Corporate culture

Alma Media’s ethical and strong corporate culture emphasises openness, cooperation and continuous learning, and supports managers and employees in challenging situations, which promotes employee commitment to the company’s targets and the implementation of its strategy. The sustainability of Alma Media’s business conduct is guided by the applicable legislation as well as the values confirmed by the Board of Directors, Alma Media’s Code of Conduct and other policies. Alma Media is committed to compliance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and expects the same from its business partners. Since 2011, Alma Media has supported the UN Global Compact initiative and its principles concerning human rights, workers, the environment and anti-corruption.

The company’s corporate governance is described in more detail in the corporate governance statement.

Principles of Good Governance at Alma Media

Alma Media does not condone the use of unethical business practices or attempts to restrict competition by its employees, condemns corruption and bribery and requires that human rights are respected.
The most significant suppliers in Alma Media’s subcontracting chain have issued a commitment on compliance with the Group’s ethical guidelines.
Alma Media provides all of its stakeholders with a channel for the anonymous reporting of suspected misconduct and ensures the protection of whistleblowers.
Through its own actions, Alma Media prevents bribery, corruption, attempts to restrict competition and human rights violations.
Alma Media monitors, manages and supervises the company’s sustainability aspects.
Alma Media’s sustainability performance is incorporated into the company’s incentive schemes.
Developing a unified corporate culture at Alma is continuous work.

Code of Conduct and Whistleblow

Code of Conduct guides the work of Alma Media’s employees with respect to the management of customer relationships and partnerships, ensuring fair competition and promoting sustainable development, for example.

Alma Media encourages its employees and stakeholders to report any observed legal violations and unethical conduct related to Alma Media’s operations. The observations can be reported to one’s direct supervisor, the HR function of Alma Media’s whistleblowing channel, which is available in 12 languages to all internal and external stakeholders on the company’s website and the websites of its various services. Reports can be submitted anonymously. All actual and suspected violations reported to the company are investigated.

Alma Media’s Audit Committee is responsible for the steering of investigations concerning reported violations and misconduct. The Audit Committee is responsible for ensuring that the consequences of investigations are consistent for incidents that are of an equally serious nature, and that the remedies taken by the company are sufficient and in line with the principles and procedures described in the Code of Conduct and the principles concerning whistleblowing and related investigations. Legal violations are reported to the authorities. The person concerned or their supervisor never participates in the investigation of the actual or suspected violations. If it is deemed necessary due to the significance of the violation being investigated, the Compliance Committee reports the case to the company’s senior management and the Board of Directors in a regularly scheduled meeting, or immediately if the situation so requires.

Alma Media requires its key suppliers to complete a Supplier Code of Conduct training focused on Alma’s ethical guidelines.

Collaboration and partnerships for promoting sustainable development

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Alma Media has several cooperation projects to promote sustainable development in its operating countries.

Alma Media has several cooperation projects to promote sustainable development in its 12 operating countries. In Finland, the most significant cooperation revolves around securing a better future for young people and providing positive working life experiences for them. Together with the Finnish Children and Youth Foundation, the Jobly recruitment service and Alma Media have launched an website TET.fi introduction to working life (TET) aimed at providing all young people with equal opportunities for familiarisation with working life regardless of their place of residence or social background.

Alma has an ongoing partnership with Aalto University and Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences to provide higher education students with opportunities to get acquainted with practical business problems and participate in research projects to develop the company’s business opportunities and earn academic credits.

Alma Career, which provides employment services in Eastern Central Europe, focuses on developing inclusion in working life through cooperation with companies. One example of these efforts is the Profesia Lab project launched in the Slovakian unit to use cooperation with companies to employ as many people who are marginalised from the job market, such as jobseekers with disabilities.