Gender Equality Plan 2025-2027

Our core values support equality and diversity, and also refer to UN Sustainable Development Goal No. 5, Gender Equality.

Goal

In the NPRA, we aim for the work environment to be attractive and educational for all employees regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, functional ability, sexual orientation or age. Equality is to be practised in a way that contributes to ensuring equal opportunities for all employees when it comes to skills and career development.

Measures to promote equality and diversity

The NPRA takes a number of steps to promote equality and prevent discrimination; in recruitment, in providing facilities for people with disabilities, in accommodating pregnant and breastfeeding employees, in facilitating parental leave and care responsibilities, and through a special senior policy.

Recruitment

The NPRA advertises vacancies through a number of different channels and incudes a diversity position statement in each job advertisement. We have developed a special diversity policy that is part of our recruitment process. This policy requires that qualified applicants from underrepresented groups are invited for an interview and that all qualified applicants should receive equal treatment. We make conscious efforts to include people with disabilities and multicultural backgrounds.

We reflect the population well in that 8.6 percent (in 2024) of our employees have an immigrant background. The share has increased steadily every year from 6.9 percent in 2020. We also work purposefully, and in cooperation with the Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV), to recruit job seekers with disabilities. The share of new employees from this group has varied between 2.6 and 6.3 percent over the past four years, and in 2025 the target number has been set to 4 percent. 

Follow-up and accommodation related to pregnancy, childbirth or adoption

When required, the NPRA can offer accommodations in consultation with our Occupational Health Services provider, for pregnant employees. In line with the provisions of the Main Collective Agreement (Hovedtariffavtalen), we can offer paid breastfeeding breaks, salary development on a par with other employees, and welfare leave, with or without pay, for employees with comprehensive care responsibilities.

Measures to counteract harassment and discrimination

The NPRA takes a clear stance against harassment and discrimination. This is anchored in our personnel policy guidelines, in our ethical guidelines and in our pay policy. We have special guidelines for handling bullying, harassment, conflicts and discrimination. As instructed through the Working Environment Act, we also have a Whistleblower system that may be used if someone experiences harassment or discrimination.

HR is continuously working to ensure equality and diversity; through leadership training, information in internal media, in courses and in recruitment.

Legislation and ARP reporting duty

The prohibition against discrimination in working life is laid down in the Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act. The duties of enterprises have recently (2021) been increased through the activity and reporting duty (ARP). The Working Environment Act, the Basic Agreement for the Civil Service (Hovedavtalen I staten) and other regulations for the government sector, including special agreements for our activities, are decisive for our work.

In the additional agreement to the Basic Agreement for the Civil Service, applying specifically to the NPRA, equality is mentioned as follows in Section 31:

"Goals and measures to increase equality shall be integrated in the NPRA's goal and performance management system. Evaluation of results and decisions regarding required measures shall be made in the regular way in the line of command. Work tasks that provide development, increased competence or that in other ways contribute to qualifying for promotion are be distributed so that women and men have the same opportunities for career development."

Another example is the NPRA staff regulations, which provide clear rules that gender balance should be pursued in the various committees involved in the recruitment process.

Monitoring staffing statistics provides important insights so that we can implement corrective measures if required. Another important source of knowledge is found in employee satisfaction surveys, which we conduct regularly. At the individual level, the most important sources of knowledge about deviations are complaints or reports to managers, HR, employee representatives or safety representatives. Complaints and reports are handled in accordance with established procedures.

Responsibilities and resources related to our work on equality and diversity

Leaders in the NPRA are responsible for knowing and using available guidelines and tools to promote equality and diversity, and to prevent discrimination. Employee representatives and safety representatives are important cooperation partners. HR has a special professional responsibility to ensure that this work is integrated in our personnel management, and in our recruitment work in particular.

Status for gender equality in the NPRA

Equality and diversity status is reported annually to the Ministry of Transport and Communications. The table shows the gender balance in the different job categories. Categories with fewer than 40 employees are excluded from the table. The table also shows the pay balance between the genders.

At the end of 2024, the share of women emloyees was 39 percent. The share of women has been stable for many years. Women earn on average less than men. The gender-divided education and labour market is also evident in the NPRA. In the largest job category, technical case officers, the share of women is 25 percent, while the share of women is 61 percent in the second largest category, licensing and registration case officers.

The salary development over time is positive. Women's salaries constituted 91 percent of men's salaries in 2017, and increased to 97 percent in 2024. In the largest job group, which is also clearly male-dominated, there is now balance in terms of pay. Back in 2017, women's salaries as a share of men's salaries were 96 percent in the technical case officers group. In 2020, salaries were equal, and in 2022, women surpassed men in terms of salary. 

For many years, it has been a goal in the NPRA that the share of women in leadership positions should at least correspond to women's share of all employees. This goal has been met for several years, and in 2024, the share of women in leadership positions rose to as much as 47 percent. Good gender balance among leaders is a good indication that both genders have good opportunities for career development in the NPRA.