Bergen Nasjonale Opera Bergen Nasjonale Opera
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Code of conduct

Bergen National Opera aim to ensure a safe and happy working environment both for our fulltime staff and for our guests. We expect appropriate and responsible behaviour and have developed the following code of conduct as the basis for our working relationship with one another.

Bergen National Opera has zero tolerance for any forms of harassment or improper treatment in the workplace or any work-related setting outside the workplace.

WHAT IS RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOUR AT WORK

  • We greet each other.
  • We take responsibility for our duties.
  • We seek and we share information.
  • We keep to what we have agreed.
  • We help and assist others when needed.
  • We trust that everyone does their job, and we don't interfere unnecessarily.
  • We are happy to receive and learn from constructive feedback.
  • We are polite in all our communications (we listen, we show interest, we explain our views).
  • We don’t gossip or speak ill of anyone behind their back.

We raise the problems we find in the workplace and in the work community with those who can make a difference.

WHAT INAPPROPRIATE TREATMENT IS NOT?

The following situations do not constitute inappropriate treatment:

    • Action taken by the employer as part of their right to supervise and direct work.
    • Conflicts due to work-related decisions or interpretations.
    • Justified disciplinary action.
    • Discussion of problems related to work or duties among the members of the workplace community.
    • Referral of employees to occupational health care services for a valid reason.

    WHAT IS INAPPROPRIATE TREATMENT?

    Bullying or harassment means negative, offensive, or undesirable behaviour towards other people. It is systematic, recurring conduct or neglect, such as:

    • Making negative and disrespectful comments about anyone's personal qualities, character traits or private life.
    • Excluding someone from the workplace community.
    • Continued, unnecessary interference with someone's work.
    • Shouting, name-calling, insulting, slandering, and ridiculing someone.
    • Humiliating, degrading or threatening behaviour.
    • Physical violence or threat of violence.
    • Inappropriate exercise of managerial powers.
    • Sending inappropriate messages.
    • Sexual or gender-based harassment, including offensive materials, letters, phone messages, emails, speech, jokes, gestures, and inappropriate comments or questions regarding gender and sexuality.
    • Unwanted suggestions, threats, or demands for sexual contact while abusing one's position of authority or trust.
    • Any other unwanted physical contact.

    At its worst, inappropriate treatment can put an employee's health and work capacity at serious risk.

    WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU ARE TREATED INAPPROPRIATELY OR HARASSED?

    • Tell the person who is behaving inappropriately or harassing you that you do not accept their behaviour. Tell the person that you want them to stop.
    • Make a note of the time and place of the incident, what happened and who was present.
    • Contact your supervisor and make them aware of the situation. If the person behaving inappropriately is your own supervisor, contact their superior. If a visiting staff member is involved in the situation, contact the stage manager, production manager, general manager or the artistic director.

    WHISTLEBLOWING PROCEDURES

    At BNO, we have several channels to address unacceptable conditions. Here, you can report to your immediate supervisor, the HR manager, safety representative, or a colleague you trust.

    Collaborating partners, for example orchestra, chorus, house technicians etc, have their own procedures for employees.

    WHO HANDLES THE CASE?

    It is the manager who should handle the case. Complaints and reports must be handled at the appropriate managerial level. This implies that the manager should assess their impartiality. The leader must not be a party to the conflict or have taken sides in the matter. If the immediate supervisor is personally involved in the case, it should be handled by the manager at the next level in the hierarchy. The superior leader may, by agreement, address the conflict if the immediate supervisor does not feel neutral or when it is necessary to ensure that the conflict is handled properly. If the whistleblower does not receive a response or feedback, they are encouraged to report to the director.

    For all participants in BNO's productions, the following applies:

    CONTACT PERSONS

    Production: Vilde Gustavsen
    Artistic team and singers: Nicolai Riise
    EGK Choir members: Simon Kirkbride
    Children's Choir: Solveig Lavik
    Costume and makeup: Cathrine Ahlsen
    Technical Crew: Odd Halstensen