CEO´s Sustainability Review

Sustainability is reflected in our operations, products, product life cycles, supply chains and how we create value for the surrounding society through our business. Sustainability is based on Bittium´s strategy and values  – it is an integral part of our organizational culture. The sustainability program for 2020–2022 emphasizes themes such as well-being and development of our personnel, confidential customer relationships and information security of our products, good corporate citizenship and sustainable business practices, and environmental responsibility. Despite the global Covid-19 pandemic, in 2020, we have been able to advance our responsibility program, but we have not been spared the effects either.

In terms of personnel, 2020 was an exceptional year. In March, a large part of the personnel moved to remote working, and in production we changed the working hours to shift work. During this time, taking care of the well-being of the personnel has changed, and the importance of internal communication, taking care of the personnel and the supervisory work has become even more important. Team spirit, helping others, and engaging with the work community have been strengths that have carried us in an exceptional situation.

Trust is a prerequisite for our business. It is one of our three values, and relates to customer relationships, products, services and way of working. At the end of 2020, we had six certified systems and numerous standards in use and majority of them we have been taken into account in our day-to-day operations. We also demand a responsible approach from our suppliers. In 2020, we have specified the supplier guidelines prepared for our partners, and because of the pandemic, we have been forced to audit our suppliers mainly as self-assessments.

Bittium´s corporate responsibility is guided by good governance, we are a reliable local partner and employer, and we constantly monitor how we add value to various stakeholders and the local community. For us, export control is a prerequisite for well-functioning cooperation between authorities and customers. The export control system is part of our management system, and during 2020 we have further developed our internal processes related to export control.

Responsibility for the environment, climate change mitigation and resource-efficient solutions are an important part of our operations and its development. In 2020, we achieved the goals we set for environmental responsibility. At its best, 13.8 percent of the utilized electricity at the Oulu premises came from solar energy. Our total carbon footprint was 735,490 kg CO2e, which means that our carbon footprint decreased by approximately 56.8% year-on-year. The decrease in the carbon footprint was due to, among other things, the significant decrease in the air traveling caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

We will continue to strengthen and develop our sustainability with a clear mind in goals set to 2021.

Hannu Huttunen

CEO