Mehiläinen Sustainability Report 2022 released: good progress in sustainability activities during an unforeseeable year

The coronavirus pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the labour shortage in the social and healthcare sector, changes in regulations governing the industry and high cost inflation rates made the operating environment unforeseeable in 2022.

- Our mission is to create better health and well-being in society. Last year, this mission was also more strongly given new meanings. During the year, we made significant progress in our sustainability goals and activities, while we also need to understand that we still have a lot of work ahead of us, and our sustainability activities will never be finished, says Janne-Olli Järvenpää, CEO of Mehiläinen.

Mehiläinen’s sustainability activities proceeded productively during the year. The goals tied to financial indicators were achieved: compared to emissions in 2021, Mehiläinen’s Scope 1 and 2 carbon footprint decreased by 42% in 2022 relative to revenue (2021: 24%), and the whole carbon footprint decreased by 10% (2021: 3%). In addition, the quality index for the elderly care increased to 83.6/100 (2021: 79.4), and the T3 figure, which represents access to care at Mehiläinen’s health centres, was 5.3 days on average, clearly below the target of 7 days. The funds saved were invested in the advancement of sustainability activities. During the year, Mehiläinen also joined the UN Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative.

Mehiläinen strengthened its quality improvement work in social care services during the year, and significant progress in the development of quality was found in an audit conducted by an external auditor. Quality indices and indicators showed a positive development, and the theme of strengthening residents’ right of self-determination was strongly present.

During the difficult year, Mehiläinen’s customer satisfaction (NPS) remained excellent at 89 –for the third year in succession. The company’s number of personnel increased significantly by more than 4,200 new professionals, while Mehiläinen’s employee experience increased further from the comparative year. More than 2,000 Mehiläinen professionals responded to Mehiläinen’s second successive equality survey. According to the results, experiences of non-discrimination and inclusion improved from the previous year. In 2022, Mehiläinen was recognised as the Employer Brand of the Year and selected as the most ideal workplace in the healthcare sector among students.

The Mehiläinen Sustainability Report has also been verified externally for the first time. The external verification increases transparency regarding the information produced for the report. During 2022, Mehiläinen also updated the analysis of material responsibility themes with our stakeholders. In addition, EcoVadis, a company providing sustainability assessments, awarded Mehiläinen a Gold level rating for sustainability activities for the second year in a row. The assessments improved in the rating of ethical ways of working and sustainable procurement.

In 2023, Mehiläinen will focus on advancing its sustainability goals in its different operating countries in line with the company’s strategy: investments in quality and the development of services using digitalisation will continue. The goal is to monitor more closely than before that Mehiläinen grows and develops sustainably, and will invest in the monitoring of environmental and climate impact.

Please find the 2022 Sustainability Report on Mehiläinen’s website:
https://www.mehilainen.fi/en/company-information/mehilainens-year-2022