More than half of the companies that responded to FIBS’s Finnish Corporate Responsibility Meter estimated that Covid-19 has changed their operating methods somewhat or greatly. Nearly one third of the companies that responded intend to increase resources for corporate responsibility work next year.
The corporate responsibility network FIBS has published its first Corporate Responsibility Meter for major companies operating in Finland. The survey is conducted four times per year, and its first topic was the Covid-19 pandemic and how it has changed the way companies implement corporate responsibility.
One fourth of the respondents thought that the Covid-19 virus has changed the way companies implement corporate responsibility a great deal. Every third told that it had changed the operating methods somewhat.
The change in operating methods is visible in practice as investments in the health and safety of employees: for example, risk and emergency plans have been reviewed and safety instructions have been updated, and more attention is paid to hygiene and product safety. The importance of the work on responsibility has increased, and the development measures and safety considerations related to business are emphasised. At the same time, however, the practical work on things like development projects has become more difficult during the pandemic.
More than half of the respondents (57%) think that the resources used for corporate responsibility work will remain the same in 2021. Nearly one third (29%) estimated that their resources will increase.
“Luckily, the coronavirus pandemic has acted as a catalyst of positive changes in the world, which are also reflected in the corporate responsibility activities of companies. According to our first Corporate Responsibility Meter, general interest in issues related to corporate responsibility is increasing, which means that long-term investments in responsibility and against the climate change, among other things, are increasing despite the Covid-19 disease,” says Kimmo Lipponen, the CEO of FIBS.
These views are also shared by the representatives of Neste and Huhtamäki that participated in the panel of respondents to the survey.
“If the pandemic can be said to have had any positive effects, it is that responsibility has become an increasingly visible issue. At Neste, it has been evident in practice that we want to take especially good care of the safety and wellbeing of our own employees as well as our customers and partners,” says Salla Ahonen, Vice President, Sustainability, Neste.
“Responsibility plays a key role in Huhtamäki’s strategy. We had already set ambitious sustainable development goals before the pandemic, and the work to reach these goals continues as planned. We mainly manufacture food packaging, and the hygiene level of our production is high. Due to the pandemic, certain practical support measures such as cleaning have been enforced even more strictly than usual. Consumers as well as many other stakeholders have discovered the large role that packaging plays in food safety during the pandemic. Before, packaging was often taken for granted,” Tanja Virtanen-Leppä, Head of Sustainability Center of Excellence, Huhtamäki Oyj, describes the situation.
The Finnish Corporate Responsibility Meter was conducted on 17 November 2020, and 35 heads of corporate responsibility and experts from FIBS’s major corporate members responded to the survey. You can participate in the discussion and comment on the results on Twitter (@FIBSry) with the hashtag #yritysvastuupulssi.
The purpose of FIBS’s Finnish Corporate Responsibility Meter is to offer the media and other stakeholders the views of FIBS’s major member companies on current issues related to corporate responsibility and sustainability. The surveys are conducted on topics related to corporate responsibility that arise from the news and public debate. In addition, they include other responsibility issues that are of interest to the general public in the light of the latest research or innovations, for example.
The panel of respondents to the survey includes heads of corporate responsibility and experts from a total of 45 major companies in Finland. Approximately one half of the panel of respondents represent publicly listed companies. Specific companies cannot be identified from the responses. The next Finnish Corporate Responsibility Meter will be published in early 2021..
FIBS’s partner in designing the Finnish Corporate Responsibility Meter and the related communications is Avidly.
Summary of the FIBS Finnish Corporate Responsibility Meter pilot survey (in Finnish)
More information:
Kimmo Lipponen, CEO, FIBS
Tel: +358 40 758 7247
Email: kimmo.lipponen@fibsry.fi
Salla Ahonen, Vice President, Sustainability, Neste Oyj
Tel: +358 50 458 4559
Email: salla.ahonen@neste.com
Tanja Virtanen-Leppä, Head of Sustainability Center of Excellence, Huhtamäki Oyj
Tel: +358 050 384 0706
Email: tanja.virtanen-leppa@huhtamaki.com
Companies included in the panel of respondents of FIBS’s Finnish Corporate Responsibility Meter:
- Ahlstrom-Munksjö Oyj
- Algol Oy
- Alko Oy
- Atria Oyj
- Berner Oy
- Caruna Networks Oy
- Citycon Oyj
- Fazer Group Oy Ab
- Finnair Oyj
- Gasum Oy
- Huhtamäki Oyj
- Ilmarinen
- Kesko Oyj
- Kotipizza Group
- Kuntarahoitus Oyj
- Lassila & Tikanoja Oyj
- Lidl Suomi
- Mehiläinen
- Metso Outotec Oyj
- Metsä Group
- Meira
- Neste Oyj
- Nokian Renkaat Oyj
- Nordea Pankki Oyj
- OP Ryhmä
- Orion Oyj
- Paulig Group Oy
- Posti Group Oyj
- PwC Suomi
- Raisio Oyj
- Reima Oy
- Saint-Gobain Finland Oy
- Sanoma Oyj
- Sitowise Oy
- SOK
- Stora Enso Oyj
- Suominen Oyj
- Tamro Oyj
- Telia Company
- Tokmanni Group Oyj
- Transmeri Oy Ab
- Työeläkeyhtiö Elo
- Valio Oy
- Veikkaus Oy
- YIT Oyj
FIBS is the largest corporate responsibility network in the Nordic countries and a leading promoter of sustainable business and developer of expertise. FIBS’s goal is to inspire more and more Finnish companies to start innovating productive solutions to local and global problems in cooperation with other companies and organisations, so that they can rise to the top of sustainable business globally. All companies and organisations that promote responsible and sustainable business can become members of FIBS.
