Detailed criteria for registering a solution on Business Norway

1. You must be a Norwegian company registered in the Brønnøysund Register Centre.
2. Your solution must be sustainable or neutral.
3. Your solution must contribute to achieving at least one of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.
4. You must have plans for international growth.
5. You must follow principles of corporate responsibility.

Sustainable solutions are defined as technologies, products and services that address major environmental or societal challenges.

Solutions to environmental challenges make a significant contribution toward achieving one of the EU’s six environmental objectives:

1. Climate change mitigation
2. Climate change adaptation
3. Sustainable use and protection of water and marine resources
4. Transition to a circular economy
5. Pollution protection and control
6. Protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems

Solutions to societal challenges make a significant contribution toward achieving food security, good health and well-being, safety and societal security, animal welfare, education, or other challenges.

Neutral solutions are defined as technologies, products and services that do not significantly impact the environment and climate, either positively or negatively. These may include, for example, solutions incorporating AI and other advanced technology.

Please note that solutions whose intention is to increase the efficiency of and reduce emissions from oil and gas recovery, even if they in themselves are green and have a sustainable business model, are not eligible for publication on Business Norway.

A company must have plans for international growth so that its solution can have a more lasting positive environmental or societal impact in Norway and internationally, as well as contribute to increased value creation and productivity in Norway’s business sector.

A technology, product or service does not have to be commercially available to be published on Business Norway, but it must be more than just a concept. Backing by strong financial partners or funding from a highly selective source, such as the EIC Accelerator, indicates the likelihood that a viable commercial technology, product or service will be developed in the not-too-distant future. Ultimately it is the editor’s decision whether to include the solution.

All companies must work in accordance with international principles for corporate responsibility as defined by:

• The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
• The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights

The aim is to ensure that companies and their solutions avoid contributing to corruption​, human rights violations​, poor working conditions​, and adverse impacts on people, society and the environment.​

To take a responsible approach, the individual company must:

• Conduct risk assessments to avoid adverse impacts resulting from its operations.
• Have an internal control system in place for responsibly handling any identified risk of adverse impacts.
• Have ethical guidelines.

If serious matters are uncovered that are in breach of these principles, this may constitute grounds for the company to be removed from Business Norway.

The responsibility of verifying that the information provided is accurate and true lies with the individual company. The editor does not check the validity of the company’s fulfilment of the criteria, or the information provided about the solution.