Our path to understanding sustainability in work life brought us to a company visit to Marimekko. Marimekko is a Finnish design company founded in 1951. They are known for their prints and colours, lasting and timeless design and strong women. Sustainability is a major issue in clothing industry relating to for example the water and pesticide use in farming cotton, the working conditions of the farmers and workers in the factories along the supply chain and ending in how we treat the clothing we bought. During our visit, the sustainability manager of Marimekko Anna-Leena Teppo gave us a good picture of how Marimekko is dealing with these issues.

Marimekko is a value-based company and they find respect for the environment and people necessary for everything they do. In recent year Marimekko has for example started using renewable biogas in their printing mill in Helsinki, tightened their monitoring over their supply chain. In 2013 they became a member of Better Cotton Initiative. Marimekko still uses cotton in lot of their products, but they are looking into other possibilities such as wood-based fabrics. For Marimekko quality cannot be overlooked – cotton is still a good alternative when it comes to the lasting, feel and versatility of the fabric.

For Marimekko it is important to bring forth the life of the clothing after it leaves the shop. That is why Marimekko does timeless design – Marimekkos clothing is made to last the tides of fashion as well as the strain of using the clothes. As stated before it is important for Marimekko to choose the best materials and sustainability is a part of it as well. Marimerkko has animal welfare policies for all animal-based materials and they are willing to re-evaluate materials used, as was the case with angora after the public scandal concerning the cruel production conditions found in some factories in China.

As with every company, Marimekko still has ways to go to find the golden line to being fully sustainable and still a working company following current economic guidelines. However much is already done and more is to come. You can read more about sustainability in Marimekko by visiting their website: http://company.marimekko.com/sustainability The new sustainability strategy is to be finalised in the coming weeks, so remember to keep track on Marimekko!

In the wake of climate change, sustainability has risen to popularity. It is noted that nowadays company descriptions and marketing focus on the topic, offices apply for certificates and cities engage in sustainable values.

How does this affect the reality of working life? Is sustainability visible in the day-to-day of employees in different fields? How is sustainability defined? Do we need sustainability managers in the workplace?

Our panelists are representatives of the public, private and third sector. Our discussion focus is sustainability in workplaces, which are not in the fields of “cleantech” or environmental protection.

Panelists

Petri Heinonen, Supply-Chains Manager at UPM-Kymmene Oyj

Janne Hukkinen, PhD., Professor of environmental policy, Faculty of Social Sciences/Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences/Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki

Kati Ihamäki, Director Corporate Sustainability at Finnair

Juha Ketolainen, Assistant Director at CIMO

Risto Kousa, Chief of International Affairs at STTK, Finnish Confederation of Professionals (the largest trade union confederation of salaried employees in Finland)

Auli Korhonen, Industry Policy Advisor, Corporate Social Responsibility at SAK, The Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions

For more information, please contact:
Daria Pritup, 040 536 52 52, daria.pritup@helsinki.fi

Location: Tiedekulma, Aleksanterinkatu 7

Date and time: March 16th, 2016 at 10 am

Facebook event page

The panel discussion video recording is available on UniTube.

Voices around the world are demanding leadership on poverty, inequality and climate change. To turn these demands into actions, world leaders gathered on 25 September 2015 at the United Nations in New York to adopt the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Living is one of the main causes for CO2 emissons. Heating, lighting, waste concern also offices and work places. World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) has created Green Offices -program that helps offices in becoming more sustainable. You sign a contract, create an environmnetal management system (EMG) with the help of WWF, develop sustainable practices and report to WWF. Companies participating get the WWF Green Offices -logo for their use and help in developing sustainable practices that often also cut costs and improve satisfaction in work life. In Finland already 447 offices and 168 organizations are part of the Green Offices -network.

As WWF says:

“With its help, workplaces are able to reduce their ecological footprint and greenhouse gas emissions. And also save money.”

Check out more here:

http://wwf.fi/en/green-office/what-is-green-office/