Responsibility

The Helsinki Events Foundation is committed to continuously improving its practices to reduce environmental impacts and make its events more equitable and inclusive. We recognise that meaningful change can take time, which is why we regularly assess and develop the way we work.

Environmental responsibility, equality and inclusion are integral to the planning and delivery of our events. Our work includes monitoring the carbon footprint of our events, improving accessibility and following safer space principles.

The Foundation has a dedicated sustainability specialist, and we develop our practices in collaboration with our staff, partners and other stakeholders.

The Helsinki Events Foundation uses the EcoCompass environmental management system, and our events have been awarded EcoCompass certification. This means that each event has its own environmental programme with defined targets and measures, and that progress is assessed by an external expert. We also monitor the carbon footprint of our events.

In our event production, we pay particular attention to energy use, waste management, procurement, transport and logistics, as well as food, beverage and accommodation services.

In 2023, we began calculating the carbon footprint of our largest events by visitor numbers – the Helsinki Festival’s Huvila, the Baltic Herring Market, the Christmas Market and Lux Helsinki – using the City of Helsinki’s carbon footprint calculator. Since then, we have continued to monitor how their carbon footprints develop over time.

We want as many people as possible to be able to take part in our events. Accessibility varies depending on the venue and how each event is organised. Detailed accessibility information is available on each event’s own website.

Many of our events are free of charge. At the Night of the Arts and Helsinki Day, Helsinki residents can also get involved in organising events. Every year, we donate complimentary tickets to people who might otherwise have limited opportunities to attend. The tickets are distributed primarily through the City of Helsinki’s Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division.

We work with Helsinki’s regional cultural centres, among others, to reach audiences across the city. The Kulttuuri kasvattaa! programme brings cultural experiences to early childhood education in Helsinki. For some events, we also collaborate with the City of Helsinki’s service homes and senior centres.

We follow safer space principles at our events. We expect our staff, performers, partners, subcontractors and visitors to treat others with respect. Discrimination, harassment and other inappropriate behaviour have no place at our events.

Our safer space principles:

– Respect everyone’s personal space and right to self-determination.
– Do not make assumptions about others based on their appearance or other characteristics. Do not demean, discriminate against or ridicule anyone through your words, behaviour or actions.
– Give everyone the opportunity to speak and take part in the conversation. Listen to others and be open to learning from different perspectives.
– If possible, intervene if you witness inappropriate behaviour. Give and receive feedback constructively.
– Apologise if you have intentionally or unintentionally offended or hurt someone.

If you experience or witness discrimination, harassment or other inappropriate behaviour, please report it immediately to the nearest security steward or contact the Helsinki Events Foundation:
– Email us at yhdenvertaisuus@eventshelsinki.fi
– Report anonymously using this form.

Emails are read by CEO Sami Ylisaari, while anonymous reports submitted through the form are handled by Head of Administration Piia Lääveri.

We expect the entire staff, performers, event partners and subcontractors as well as event visitors to commit to the principles of equality, fairness and non-discrimination.

We expect our partners, subcontractors and the organisers of events within our networks to operate in accordance with the Foundation’s principles.

To support this work, we have developed an equality and non-discrimination plan.

The Baltic Herring Market and Christmas Market provide opportunities for small businesses and entrepreneurs. We also collaborate with non-profit and civil society organisations, employ young people at our events and offer internships to higher education students.

The Helsinki Events Foundation’s new collective agreement leads the way:
The collective agreement, which took effect on 1 April 2026, is the first publicly available employer-specific collective agreement in Finland’s events sector. Employees are represented by Akava Special Branches and its member associations TAKU – the Trade Union for Art and Culture Professionals, and Viesti, the professional organisation for communications specialists.

Read the collective agreement »

Photo: Pietari Purovaara