Sustainability

At THL, we promote planetary health, an approach that recognises the interconnectedness of the health and wellbeing of humans and the rest of nature. The approach enables us to identify and support measures that simultaneously benefit the wellbeing of humans and the rest of nature. The planetary health approach helps build a comprehensively sustainable society.

We work to strengthen interaction and cooperation with different sectors and conduct research and development work on the basis of which we actively communicate about choices that promote health and are environmentally friendly. The information is also utilised in the development of national programmes, policies and legislation. This way, we provide sustainable solutions for the implementation of decisions and choices that promote health and wellbeing at all levels.

In 2024:

• We produced information on the health and wellbeing impacts of climate change and natural environments. We highlighted the links between the health and wellbeing of humans and the rest of nature in our RDI activities, statements and communications, at our events, and during dialogue with our partners.
• We promoted multiprofessional cooperation important for planetary health and wellbeing in Finland and internationally. We took part in drawing up Finland’s new national nutrition recommendations updated in 2024, which take into account not only the nutrition beneficial to health but also that beneficial to the environment.
• We compiled information on the health and economic impacts of natural environments and prepared recommendations to promote the health benefits of natural environments. We also promoted the  climate change and health-related work of public health institutes in the International Association of National Public Health Institutes’ (IANPHI) Climate Change and Health Committee.
• We examined the possibilities of implementing steering of the wellbeing economy with the aim of achieving a better balance between social, economic and ecological sustainability as part of national-level decision-making. We also gave recommendations on how the wellbeing economy perspective should be taken into account in national policy steering in Finland. The welfare economy is a concrete way to promote overall sustainability.

Due to the world’s current uncertain situation, people’s psychological coping and resilience have been tested for several years also in Finland. THL’s objectives include strengthening the resilience of our society.

In 2024, we wanted to focus in particular on preventing harm caused by alcohol, drugs and addictions and to strengthen the mental wellbeing of young people.

Our goal is to prevent the harmful effects of substance use and the increase in the use of different substances, to ensure access to treatment at a sufficiently early stage and equality of access to substance abuse and addiction rehabilitation, to reduce the stigma and discrimination towards people with mental health and substance abuse problems, and to increase the effectiveness of treatment.

We also strive to strengthen the positive mental health of children and young people and to reduce welfare differences. We want to strengthen the everyday structures that promote mental welfare and to increase the mental health skills and competence of young people themselves and those of healthcare and social welfare professionals. We also want to increase low-threshold services.

In 2024:

• We actively highlighted the harmful effects of new nicotine products in our publications and statements and in the media, especially for young people, and the problematic nature of planned changes in alcohol policy from the perspective of public health. 
• We brought up concrete proposals for changes that would ensure that regulation supports the Tobacco Act’s objective, promotes the health of the population and protects new generations from nicotine addiction. 
• We organised two expert webinars for those working with young people and a national virtual parents evening in cooperation with the nicotine communications network (participants include the Finnish National Agency for Education, the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health Valvira and non-governmental actors). The themes of the events were new nicotine products, preventing their use, and intervening in their use. 
• We published a report on the results of the Drinking Habits Survey, which provides information on how alcohol-related mortality and the problematic use of alcohol emerge and information to support intervening in these.
• In extensive cooperation, we published an online learning platform intended for professionals and supervisors in encountering fields focusing in particular on the stigma related to mental health, drug use and addictions and on eliminating this.
• As part of the implementation of the Government Programme, we launched the preparation and coordination of the government grant-funded ELOSSA project for the prevention of drug-related deaths among young people in wellbeing services counties and the preparation of quality recommendations for preventive substance abuse work and substance abuse and addiction services.
• As part of the implementation of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health’s Substance Use and Addiction Strategy, we initiated the evaluation of the Action Plan on Alcohol, Tobacco, Drugs and Gambling Prevention and the preparation of a new programme for 2026–2035.
• We participated in work headed by the Prime Minister’s Office to prepare the Government Report on the Future, especially from the perspective of social sustainability and change factors in the administrative branch of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.
• We examined the current state of services for young people with serious mental disorders and the monitoring and reporting of young people’s mental health and wellbeing also from the perspective of gender minorities. We also examined the mental wellbeing of the Roma and Sámi populations.
• We wrote a working paper on the assessment of the mental health impacts resulting from the Government Programme, with a focus on young adults.

Ensuring the mental resilience, health and wellbeing of the population is an essential part of overall security. Social sustainability is manifested as comprehensive physical and psychological wellbeing as well as inclusion, equality and social justice. Social sustainability ensures that society and the population are strong and unified and, thus, ready to face various threats and crises.

The aim is that threats to society are controlled, be it a pandemic, a natural disaster, a terrorist threat or a cyberattack. In preparedness, it is important to strengthen not only the physical infrastructure but also the social sustainability of society. This will allow us to support the population's ability to adapt to changing circumstances and recover from these.

