We are strongly committed to sustainability
Sweco Finland aims carbon neutral in Scope 1 and 2 emission classes by 2030, and for Scope 3 emissions by 2040, which is in line with the Sweco Group’s target. We invest in our personnel’s sustainability expertise, promote diversity and manage responsibility openly. We comply with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and international sustainability commitments as part of our responsibility strategy.
Sweco Finland has applied for the international EcoVadis sustainability classification for its own operations for the first time. Sweco has received a Silver rating and is among the top 25% companies.
Carbon neutrality at the core of corporate responsibility
We monitor and report our own carbon dioxide emissions in three different SCOPE classes in accordance with the international Greenhouse Gas Protocol standard. This means that we not only monitor direct emissions from our own operations, but also indirect emissions generated through procurement, transport and stakeholders, for example. With this multifaceted approach, we ensure that we understand and can manage the environmental impact of our entire value chain.
In Finland, we have set an ambitious goal to be carbon neutral in terms of Scope 1 and 2 emissions already by 2030. The carbon neutrality target in all three emission classes for the entire Sweco Group is 2040. These goals reflect our commitment to climate action and sustainable development.
We have reported our carbon dioxide emissions throughout the Group through the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) starting in 2022. The third-party Future proof audit will begin in 2024.
We are committed to several initiatives that promote sustainable development, such as the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, the United Nations Global Compact and the Science Based Targets initiative. In Finland, we have received the Sustainable Environmental Building Label, the KESY label, which was awarded to Sweco Finland in 2023.
Environmental responsibility in our everyday life
At Sweco, we have taken several concrete measures to promote sustainable development. One example of practical measures is to extend the leasing period for phones and computers by one year, and to set stricter emission limits for leasing cars. Already 39% of our own car fleet is electric or hybrid in Finland, and 59% at Sweco Group level.
We have also switched the electricity from our premises to renewable electricity in those offices where we can influence the property owner’s contracts. We are actively discussing with property owners to increase the share of renewable energy in energy consumption. In Finland, the share of renewable energy in our offices is already 52%. In addition, we are setting procurement criteria that support low-carbon operating methods.
We encourage our personnel to travel sustainably to work by offering company bicycles and commuter tickets. We have updated our business travel policy to prefer train instead of air travel. We will also update our corporate policy and enhance the use of our premises in accordance with the principles of hybrid work.
Corporate responsibility includes developing the competence of personnel
We invest in developing our environmental and climate expertise, as we believe that knowledge and competence play a key role in implementing responsible solutions. We actively share good practices and learning experiences between project teams, thus promoting the spread of know-how and collaboration.
A deep understanding of responsibility and sustainable solutions contributes to increasing the carbon hand print of our design work. Our goal is not only to reduce the negative environmental impact of our projects, but also to produce positive and sustainable impacts on the world around us.
Our skilled and committed designers present solutions that can improve our customers’ sustainability beyond the project’s original target level.
Sweco’s own training and development programme, Sweco Academy, organises sustainable development training for our employees. Sweco employees have their own course on sustainable development, which is open to all Sweco employees and is part of the induction programme for new Sweco employees. We are proud of our role as pioneers in responsible design and of being part of building a more sustainable future.
Diversity and inclusion at Sweco
Diversity and inclusion at Sweco
Sweco’s DEI strategy was completed in early 2023. The starting point of our strategy is to invest in building a genuinely more inclusive work community and only then invest in the development of a more diverse work community.
The goal is to create a work community where every Sweco employee feels that they can be themselves and belong to a team. In addition, we want to ensure that all employees have equal opportunities to succeed and develop in their own work.
At the core of responsibility is a healthy work community
We emphasise open dialogue in promoting a healthy work community. We continuously evaluate our success and develop our operations through regular employee surveys, for example.
Sweco’s supervisor work is systematically monitored through personnel surveys, in which the performance of the team and supervisor is evaluated using diverse indicators.
Personnel practices and guidelines have been drawn up in such a way that they are not directly or indirectly discriminatory. The equality and non-discrimination plan records the measures to promote them and agrees on their implementation and monitoring.
Sweco Finland’s co-operation group acts as the forum responsible for cooperation at the Sweco Finland level.
Sweco Academy develops the expertise of all Sweco employees. It offers diverse opportunities for learning, career development and knowledge sharing.
We invest in the well-being of our employees by identifying work-related risks and promoting physical and mental health. We work in close cooperation with occupational health care and follow the work community development plan in our organisation.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
Our work is guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In our daily expert work, we have a particular impact on five UN sustainability goals:
6 – Clean water and sanitation
7 – Affordable and clean energy
9 – Sustainable industry, innovation and infrastructure
11 – Sustainable cities and communities
13 – Climate action
Responsible business and responsibility management
At Sweco, responsibility management covers a wide range of areas that affect the organisation’s ethics and societal impact. In all our operations, we comply with local, European and international laws as well as Sweco’s internal policies and guidelines.
Code of Conduct
Sweco’s Code of Conduct is the cornerstone of our business. All Sweco employees participate annually in ethical training and commit to complying with the guidelines in all situations. This strengthens our responsibility culture.
Business ethics
Business ethics guide our daily work, including business practices, use of resources and engagement with stakeholders. Clear instructions are essential for carrying out Sweco’s tasks. The Code of Conduct emphasises zero tolerance for bribery, corruption, fraud and anti-competitive activities. It guarantees that Sweco’s employees and partners act responsibly.
Quality
Sustainability management includes quality assurance, which is central to all our projects. Investing in quality ensures that our processes meet the highest standards and are safe and reliable. Sweco has quality certificates in accordance with ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 standards, and our goal is to achieve ISO 27001 cybersecurity certification by 2024.
Environmental certifications
The construction industry plays a significant role in the green transition and attaining climate goals. The sustainability of our buildings is key to implementing environmental objectives.
Sweco offers a variety of services related to environmental certifications and sustainable development. Environmental certificates are standards or systems designed to assess, verify, and recognize the environmental performance of buildings, areas, or organizations. Renowned examples include LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method), and ISO 14001, which are internationally recognized certification systems.
Social debate
Participation in social dialogue is a prerequisite for the existence of a responsible company and an opportunity to prove corporate responsibility. We are members of numerous organisations and advocacy groups in our field, including Climate Leadership coalition CLC, Green Building Council Finland FiGBC, SKOL,Technology Industries and RIL.
Corporate responsibility aims at the well-being of the climate, nature and people
Our goal is to be a leading visionary and enabler of the green transition. In addition to continuously updating our own sustainability decisions, developing our sustainability actions and monitoring our sustainability results in terms of environmental, social and economic responsibility, our work has a significant impact on the sustainability and responsibility of our customers and society.
Together with our customers and experts, we tackle the challenges of urbanisation and the opportunities offered by digitalisation and create solutions that promote the development of a more sustainable society.