Equality and Non-Discrimination Plan
1 Purpose of the Equality and Non-Discrimination Plan
The City of Kuusamo promotes the development of employee wellbeing in accordance with the objectives of the city strategy. The City of Kuusamo has adopted the objectives of the European Charter for Equality of Women and Men. This means a commitment to promoting equality in political decision-making, service provision, the employer role, and sustainable development. The gender impacts of decisions and municipal operations must be assessed in decision-making and throughout the municipal organisation.
As a subsidiary of the City of Kuusamo, Naturpolis Oy implements equality and non-discrimination in accordance with the city’s policies. Naturpolis Oy promotes equality and prevents discrimination in all its activities. This document contains Naturpolis Oy’s operational Equality and Non-Discrimination Plan concerning its personnel, with the aim of promoting gender equality and equal treatment of all people. The plan has been prepared and reviewed together with employee representatives. The plan will be updated annually.
2 Applicable Legislation
2.1 Equality
The Act on Equality between Women and Men (609/1986), referred to as the Equality Act, aims to prevent discrimination based on gender, promote equality between women and men, and, for this purpose, improve the status of women especially in working life. The purpose of the Act is also to prevent discrimination based on gender identity or gender expression.
To promote equality in working life, the employer shall, taking into account the resources available and other relevant circumstances:
- act in a way that encourages both women and men to apply for open positions
- promote the equal placement of women and men in different positions and create equal opportunities for career advancement
- promote equality between women and men in terms and conditions of employment, especially regarding pay
- develop working conditions so that they are suitable for both women and men
- facilitate the reconciliation of working life and family life for women and men, paying particular attention to work arrangements
- act in a way that prevents gender-based discrimination in advance
According to Section 6 a of the Equality Act, the workplace Equality Plan must include:
- an assessment of the equality situation at the workplace, including a breakdown of the placement of women and men in different positions, as well as a pay survey covering all personnel regarding the classification of positions, salaries, and pay differences between women and men
- the necessary measures planned to be initiated or implemented in order to promote equality and achieve pay equality
- an evaluation of the implementation and results of the measures included in the previous Equality Plan
- information to personnel regarding the plan and its updates
2.2 Non-Discrimination
The purpose of the Non-Discrimination Act (1325/2014) is to promote equality and prevent discrimination, as well as to improve the legal protection of persons who have experienced discrimination. The Act applies to all public activities. The Non-Discrimination Act prohibits discrimination based on age, origin, nationality, language, religion, belief, opinion, political activity, trade union activity, family relationships, state of health, disability, sexual orientation, or any other personal characteristic. Discrimination is prohibited regardless of whether it is based on a fact or assumption concerning the person themselves or someone else.
According to Section 7 of the Act, the employer must assess the realization of equality and, taking into account the needs of the workplace, develop working conditions and the practices followed in personnel recruitment and personnel-related decision-making.
Other legislation, such as the Constitution of Finland (731/1999), the Employment Contracts Act (55/2001), and the Occupational Safety and Health Act (738/2002), also contain provisions related to equality, harassment, equal treatment, and the prohibition of discrimination.
3 Implementation of Equality and Non-Discrimination in Operations
As of 31 December 2025, Naturpolis Oy employed a total of 29 people. Of all employees, 20 (69%) were women and 9 (31%) were men. The average age of all employees was 42.8 years.
The organisation had a total of 2 employees in supervisory positions, of whom 1 (50%) was a woman and 1 (50%) was a man.
3.1 Distribution of Women and Men Across Different Positions at Naturpolis Oy in 2025 and Pay Equality
Naturpolis Oy monitors pay equality through an annual pay survey. The survey found no unjustified gender-based pay differences. Any differences observed were explained by the demands of the position, responsibilities, and experience.
| Pay grade | Women (no.) | Men (no.) | Total | Women % | Men % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HAA | 13 | 8 | 21 | 62 % | 38 % |
| HAB | 6 | 0 | 6 | 100 % | 0 % |
| HAC | 1 | 0 | 1 | 100 % | 0 % |
Good Personnel Management Practices
In its personnel policy, Naturpolis Oy promotes the implementation of equality and non-discrimination through HR processes and guidelines related to the different stages of the employment lifecycle. The personnel structure and employee training are reported annually as part of the financial statements report. The personnel of Naturpolis Oy are covered by the YTES collective agreement for the private sector.
The implementation of equality, non-discrimination, and equal treatment is ensured through training, regular communication, up-to-date guidelines, and the availability of instructions. Employees hold annual performance and development discussions with their immediate supervisor. These discussions review the previous period, assess the near future, and set objectives for the upcoming period.
