – and we want to be transparent about our efforts and challenges along the way. 

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At Ørsted, we are committed to construct and operate in an environmentally and socially sustainable way.

As we scale up renewable energy, we take responsibility for respecting human rights across our operations and supply chain. Driving a just transition is an ongoing effort.

We integrate human rights due diligence into our business, following international standards such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and continue to strengthen our approach while collaborating with industry partners, and being transparent about our progress.
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Rasmus Errboe, CEO

What are we doing? 

We’re working to ensure that human rights are respected across our entire value chain. This includes further developing and strengthening our human rights due diligence approach for our employees, local communities, and people in supply chains. 

Once fully developed, the approach will be integrated across core business processes. This means we’ll have processes in place to identify and assess human rights issues across our full value chain, take appropriate actions, follow up, monitor, and report on activities internally and externally.

Developing meaningful stakeholder engagement processes and providing an effective grievance mechanism will also be key to ensuring a fully robust due diligence process.

Latest updates
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​In 2024, we provided human rights training for our Marine Inspection team, focusing on fair working conditions, respect, and issues like bullying, harassment, and excessive hours. In 2025, we plan to expand this to include QHSE site representatives, promoting strong labour standards across all project sites.


For more information, please see our annual report 2024, sections ‘General: Sustainability due diligence’, ‘S1: Own workforce’, ‘S2: Workers in the value chain’, and ‘S2: Affected communities’.

Our salient human rights areas

We’ve identified six key areas where human rights are most at risk throughout our value chain. Learn about our efforts to prevent, reduce and remedy any negative effects on human rights, whether on land or at sea. 

Find out more

Frameworks and partnerships


Partnerships

We engage in cross-sector collaboration and initiatives to drive industry developments that support our strategic ambitions. Our key partners include:
  • Ethical Trade Denmark
  • Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA)
  • Nordic Business Network for Human Rights
  • The Danish Institute for Human Rights
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International frameworks

We follow and adhere to several international guidelines and principles for respecting and promoting human rights globally, including:

  • Equator Principles
  • IFC Performance Standards on Environmental and Social Sustainability
  • ILO Core Conventions
  • ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work
  • Minimum Safeguards of the EU Taxonomy
  • OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
  • UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)
  • United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs)
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Governance 

We’re in the process of establishing a Human Rights Task Force specifically focused on strengthening our due diligence systems and governance. For more information, see Sustainability Governance Structure | Ørsted 

Policies and guidelines

Our sustainability efforts

Sourcing metals and minerals responsibly 

We’re working closely with our suppliers and industry partners to find responsible ways to source the metals and minerals we rely on to build our green energy solutions.

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