Ethical principles

We act in accordance with our values: a willingness to serve, the joy of success, and sustainable actions.

Our housing offering serves residents of Espoo who need affordable housing and supports the functioning of the local labour market. We contribute to the balanced development of Espoo’s districts and a cohesive urban structure. We are an active climate actor and encourage environmentally responsible choices. We employ approximately 120 people directly and, indirectly, a significantly larger number.

Our responsibility is based on three areas: environmental responsibility, social responsibility, and responsible business conduct, and it extends across our entire value chain.

Our key stakeholders include customers, employees, the owner, financiers, and partners. In addition to compliance with laws and regulations, we require our partners to follow good business practices. These requirements are set out in our Supplier Code of Conduct.

This includes, among other things, meeting societal obligations, fair competition, anti-corruption, respect for ILO conventions and human rights, and environmentally responsible operations.

We do not support political activities or engage in sponsorship. We may make small donations to charitable causes of public benefit, for example during the Christmas season.

See also

Supplier Code of Conduct

We take responsibility for ensuring that our operations are socially responsible, fair, and transparent in relation to residents, employees, partners, and other stakeholders. We are committed to treating all people with dignity and respect.

We do not accept the use of child labour, human trafficking, forced labour, modern slavery, harassment, or discrimination in any part of our value chain.

We are committed to respecting, protecting, and promoting internationally recognised human rights in our own operations and throughout our value chain. A key reference framework is the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, which guide us in identifying, preventing, and mitigating human rights impacts.

In addition, we adhere to the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, which safeguards, among other things, freedom of association, non-discrimination, and the prohibition of forced labour and child labour.

Our operations are also guided by the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, which promote responsible business conduct in areas such as human rights, working conditions, the environment, and anti-corruption.

We comply with laws, regulations, and good business practices. We do not accept dishonesty, corruption, bribery, or other unethical practices. All our operations must be responsible and must also appear as such.

Transparency and independence are important principles for us. We do not accept or offer benefits, gifts, or hospitality that could influence, or be perceived to influence, decision-making. Exceptions include customary, low-value promotional items or small tokens of appreciation from residents, such as flowers or chocolates.

We engage in networking and participate in events when they are clearly related to our work. All travel is paid for by the employer.

We communicate our operating principles openly also to our partners.

Espoon Asunnot is a responsible and caring employer. We work together with our personnel to promote well-being at work and encourage continuous improvement and development.

We promote equality and non-discrimination and work to prevent discrimination. We provide our personnel with opportunities for training and skills development.

We respect the privacy of our employees, customers, and partners. We process personal data confidentially and comply with data protection legislation as well as our own data protection and information security practices.

We also handle all non-public and internal information confidentially and do not use it for personal purposes.

Ethical conduct is built on everyday choices. At Espoon Asunnot, every employee contributes to our shared values by acting responsibly, collaboratively, and with respect for others.

We value our work community and a positive working atmosphere, to which everyone can contribute. Collaboration across team and unit boundaries helps us plan our work proactively and use our resources wisely to achieve shared goals.

We comply with laws, regulations, and Espoon Asunnot’s operating principles. Everyone is expected to be familiar with the guidelines and regulations relevant to their work, and supervisors are responsible for ensuring appropriate onboarding.

We behave respectfully in our work and within our work community, and through our actions we promote the company’s interests in accordance with our values and shared principles.

Resident satisfaction is important to us, but we do not compromise agreed procedures in pursuit of high satisfaction.

As a provider of housing services, we promote social cohesion and community spirit. We act openly and fairly while also safeguarding privacy.

We invest in local resident activities and support resident participation.

We treat our customers fairly and speak about them with respect. We also expect to be treated with respect in return.

We continuously develop our operations. We measure our progress and seek new ways to conserve natural resources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout the lifecycle of our properties. This covers construction, use, maintenance, and repairs.

We identify key sustainability aspects through a double materiality assessment and set targets, metrics, and monitoring practices for them. The Ekokompassi environmental certificate demonstrates the quality of our environmental work.

Residents play an important role in building a sustainable everyday life. We share environmental tips and practical guidance, for example through resident newsletters, our website, and social media. Topics include energy and water conservation, waste sorting, and responsible everyday choices.

We provide sustainable, affordable, safe, and high-quality housing for those in need. In our operations, we take into account lifecycle costs and contribute positively to the housing market and our operating environment. We operate in an open and responsible manner.

We actively prevent the grey economy and financial crime in cooperation with authorities, industry organisations, and other stakeholders. We promote fair competition and help ensure a level playing field for companies that fulfil their obligations.

We comply with competition law and do not enter into agreements that restrict competition. We also do not restrict competition through our communications, public statements, or in any other direct or indirect way. We provide training to our personnel, particularly management, on compliance with competition law and cooperate with competition authorities when necessary.

We also take smaller service providers into account and build responsible cooperation across the entire supply chain. Our suppliers are guided by a dedicated supplier code of conduct.

Our communication is based on honesty and openness. It is accurate, clear, and easy to understand. We handle personal and resident data confidentially, carefully, and with respect for privacy.

We communicate respectfully and take cultural and linguistic diversity into account. We promote inclusiveness by supporting interaction and opportunities to participate. We share information in a timely and up-to-date manner and ensure that our communication is equitable, fair, and accessible to all.

We prioritise environmentally friendly channels and solutions in our communications. Our communication supports our values, responsible rental housing, and sustainable urban development. In crisis situations, we communicate proactively, transparently, and consistently to maintain trust.