Sustainability Program
Our vision, strategy, and operations prioritize sustainability. Our sustainability efforts have a visible impact on society and promote the sustainability of our member companies, customers, and partners.
The Helsinki Region Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. It upholds the core values of the UN Global Compact, focusing on human rights, labor standards, the environment, and anti-corruption.
Our Sustainability Program (Finnish) outlines the five key themes of our responsibility work.
1. Good governance
We are committed to promoting good governance within our operations and among our member companies. We ensure that our members are informed about the latest legislation, responsible practices, diversity, corporate security, and other issues that may affect their operations. Specifically, we help our members comply with sustainable development laws and voluntary commitments. We keep them updated on any changes, provide guidance, and offer training on sustainable development issues.
For our investments, we have instructed our asset managers to adhere to ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) standards and actively promote the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
2. Development of the business environment in the Helsinki region
Our advocacy work accelerates the sustainable development of companies and promotes constructive interaction between the public and private sectors. We also focus on promoting regional development, internationalization, the availability of skilled labor, and the creation of new jobs.
3. Supporting sustainable growth
We help companies achieve sustainable growth and ensure that decision-makers and experts maintain high competency levels. We offer guidance to companies on ESG (environmental, social, and governance) issues and help them prepare for future sustainable development legislation. Through our advocacy, we highlight the business implications of sustainable development.
4. Diversity at work and the role of women in business
We are committed to promoting diversity and internationalization in Finnish working life. We understand that employers in Finland have encountered challenges in creating inclusive work environments.
We are dedicated to supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in advancing women to high-level business leadership roles through training and mentoring. We acknowledge that promoting women’s career development in the SME sector also contributes to increasing the representation of women in leadership positions within large companies. Our efforts align with the legal requirement for publicly listed companies to enhance the presence of women on their boards.
5. A carbon-neutral future
In 2023, have started to calculate our operations’ carbon footprint. In early 2024, we joined WWF’s Green Office program and are working on achieving carbon neutrality through the program.
During this period, we will create plans to reduce the carbon footprint of all our events. Our digital services and IT equipment contribute significantly to this footprint, so we will also develop plans to decrease the carbon footprint of our ICT services.
Our member companies have a major impact on achieving a carbon-neutral future. Through our member communications and training, we are investing in content that will help the Finnish economy transition towards a carbon-neutral future.
We have established goals and indicators for our responsibility initiatives (sustainability KPIs), which we monitor annually to track our progress.
Our Code of Conduct
The Code of Conduct below outlines the principles that govern our staff interactions with our members, customers, and other stakeholders.
- Honesty. Act honestly and fairly in your work.
- Respect. Treat all individuals with respect and professionalism.
- Help everyone succeed.
- Transparency and correctness. Be as transparent as possible about your activities and communication. Ensure the accuracy of the information you share and correct errors appropriately.
- Objectivity. Disclose and manage conflicts of interest appropriately.
- Compliance. Comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and Chamber of Commerce policies.
- Confidentiality. Protect confidential information and respect privacy.
- Reliability. Take responsibility for your actions and decisions.
- Environmental responsibility. Promote environmentally sustainable practices and initiatives.
- Positively contribute to the well-being of the community.
Code of ethics for elected committee members
- Respect competition law. Know relevant regulations and ethical guidelines. Familiarize yourself with and follow the Chamber of Commerce’s committee guidelines.
- Participation. Actively participate in activities and events.
- Feedback. Provide constructive feedback for continuous improvement.
The management of the Chamber of Commerce may revise these codes of conduct periodically to reflect changes in the business environment, legal requirements, or organizational priorities.
Whistleblower channel
The Helsinki Region Chamber of Commerce and its service company, Helsingin Kamari Oy, have a channel for reporting suspected misconduct, as required by the EU Whistleblower Directive. This channel will help us further improve the responsibility of our operations. You can find the whistleblower channel from here.