Sustainability and social responsibility review 2025: Active work producing results and success

TAMK’s sustainability and social responsibility work extended from in-house all the way to Europe. We kept highlighting the matter diligently within our community and achieved entirely new levels of success. Personnel’s perception of our organisation’s sustainability and social responsibility improved.

TAMK’s sustainability and social responsibility work is coordinated by a workgroup, which was reinforced in 2025 by newly-appointed faculty contacts. We utilised the increasingly extensive internal and external cooperation to make better overall progress and achieve tangible results. Developing our reporting and assessment processes was a key mission in our sustainability and social responsibility work. In addition, we highlighted our sustainability efforts internally through the team spirit displayed by TAMK United.

In addition to regional and national cooperation, TAMK took part in several international networks, such as in the UNINOVIS alliance formed by eight European higher education institutions. TAMK has a leading role in a work package that prepares personnel and students of the higher education institutions in the alliance to respond to the requirements of sustainable development and to act as predecessors and change agents for the green and digital transitions.

Improving visibility of sustainability competence and activities

TAMK is one of the first universities of applied sciences to participate in the development and piloting of Arene’s (Rectors’ Conference of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences) joint sustainability reporting model which is derived from the CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive). During the spring, TAMK compiled and published its first sustainability report (2024). It is an account of our baseline level and provides a good foundation for more systematic development of our sustainability and social responsibility work.

We also had success in our Facilities Management, which passed an EcoCompass audit. Facilities Management received the EcoCompass certificate in 2022, and a re-audit took place in April 2025.

We celebrated the SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) Flag Day on September 25, 2025 alongside students and personnel. TAMK’s diverse actions to advance sustainable development goals in teaching, RDI activities, facilities management and student organisations, among others, were on display at pop-up booths and highlighted in discourse. We offered information on equality and non-discrimination, predicting future phenomena, sustainability competence of our personnel, green travel and studies related to the theme.

Assessment data provided a foundation for creating a sustainability roadmap

TAMK’s personnel survey provided insight into the personnel’s views regarding sustainability and non-discrimination. The general positive development in the responses was also evident in questions on sustainability and social responsibility, which all saw improved results from the previous round. The biggest improvement was seen in how the personnel experienced impartiality and in their sense of being heard and appreciated in the work community. Also, perceptions regarding TAMK’s environmental responsibilities and opportunities to work sustainably were improved.

At the end of the year, TAMK participated in a maturity level assessment for universities of applied sciences, organised by Arene. More than 10 personnel members took part in the assessment. The process produced useful insights on developing sustainability and social responsibility work as well as on creating a sustainability roadmap, which began in early 2026 together with Tampere University.