WHAT WE DO

Finnwatch promotes responsible business conduct. We investigate human rights and climate impacts and tax responsibility of business enterprises. We influence companies, legislation and public debate.
OUR AIMS
Companies no longer infringe human rights

Business conduct has a major impact on the realization of human rights. We strive to ensure that labour rights are upheld in companies’ value chains. Workers must be provided with adequate housing, a living wage and be allowed to organize. We must put an end to child labour and forced labour.

End to tax dodging

Loopholes in tax laws must be plugged so that all companies are made to pay their due share. Tax is a human rights issue. Without tax revenue, states cannot take care of public services such as basic education, the justice system, or health care.

Planet before business

Consumption of goods and services makes up a quarter of the carbon footprint of Finns. Urgent action is needed from companies to fight climate change. Companies must map their climate impacts and actively seek to minimize their adverse climate impacts throughout their global value chains.

OUR WORK
Research

We monitor the human rights impacts and tax responsibility of business enterprises. Our uncompromising research is based on primary data: we interview factory workers first-hand and comb through companies’ financial statements. Based on the information gathered, we make recommendations for companies and decision-makers. Read more about our research programmes for Decent Work and Sustainable Finance.

Communications and Advocacy

We promote public debate around issues arising from our research and increase awareness among consumers and decision-makers. In order to achieve structural change, we actively seek to influence regulation of business conduct in Finland and internationally.

Ethical Guidelines

To guarantee our independence we do not accept commissions from companies. We engage in active dialogue with the companies we conduct research on. These companies also have the right to review our research findings before publication, in line with our ethical guidelines.

SUCCESS STORIES
Major increase in certified coffee

Our coffee report prompted the coffee sector to increase their efforts to ensure social sustainability of their coffee. In 2018, coffee roasters purchased over 45 million kilos more certified coffee than before the publication of our report in 2016. A co-operative in Honduras, where we conducted field research, took steps to eliminate child labour..

Aggressive tax planning curtailed

We promote regular public debate on the consequences of aggressive tax planning and make recommendations to decision-makers. Partly due to our work, mining tax is being prepared, and the government is looking into fixing interest limitation rules and controlled foreign company rules in Finland.

Finland to adopt mandatory human rights due diligence legislation

Spurred on by a campaign we coordinated, the Finnish government has committed in its programme to adopt a law that will oblige companies to map their human rights impacts and prevent possible adverse impacts.