The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the key framework for our sustainability work. At SOL, we have identified Goals 4 (Quality Education), 5 (Gender Equality), 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 10 (Reduced Inequalities), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and 13 (Climate Action) as particularly relevant to our operations. 

SDG 4 – Quality Education 

We believe that skills and knowledge create opportunities. As a major provider of workplace training, we offer our employees continuous opportunities to learn, develop their professional skills, and advance their careers. We promote opportunities for young people and adults to acquire the skills needed for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship. Every year, dozens of our employees complete a qualification through an apprenticeship programme. We have also actively promoted opportunities to complete qualifications in English. 

SOL Palvelut invests approximately €2 million annually in skills development and training. We support the professorship in vocational education established at the University of Oulu, which addresses the changing skills needs of working life and the education system. 

SDG 5 – Gender Equality 

At SOL, equality means equal opportunities for everyone. Women account for 57% of the Group’s employees, while women make up 64% of top management. Equal pay is provided for equal work regardless of gender, and equality and non-discrimination are actively monitored across the Group’s various companies. At SOL Palvelut, the gender pay gap is even slightly negative, meaning that women earn somewhat more than men. 

A diverse workforce is one of our strengths. We want to build a workplace where everyone, regardless of their background, can participate, develop and progress in a responsibly managed working environment. 

SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth 

SOL is a significant employer in six countries. In 2025, the Group employed 12,491 people, of whom more than 71% were in permanent employment. We paid a total of €241 million in wages to our employees and generated a €190.7 million tax footprint for society. We are Finland’s 18th-largest employer. In 2025, SOL Palvelut paid more than €750,000 in performance-based incentives to its employees. 

Employee wellbeing and safety are the foundation of our operations. In 2025, our employees reported 16,853 safety observations, 30% more than the previous year. Our active approach to safety is producing tangible results: the number of occupational accidents decreased by more than one hundred cases last year! 

SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities 

SOL promotes equal opportunities by providing employment, training and career paths for people from diverse backgrounds. Our multicultural workforce represents more than 90 nationalities. We promote education and career development among employees with an immigrant background, for example by supporting opportunities to complete qualifications in English. This work is also supported by our multicultural development group, which has been operating for more than 18 years, as well as our International Tutor programme. 

Our goal is to create a workplace where everyone, regardless of their background, can participate, develop and progress. 

SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production 

We are developing our procurement practices, reducing material waste and creating a managed circular lifecycle for workwear and other textiles. In 2025, 31% of the weight of procurement for our Finnish operations consisted of recycled materials. At SOL Pesulat, more than 3,700 garments were repaired, extending their useful life. 

SDG 13 – Climate Action 

We are doing our part to help achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement. We have set climate targets to support this ambition and are systematically progressing with emissions reductions. Our goal is to reduce emissions from our own operations and purchased energy by 44% by 2035, and to reduce the emissions intensity of logistics and travel-related emissions by 66%. Our long-term goal is to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. 

We also help our customers reduce their emissions by providing, for example, service- and site-specific carbon footprint calculations for the services they purchase. 

Happy Sustainable Development Goals anniversary!