Sustainable development is not only important for the entire Ilmatar Group, but it is also the foundation of our entire existence. Our contribution to solving one of the greatest challenges of our time, the climate crisis, forms the backbone of our entire business model.
We do our part in preventing climate change by developing, owning and operating the largest renewable energy production capacity in the Nordic countries. We do so by replacing fossil fuels with solar and wind power, both on land and at sea.
We want to do more than just increase the production of green energy. We want to do it as sustainably as possible for the environment, people and society.
Offshore wind turbines are a highly efficient way to harness the strong and steady sea winds. Offshore, the distance to populated areas and infrastructure is greater, minimizing potential disruptions.
Our goal is to contribute to a significant expansion of offshore wind power in the Åland sea area and along the Gulf of Bothnia. We aim not only to increase the availability of renewable energy significantly but also to enhance local and domestic competitiveness, create employment opportunities, and help achieve the national climate goals.
Future energy systems are fossil-free and decentralized and rely on various energy sources, production units, and flexibility resources. Offshore wind power is key for meeting the growing demand for renewable electricity at a competitive price.
ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) is a concept used in work promoting corporate sustainability and responsibility. The point of departure for ESG is that every company bears responsibility for the environment, but also acts against corruption, discrimination and human rights violations, among other things.
Just like other human activities in marine surroundings, the construction of offshore wind parks impacts the environment and the fauna both above and below the sea surface in the short term. Disruptions may be caused by loud noises, more activity in some areas, and new elements in the environment.
In the long term, however, offshore wind power is good for the environment, since provides a highly effective way of producing great amounts of electricity while creating minimal greenhouse gas emissions. The impact on the environment caused during construction maybe also limited by using well developed methods.
Currently, the recovery rate for a wind turbine is high, over 80 %, and is continuously being raised thanks to the development of more sustainable materials for blade construction. As the first company in Finland, Ilmatar has committed to recycle the wings from all of its turbines in collaboration with Danish company Stena Recycling. The more we collaborate and recycle, the more we learn and develop.
At Ilmatar, we care about people, whether they are our own employees, employees in our supply chain or residents in our operating communities. We collaborate in various programmes to promote human rights throughout the value chain. We participate in the United Nations Global Compact and Human Rights Program. We take care of our employees and support and sponsor many young athletes, associations and projects for good causes.
Ilmatar joined the UN Global Compact in 2021. Thereby we have committed to uphold the principles that promote human rights, labour rights as well as environmental and anti-corruption policies.
The UN Global Compact aims to develop and facilitate the progress of the environmental, social, and economic sustainability of companies and societies.
The UN’s global Sustainable Development Goals are at the heart of what we do. We focus primarily on the following:
Goal 3: Care for all of our employees’ health, safety and well-being
Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth as well as full and productive employment and fair working conditions for all
Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusion and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Goal 13: Take immediate action to combat climate change and its consequences
Goal 14: Protect and utilize the seas and marine resources in a way that promotes sustainability in the long term
Goal 15: Protect and restore land-based ecosystems and ensure that they are used sustainably, promote sustainable forestry, combat desertification, prevent and reverse soil degradation and prevent the loss of biodiversity
Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and the global partnerships for sustainable development
We at Ilmatar subscribe to fair working conditions for all our employees. Likewise, we ensure that the same applies to those who work for our subcontractors. We treat our employees and partners equally and have an absolute zero-tolerance policy against all forms of discrimination and harassment. Furthermore, we do not tolerate any form of forced labour or the use of child labour, and we respect employees’ freedom of association.
We are proud to be part of the UN’s Global Compact Business & Human Rights Accelerator, a six-month international program aimed at businesses in different sectors and regions. The program is pragmatic in nature and will help us to move from promises to actions regarding human and labour rights. We look forward to bringing together a network of colleagues to work together to promote respect for human and labour rights globally in business and supply chains.
At Ilmatar, we value a responsible corporate culture that promotes sustainable business and a healthy work community. We have an anonymous Whistleblowing channel where anyone can report irresponsible behavior or behavior that violates our Code of Conduct, our values or the law. We take all illegal activities and activities that violate our Code of Conduct very seriously. We encourage full transparency regarding any suspicions of such activities.
In 2016, the Åland Islands defined its own development and sustainability agenda with seven strategic development goals based on the seventeen global and sustainable development goals for the world set out in the UN Agenda 2030.
To support the implementation of the sustainability agenda, the network bärkraft. ax was created, open to private individuals, the public sector, businesses, associations, and the education sector – everyone who wants to actively participate and contribute to a viable and sustainable Åland.
Ilmatar Offshore is a co-actor in the network bärkraft.ax and, as a company member, wants to contribute with concrete efforts to significantly reduce climate impact and increase Åland’s attractiveness as a workplace.
We aim for all Ålanders to feel involved in realising offshore wind power in Ålandic waters. Together we can ensure a sustainable future for both ourselves and future generations.
CREATED BY APRIL KOMMUNIKATION
Or send an e-mail to anna.karlsson@ilmatar.ax