VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd
Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2022, 2023)
Reporting Period: 2022
Environmental Metrics
Total Carbon Emissions:2021 corrected: 18000 tCO2e/year (Scope 1-3)
Renewable Energy Share:93% of total energy use
Total Energy Consumption:Consumption of electricity and heat: 40 GWh/year (2022)
ESG Focus Areas
- Carbon neutrality
- Productivity leap
- Societal resilience
- Quantum leap
- Super-performing materials
- Superior digital systems
- Synthetic biology
- Sustainable supply chains
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)
- Employee wellbeing
- Responsible research and innovation
Environmental Achievements
- Continued implementation of carbon neutrality target by 2030. Renewable electricity covers 93% of electricity consumption.
- Carbonaide method for manufacturing carbon-negative concrete won first prize in EARTO innovation competition.
Social Achievements
- Ranked among top companies in Finland for equal and diverse working atmosphere (International Talent survey).
- VTT sleep sensor won CES Innovation Award.
- Commercialisation of egg white protein production without chickens (Onego Bio spin-off).
- Launched Gender Equality Plan and conducted a self-evaluation analysis of diversity.
- Improved emotional climate across all areas compared to the previous year.
Governance Achievements
- Updated Code of Conduct emphasizing responsibility and ethical norms.
- Introduced an operating model and tools for project categorisation and follow-up in accordance with sustainability goals.
- Began preparing for ESG reporting obligation starting in 2025.
Climate Goals & Targets
Medium-term Goals:
- Achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.
Short-term Goals:
- Set concrete targets for reducing emissions in 2023.
Environmental Challenges
- Global economic uncertainty impacting customer decision-making and project timelines.
- Global component shortage delaying investments.
- High inflation increasing costs.
- Increased air travel after the pandemic increasing Scope 3 emissions.
Mitigation Strategies
- Defined five new self-funded research investments promoting green transition and resource wisdom.
- Updating travel guidelines to balance international cooperation with emission reduction targets.
- Internal development project to improve monitoring of building-specific energy consumption.
- Investing in energy efficiency to reduce emissions.
Supply Chain Management
Responsible Procurement
- Developed sustainability criteria for key procurement areas; suppliers must approve VTT’s Supplier Code of Conduct.
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI Standards
Certifications: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001
Third-party Assurance: No external assurance
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- SDG 9
- SDG 13
- SDG 7
- SDG 12
- SDG 3
- SDG 11
VTT's research activities support the achievement of several SDGs.
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Carbonaide
- Olefy
- VTT ProperTune®
Awards & Recognition
- EARTO Impact Expected category award (Carbonaide)
- CES Innovation Award (Sleep sensor)
Reporting Period: 2023
Environmental Metrics
Total Carbon Emissions:24000 tCO2e (estimated)
Scope 1 Emissions:Not disclosed
Scope 2 Emissions:Not disclosed
Scope 3 Emissions:Not disclosed
Renewable Energy Share:Not disclosed
Total Energy Consumption:40 GWh (electricity and heat)
Water Consumption:Not disclosed
Waste Generated:Not disclosed
Carbon Intensity:Not disclosed
ESG Focus Areas
- Climate change
- Resource wisdom
- Security of supply
- Green transition
- Biodiversity
- Circular economy
- Occupational safety
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
- Research ethics
Environmental Achievements
- Switched to green district heating at Jyväskylä and Bioruukki sites
- Decreased Scope 2 emissions by 22%
- Switched to fossil-free electricity with a certificate of origin
Social Achievements
- Improved customer satisfaction (NPS ~75)
- Launched PhD and Postdoc programmes
- Improved employee satisfaction (Navigator survey with 91% response rate)
- Recruited almost 400 new VTTers, including 101 international recruits
- Organised wellbeing initiatives (health checks, step challenge, gym groups, webinars)
Governance Achievements
- Defined VTT’s sustainability governance model
- Completed double materiality analysis
- Prepared for ESG reporting (mandatory in 2025)
- Defined VTT’s DEI principles and targets
Climate Goals & Targets
Long-term Goals:
- Carbon neutrality by 2030
Medium-term Goals:
- Not disclosed
Short-term Goals:
- Reduce emissions by 2030 (target to be defined in line with SBTi)
Environmental Challenges
- Increased total greenhouse gas emissions (16% increase from previous year, mainly due to increased travel and new emission categories)
- Uneven workload distribution among employees
- Decreased number of scientific articles published compared to the previous year
Mitigation Strategies
- Implementing measures to reduce indirect emissions (Scope 3)
- Recruiting new employees and developing operations to address workload challenges
- Launching PhD and Postdoc programmes to facilitate scientific publications
- Investing in improving occupational safety and cyber security
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: Not disclosed
Responsible Procurement
- Sustainability criteria for key procurement areas
- Supplier Code of Conduct
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Not disclosed
Transition Risks
- Not disclosed
Opportunities
- Development of carbon-neutral solutions and technologies
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI Standards
Certifications: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001
Third-party Assurance: No external assurance
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- SDG 3
- SDG 7
- SDG 9
- SDG 12
- SDG 13
VTT's research activities are assessed for alignment with SDGs; particularly strong focus on SDG 9, 13, 7, 12, and 11
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Cellulose e-skin for biodegradable ECG patch
- Highly extensible formable cellulose-based webs for rigid packaging
Awards & Recognition
- Blue Globe environmental award (Ali Harlin for Infinna fibre innovation)