Orkla strengthens its IT platform

Orkla has signed a five-year agreement with the US-headquartered consulting and IT services company Cognizant on the operation of and support for Orkla's IT systems.

The agreement was entered into with Orkla Shared Services (OSS), which is currently responsible for the management of Orkla's IT systems and shared services. OSS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Orkla.

Cognizant will thereby be taking over responsibility for IT infrastructure, applications and support services, which are currently handled by OSS's Service Operations department. This will strengthen Orkla's IT platform and ensure more stable deliveries of IT systems and services to Orkla employees. Moreover, the new agreement will give Orkla greater flexibility in choosing new information technology.

The agreement will enter into force on 1 July 2013.

Cognizant is a leading global supplier of IT services. Headquartered in the USA, the company operates worldwide and has a workforce of more than 160,000 employees.

"Orkla is increasingly dependent on business-critical IT systems. Through our agreement with Cognizant, we will ensure that our IT solutions are provided in a cost-effective, yet secure way. Orkla employees will experience improved stability and accessibility in the systems and services that they use every day. Having an agreement with such a professional service provider will also ensure that we have the capacity to carry out major adjustments to meet future needs," says Orkla President and CEO Åge Korsvold.

As a result of this agreement, a total of 65 OSS and former Rieber & Søn employees will be transferred to Cognizant. Once the agreement becomes effective, OSS will consist of 135 employees in the following departments:

• Business Solutions - provides consulting services related to IT and business applications.
• Human Resources Services - provides payroll services.
• Service Delivery Organisation - coordinates contact between customers and external suppliers.

The agreement with Cognizant will not entail dismissals. The agreement will generate cost savings for Orkla of an estimated NOK 200 million over a five-year period.

The transfer of infrastructure and services from today's OSS to Cognizant will commence on 1 July and last for about four months. From about 1 September, Orkla's employees will have access to a new Service Desk that will be staffed 24/7. Prior to that date, there will be no changes in the routines for enquiries to OSS.