2023 – A year of our active sustainability actions

In our environmental activities, we invested in 2023 especially in analyzing and monitoring energy use. We switched to green district heating at our offices in Jyväskylä and Bioruukki. In addition, we started analyzing VTT's biodiversity footprint, which will continue until June 2024 as a master thesis project. 

Our social and governance sustainability improvements included the publication of the anti-corruption reporting procedure, the preparation of a preliminary assessment of VTT's human rights related risks, and the Opinet course sharpening responsible research practices for all VTTers working in research positions. 

The evaluation according to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was now also included as part of the COP process (Commercial Offer Proposal), which supports the preparation of commercial projects. The SDG assessment ensures the responsibility of research and the promotion of sustainable development. 

In 2023, we continued our DEI work (diversity, equity, inclusion). We published VTT's comprehensive DEI guidelines and goals, which, among other things, guide us to take people's different backgrounds into account even better. In addition, we continued to offer DEI trainings to all VTTers, and in DEI matters we also utilized our DEI Champions, a group of interested volunteers, who contribute to the promotion of our DEI work. 

In the field of personal well-being, we published our hybrid work model and put it into practice. We also published new operating instructions regarding harassment and inappropriate behavior and their handling and organized related trainings.  

We especially invested in our safety culture and its comprehensive development: for example, we organized numerous safety trainings, improved the safety of our laboratories and, with the help of VTTers, made a record number of safety observations in all our facilities.  

In 2023, we expanded the operating model for monitoring sustainability goals to also cover our commercial projects. Self-financed and joint-financed projects have already been covered by the operating model since 2022, but now the realization of sustainability is monitored more closely even in commercial projects. In addition, we are piloting carbon footprint calculation in a few research projects. 

We also created a risk management process to ensure that VTT only works with responsible customers and customer projects. Internally, we also closely monitor the development of the world situation and risks related to different countries. 

A big effort last year was preparing for sustainability reporting according to the European sustainability reporting standards. Sustainability reporting according to the new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) obliges us from the 2025 data onwards. In connection with this, we prepared and published our dual materiality analysis, our value chain and clarified our sustainability management model. 

Until now, we have reported on our sustainability using the GRI model (Global Reporting Initiative), and we are preparing a comparative analysis of the difference in requirements between GRI and ESRS and what data VTT still needs to prepare for the transition to ESRS. We also compiled preliminary ESRS-compliant responsibility metrics and targets. 

In 2024, VTT will invest in the supply chain's sustainability, consideempring environmental and human rights risks. Internally, the occupational safety culture is the subject of continuous development, as the safe working of VTTers and our partners is a priority for us. 

In addition, we are preparing for CSRD-compliant sustainability reporting, both in terms of data collection and internal processes. 

During this year, we will also review and update VTT's comprehensive responsibility goals and indicators. 

You can read more about our sustainability on VTT's annual and sustainability report.