Equality and egual opportunities

 
Equality and equal opportunities are at the core of Alma Media's corporate responsibility. The company has implemented improvements in the area of equality based on an equality audit carried out in summer 2009. While the contents of the equality plans are based on unit-specific needs, they all address common issues raised in the equality audit, such as the justification of salary differences, the principles governing temporary employment contracts and the division of tasks based on gender. In addition to gender equality, the plans also cover non-discrimination based on age, religion, conviction and sexual orientation.

Although the differences in salaries between men and women at Alma Media are in line with the average Finnish pay structure, improving gender equality in pay has been highlighted as an important area of development for the Group. Gender equality in pay is being improved in almost all personnel groups, partly by allocating company-specific portions of salary increases in a manner that promotes gender equality in pay.
 

 

Prevention of workplace bullying and discrimination at Alma Media

 
The proportion of women among supervisors and senior management increased slightly in 2011. In December 2011, 61% of those in managerial positions were men (2010: 62%) and 39% were women (38%). At present, senior management includes 31% (30%) women, the Group Executive Team 10% (11%) and the Board of Directors of the parent company 14% (14%). This structure is typical both in media companies and in other industries.

The Group's Code of Conduct published in 2011 includes the principle of non-discrimination on the basis of gender, age, religious beliefs, nationality, sexual orientation or disabilities.

In 2008, legal action was taken against the company over the termination of the director  contract of the Editor-in-Chief of a newspaper owned by Alma Media. Helsinki District Court  dismissed the case, but in March 2010 the Court of Appeal of Helsinki ordered Alma Media  to pay damages to the appellant based on wrongful termination of a director's contract. As  the Supreme Court did not grant Alma Media leave to appeal, the decision of the Court of  Appeal remains unchanged. Alma Media contests this ruling. In relation to the same case,  the President and CEO Kai Telanne was sued for occupational discrimination. The case was  dismissed by the Helsinki District Court in 2011. The prosecutor has filed an appeal against the decision with the Court of Appeal.