Transparency act

Benchmark Genetics breeds and supplies genetics and genetic services for sustainable aquaculture, with operating companies in Norway, Iceland, the United Kingdom and Chile. Doing that responsibly means knowing who we buy from and what conditions the people in our supply chain work under. This page explains the Norwegian Transparency Act, how we work to meet it, and where you can read our full statement.

What the Transparency Act is?

The Norwegian Transparency Act (åpenhetsloven) entered into force on 1 July 2022. It applies to larger enterprises in Norway and requires them to:

• carry out due diligence on fundamental human rights and decent working conditions in their own operations, supply chain and among business partners, in line with the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises;
• publish an annual statement on that work, approved and signed by the board of directors and the CEO, by 30 June each year; and
• answer requests for information from the public about how they handle actual and potential adverse impacts.

The purpose of the Act is to give consumers, customers, investors, journalists and others insight into how companies work with human rights and working conditions and to strengthen companies’ own follow-up of those risks. The Norwegian Consumer Authority (Forbrukertilsynet) supervises compliance.

How we work?

Responsibility for due diligence under the Transparency Act sits with the Board and the Leadership Team of Benchmark Genetics.

Internal procedures for supplier due diligence, sanctions, and counterparty risk support this work, along with our Supplier Code of Conduct, which sets out what we expect from suppliers and business partners on human rights, working conditions, ethics, and the environment.

Business units that own each supplier relationship handle day-to-day follow-up, with support from group functions where needed.

We have mapped our supplier base – approximately 1,300 supplier relationships across the Group and screened it using a risk-based methodology that considers country risk, sector risk, supplier conduct and the scale of the business relationship. In line with the proportionality principle of the Act, we prioritise follow-up where the risk to people is greatest and where we have the most influence, and we follow up any indication of severe adverse impact regardless of the size of the relationship.

What we have found so far?

As of the date of our most recent statement, we have not confirmed any actual adverse impacts on fundamental human rights or decent working conditions in our supply chain. Due diligence is an ongoing process, and this assessment may change as we receive and review supplier responses. Where we identify shortcomings, we start with dialogue and agreed improvement measures; we escalate serious or unresolved matters, and ending a business relationship remains a last resort, taking into account the consequences for the workers affected.

Measures in progress

• Rolling out our Supplier Code of Conduct for signature by prioritised suppliers
• A self-assessment questionnaire for the highest-priority suppliers
• Enhanced due diligence, with documented decisions, where concrete risk indicators are identified
• Human-rights checks integrated into counterparty onboarding

We review our risk methodology, findings, and measures at least annually, and update and publish the statement by 30 June each year.

Read the full statement

You can read and download our statements on the Transparency Act for Benchmark Genetics here:

Statement pursuant to the Norwegian Transparency Act — financial year 2025 – Approved by the Board of Directors on 29 June 2026. The PDF includes both the English and Norwegian text, along with the signatures of the Board and the CEO.

Requesting information

Anyone may request information from us about how we address actual and potential adverse impacts on fundamental human rights and decent working conditions. Send your request to post@bmkgenetics.com and we will answer within the deadlines set by the Act.