Social Responsibility

• Editorial freedom (Content is updated)

  Schibsted's media reflect a wide range of diverse opinion. So they also provide different ways of looking at issues and views on important questions in current debates on social affairs.

  Schibsted will ensure editorial independence and uphold freedom of expression in the newspaper and media houses we own. Free media play a leading role in underpinning strong, living democracies. Schibsted’s core values rest on this foundation, which is firmly enshrined in the Group’s statutes. Schibsted will never seek ownerhip of opinion forming media which do not promote a democratic view of society.

  Schibsted respects the fact that different media are based on different journalistic and political viewpoints and have diverse characteristics. The editorial work in Schibsted's media houses is based on national law and ethical regulations in every country in which we have a presence. This is how we meet our responsibility as a player in the media sphere.

  Editorial quality and trustworthiness are foundations of the group’s journalistic activities and these, together with the individual company's statutes, form the basis for the editors’ work.

  Editors forum

  The establishment of the Schibsted Editors’ Forum in the autumn of 2007 was an important milestone in the work to strengthen the group's publishing activities. By means of this editors' forum Schibsted has created a European network in which the leading editors in our media companies can debate common challenges, exchange ideas and experiences or discuss important questions relating to their activities both in individual countries and across borders. The forum can also represent pan-European editorial views to Schibsted’s group management and governing bodies.

  In 2011 the Schibsted editors' forum adopted a framework for editorial governance for the group's publishing businesses. This enshrines the principle of editorial freedom and so explicity defines it for the benefit of Schibsted’s companies in those countries where this principle is not embodied in law. It follows from this that the responsible editor must take full personal responsibility for the content of the publication and this responsibility extends to providing ethical guidelines and procedures for the journalists.

  Schibsted's publishing businesses prepare editorial accounts and their reports are available on the group's website. The editors give an annual briefing to the Board on the editorial business based on the editorial accounts. In addition, the head of Schibsted's editorial forum gives an annual summary of the editorial accounts to Schibsted’s Group Board. The presentations will be for the Board’s information only and will not form the basis of any sort of board resolution.

  Common framework

  The editor's forum has identified eight general principles which will apply as a common framework for all editors of Schibsted publications:

  • Schibsted editors must promote freedom of expression and uphold democratic values
  • Schibsted editors must take full responsibility for all content in the publications they publish
  • Schibsted editors must play a free and independent role
  • Schibsted editors must ensure that the journalism creates a clear difference in the eyes of the reader between information, facts and editorial opinion
  • Schibsted editors must make a clear difference between independent editorial content and marketing
  • Schibsted editors must focus fully on editorial quality and trustworthiness and establish ethical and journalistic standards in line with this aim.
  • Schibsted editors must protect freedom of expression, press freedom and the principle of access to public documents
  • Schibsted editors will regard it as an important task for the press to protect individuals and groups against injustice and to expose issues of critical social importance.

• The Tinius Trust (Content is updated)

  The Tinius Trust was created by Schibsted’s former – and largest – owner, Tinius Nagell-Erichsen, by deed of gift on 8 May 1996. The reason was a desire to ensure that Schibsteds newspapers and mediahouses would continue to maintain their position as free and independent.

  "The ownership must uphold the freedom and independence of Schibsted's media services", said Tinius Nagell-Erichsen.

  Free and independent

  His justification for setting up the trust was to consolidate his ownership interest in the Schibsted group so that the ownership can create confidence that Schibsted's newspapers and other media outlets would always be able to maintain their position as free, independent outlets. Tinius wanted to use his influence to protect Schibsted as a group with free and indpendent editors, characterised by trustworthiness and quality in conjunction with and a long-term and healthy financial development. He also wanted to ensure that the group's publications would uphold values such as freedom of religion, tolerance, human rights and democratic principles. This is also embedded in the objectives of the trust set out in its regulations.

  Largest shareholder

  Blommenholm Industrier AS owns 28 188 589 shares, representing 26.1 % of the shares in Schibsted ASA and is the company's largest shareholder. Blommenholm Industrier AS is represented on the board of Schibsted ASA by the chairman Ole Jacob Sunde. Tinius Nagell-Erichsen transferred Blommenholm Industriers' only voting share to the Tinius Trust in May 2006. This means that the Tinius Trust has a controlling interest in Blommenholm Industrier AS. The Tinius Trust's board consists of Ole Jacob Sunde (chairman), Per Egil Hegge and John Rein (board members).

  Changes to Schibsted ASA’s articles of association require a three-quarters majority. The company's statutes also provide that no shareholder may own or vote on behalf of more than 30 per cent of the shares. Schibsted ASA’s articles of association also ensure that important decisions by the group’s subsidiaries require a three-quarters majority at the general meeting of Schibsted ASA. As long as the 26.1 per cent shareholding is kept together, these provisions give considerable influence over the ownership of Schibsted.

  Read more about the Tinius Trust.

  Download portrait of Tinius here

• International guidelines (Content is updated)

  Schibsted supports the UN’s business initiative Global Compact, and has also endorsed the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, which contains voluntary principles covering a range of areas relating to companies' corporate social responsibility.

  Schibsted’s social responsibility encompasses important principles relating to human rights, employee rights, environment and anti-corruption.

  UN Global Compact

  The starting point for the Group’s involvement in these areas is that Schibsted supports the UN’s policy initiative for business, Global Compact. Global Compact promotes ten principles in the areas of human rights, standards in working life, environment and anti-corruption.

  Schibsted has also committed itself to comply with the OECD’s guidelines for multi-national companies which contain voluntary principles covering a variety of issues affecting companies’ social responsibilities.

  The Group Board continue to work on a strategy for how our companies may contribute to social responsibility in a broader perspective. It has started several initiatives in social responsibility that are integrated into the company’s service products.

  Code of Conduct

  A healthy corporate culture and integrity are essential to building and maintaining trust both internally and externally. Our ethical guidelines are intended to help increase awareness of and promote a continuing commitment to ethical requirements among the Group’s staff.

  See The Schibsted Code of Conduct