New positions at Naturpolis Oy are generally advertised publicly through the Kuntarekry and Job Market Finland websites, with the exception of cases involving the reallocation of existing personnel resources within the company. In addition, open positions are promoted through Naturpolis Oy’s social media channels. Eligibility requirements are stated in the job advertisements, and up-to-date qualification requirements are specified in the job descriptions. The positions require fluent Finnish language skills, and therefore job advertisements are published only in Finnish.
Applicants are assessed equally, and the selection process is not influenced by the applicant’s age, gender, sexual orientation, background, religion, beliefs, or other personal characteristics. More than one company representative is present during employee interviews. The composition of the company’s Board of Directors is determined in accordance with the Equality Act.
Occupational safety and the monitoring and development of working conditions are used to proactively prevent accidents, health hazards, and dangerous situations, while also promoting the equal treatment of employees. Naturpolis Oy applies an early support model that enables timely intervention in issues that may threaten work ability. An annual workplace wellbeing survey is used to measure the development of employee wellbeing and to address any issues identified in the survey.
Occupational safety cooperation involves both the employer’s occupational safety manager and employee representatives. The employee satisfaction and workplace wellbeing survey assesses and monitors the following areas:
| 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Diversity among people is tolerated (5 = very well) | 4 | 4.2 |
| People in the workplace are treated equally and respectfully (5 = very well) | 4.1 | 4.1 |
| Threat of work-related violence (5 = not at all) | 4.4 | 3.9 |
Based on the workplace wellbeing survey, it can be concluded that employees feel that equality and non-discrimination are implemented well within the company. During the presentation session on the results of the workplace wellbeing survey held for personnel, the company’s guidelines on how to act in situations involving a threat of work-related violence were reviewed with employees.
4 Objectives for Promoting Equality and Non-Discrimination
Leading an equal and non-discriminatory work community is a normal part of good supervisory practice. It requires understanding, acceptance, and appreciation of diversity. Equality does not mean treating everyone in exactly the same way. Some people need more orientation or support than others in order to succeed in working life.
| Objectives 2026–2027 | Planned measures | Responsible party | Monitoring of measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equality and non-discrimination in strategic objectives and organisational operations | Gender impact assessment as part of normal preparatory work. | Preparers | Implementation of gender impact assessment |
| Promotion of equal and non-discriminatory leadership |
Supervisor communications. Compliance with common rules and practices. | CEO |
Implementation of the Non-Discrimination Act Implementation of the Equality Act |
| Ensuring that everyone is aware of the commitment to promoting equality, non-discrimination, and non-discriminatory practices | Supervisor and personnel communications and guidance. Commitment to common rules and practices. |
Supervisors Employees | |
| Equal treatment of applicants in job interviews and recruitment situations | CEO | ||
| Regular pay monitoring with attention paid to pay differences | Preparation of a table including comparisons of base salaries by gender and/or job description. |
CEO Supervisors Occupational Safety and Health Representatives | Occupational safety and health |
| Promotion and regular measurement of workplace wellbeing | Annual workplace wellbeing survey and regular discussions with immediate supervisors. Development measures based on the results. |
CEO Supervisors Occupational Safety and Health Committee Employees | Occupational safety and health |
| Improving employees’ working conditions when necessary through assistive devices or other ergonomic measures | Workplace assessments in accordance with the occupational healthcare plan. |
CEO Supervisors Employees Occupational Healthcare |
Occupational safety and health Occupational healthcare |
| Regular monitoring of the equal treatment of personnel | The age distribution of personnel, the number of fixed-term employment relationships, the number of parental leaves, and their distribution between different genders. |
CEO Supervisors Occupational Safety and Health Representatives | Occupational safety and health |
5 Equality and Non-Discrimination in Project Activities
Naturpolis Oy takes equality and non-discrimination into account in its development projects. Gender and equality impacts are assessed in the planning, implementation, communication, events, participant monitoring, and reporting of projects. The projects aim to identify the needs of different target groups and ensure the accessibility of services.
Whenever possible, gender-disaggregated data is utilised in project feedback surveys and participant monitoring in order to evaluate the impacts of activities from the perspective of equality and non-discrimination.
6 Accessible and Non-Discriminatory Communication
Naturpolis Oy is committed to accessible, clear, and non-discriminatory communication in all its channels. Communication takes into account different target groups, clear language, accessibility requirements, and a respectful and inclusive communication approach.
In EU-funded projects, the communication and visibility requirements of the funding bodies are also followed. Project materials are designed to be accessible in digital environments whenever possible.