THL's tasks include strengthening society's ability to maintain everyday security and face crises. Our task is also to prepare for, identify and respond to national and cross-border health threats, such as pandemics and chemical threats as well as other disruptions.

We are in charge for preparedness in the following areas:

• communicable diseases, biothreats and unknown threats
• threats related to environmental health and chemical risks
• wholesale of pharmaceuticals, including the RescEU reserve
• forensic medicine and DNA identification
• national cooperation between authorities in the production of data related to readiness and preparedness of social welfare and health care 
• infrastructure and internal readiness of the Institution.

In 2024:  

• We engaged in active cooperation especially in the monitoring and control of the adenovirus epidemic in garrisons.
• We participated in the RescEU project by purchasing medicinal products for emergency reserves.
• We participated in the preparation of the national pandemic plan and the updating of the CBRNE Strategy (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear).
• We continued to compile a weekly situational picture on the preparedness of health and social services and launched the data-based data collection needed for the future situational picture service in regions.
• We supported the population’s wellbeing, health and overall security through the coordinated implementation of national development programmes (National Health and Wellbeing Programme, Good Work Programme, Mental Health Strategy and Suicide Prevention Programme). 
• We researched and developed work against violence extensively. In 2024, we launched the Safe Streets package funded with an appropriation for health promotion, which focuses on preventing youth crime and street violence, corrective measures, and an increase to safety.

The organisation’s footprint refers to the negative ecological, economic and social impacts brought about by our existence and activities. While we want to increase our handprint, we want to reduce our footprint. We are working towards this by reducing our CO2 emissions, using public funds responsibly and taking care of our most important resource, our personnel.

Ecological actions

Our carbon footprint is assessed by the State Treasury at the level of central government as a whole. Our carbon footprint mainly consists of premises and travel. We comply with the government premises strategy and strive to reduce our carbon footprint by making the use of our premises more efficient. We are also involved in the Government’s joint working environment projects.

The new main building for the Lagmansgården reform school, which is under THL’s performance management, was completed in January 2025. The project was designed in accordance with the principles of sustainable development, and the buildings utilise energy-efficient solutions. The property’s heating system uses geothermal heat, and a solar power plant installed in the building produces renewable energy. The building’s carbon footprint was approximately 35% lower than in a building with a concrete frame.

The adjustments made to heating, cooling and ventilation systems to make them more energy efficient and environmentally friendly in accordance with the Senate Properties’ Energy Saving Programme, have become part of the normal use of properties.  We use energy-efficient LED lamps for lighting. In construction and repair projects, we favour the introduction of renewable forms of energy to our premises. At the Helsinki office in Tilkanmäki, electricity consumption has continued to decrease: in 2024, we consumed 23.3% less electricity than in 2023.

In May 2024, we organised a planetary diet campaign week in Helsinki. During the campaign week, our personnel had the opportunity to eat climate-friendly vegetarian food or vegan dishes for lunch. Our personnel were also informed about the planetary plate model and diet as well as the climate impacts of different meal choices.

Travel decreased considerably due to the coronavirus in 2020–2021. Since then, it has increased again resulting in the growth of our CO2 emissions. Emissions from air and train travel (CO2e kg) were 230,514 in 2022, 360,544 in 2023 and 366,154 in 2024. The number of flight and train kilometres decreased from the previous year, even though carbon dioxide emissions increased slightly.

Starting from 2024, THL has offered personnel the possibility for an employee bicycle benefit.

Financial actions

Strongly declining state budget funding and simultaneously the new tasks assigned to the institute and the related reorganisation of operations led to change negotiations at THL in spring 2024. As a result of the negotiations, THL achieved its target for cutting EUR 12 million in expenses annually during the 2024–2027 spending limits period. The use of financial resources in 2024 is described in the financial statements.

In procurements, we examine the possibility of taking sustainability into account in each tendering process. We monitor how sustainability is taken into account in procurements on an annual basis and take the necessary measures (e.g. improving instructions) to promote sustainability.

Read more about THL’s financial statements (in Finnish)

Social actions

Equality and non-discrimination are important elements in all our activities. Our aim is to lead the way in equality in Finnish society. We actively develop and monitor our activities with the help of an operational and personnel policy plan for gender equality and non-discrimination. We monitor the realisation of gender equality and non-discrimination through regular occupational welfare surveys. Gender equality and non-discrimination training is also included in the training programme intended for the entire personnel and is a part of orientation material for new employees.

An external party assessed the implementation of THL’s operational and personnel policy plan for gender equality and non-discrimination 2021–2023. We used the results to draw up a new plan in 2024.

We made commitment to work against racism in the Commitment2050 service. THL’s tasks include acting as a pioneer in equality. We are committed to also promoting and mainstreaming anti-racism measures in our own organisation.