Prize Committee
The Prize Committee consists of seven members drawn broadly from the Norwegian trade union movement. Members are appointed by the National Executive Committee of Styrke for a four-year term.
Frode Alfheim
President<br>Forbundet Styrke
Leading one of Norway’s leading trade unions representing workers across key sectors of industry and working life.
With a long career in the Norwegian trade union movement, he has been active within the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) system since the 1990s and has extensive experience in trade union organisation, labour relations and public policy.
Earlier in his career, Alfheim served as a political adviser in three Norwegian government ministries, contributing to public policy at the national level.
Originally from the island municipality of Dønna in Nordland, northern Norway, Alfheim has built his career around the representation of working people and the advancement of their interests in Norwegian society.
Tor Arne Solbakken
Member<br>The Norwegian National Wage Board
With a professional background in the Norwegian Armed Forces, where he served as a civilian employee, Solbakken is trained as an agricultural mechanic.
He served as Deputy President of the Norwegian Civil Servants’ Association from 1998 to 2005. From 2005 to 2017, he was a member of the leadership of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO), serving as Deputy President from 2009.
Throughout his career, Solbakken has combined practical experience from working life with extensive leadership experience within the Norwegian trade union movement.
He is currently serving as a member of The Norwegian National Wages Board
Raymond Johansen
Secretary General<br>Norwegian People's Aid
Raymond Johansen has served as Secretary General of Norwegian People’s Aid since 2024. Originally trained as a plumber, he has a long-standing background in Norwegian politics and public service as a member of the Labour Party.
Johansen served as Governing Mayor of Oslo from 2015 to 2023. Prior to this, he held the position of State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and served as Secretary of the Labour Party.
Throughout his career, Johansen has combined practical experience from working life with extensive political and leadership experience, both at the local and national level.
Atle Høie
Secretary General<br>IndustriALL Global Union
Atle Høie is General Secretary of IndustriALL Global Union, a global trade union federation representing millions of workers across the manufacturing, mining and energy sectors.
Prior to his current position, Høie served as International Secretary of Fellesforbundet, the Norwegian United Federation of Trade Unions, where he was responsible for international trade union cooperation and engagement.
Throughout his career, Høie has worked extensively on international labour relations and trade union cooperation, with a particular focus on strengthening solidarity and collaboration across national borders.
Haldis Holst
Deputy Secretary General<br>Education International
The global federation representing education workers and their organisations around the world. In her current role, she is responsible for the organisation’s work on human and trade union rights, equality, and international solidarity programmes.
She served as Vice President of the Norwegian Union of Education, where she was closely involved in representing education workers and advancing their professional, social and trade union rights.
With extensive experience in trade union leadership and international cooperation, Holst brings a perspective shaped by both the Norwegian labour movement and the broader global trade union community.
Håvard Lismoen
Chief Advisor <br>Confederation of Vocational Unions
Håvard Lismoen is Chief Adviser at the Confederation of Vocational Unions (YS), where he has special responsibility for labour market and working life policy. In this role, he contributes to the development of policy and analysis on issues affecting employees, the labour market and the future of working life.
Prior to joining YS, he worked for several years as a researcher at Fafo, one of Norway’s leading research institutions in the fields of working life, welfare and social policy.
Through his work in both research and the trade union movement, Lismoen has developed broad expertise in labour relations, working life policy and the challenges facing employees and employers in a changing labour market.
Liv Tørres
Head of the International Department Confederation of Trade Unions (LO)
She has previously served as CEO of the Nobel Peace Center and Secretary General of Norwegian People’s Aid, as well as Director of Pathfinder for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies at New York University’s Center for International Cooperation.
Tørres has extensive experience in research, public policy and international affairs, having worked at Fafo, the University of Oslo and the Research Council of Norway.
She holds a Ph.D. in political science focusing on the trade union movement in South Africa and has advised trade unions and government institutions on democratisation and the role of organised labour. In 2011, she served as Political Adviser to the Minister of Labour.
Amalie Hilde Tofte
International Adviser at Styrke
Amalie Hilde Tofte serves as Secretary to the Prize Committee and is an International Adviser at the Norwegian trade union Styrke, where she is responsible for the Arthur Svensson Prize.
Alongside her work at Styrke, Tofte served as Chair of the Central Board of Norwegian People’s Aid from 2021 to 2023. She had previously served as First Deputy Chair from 2019 and, in 2023, served as working Chair with responsibility for the organisation’s operations.
Through her work with Styrke and Norwegian People’s Aid, Tofte has gained extensive experience in international trade union cooperation, solidarity and civil society engagement.