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Purpose: This study aims to explore the range of sustainability-related discourses by the stakeholders within a particular Finnish Higher Education Institution (HEI); interaction between the discourses and the context of the HEI; and the extent to which different understandings of sustainability cause challenges for the implementation of the university strategy for sustainability. Specifically, the paper explores how the employees within the HEI make sense of sustainability in their teaching, research and daily life and the extent to which sustainability-related discourses are aligned with the university strategy. Design/methodology/approach: This research draws upon collected qualitative and quantitative data. It focuses on individual discourses by executives, teaching and research staff within an HEI regarding their understandings of sustainability and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Findings: This paper illustrates the key challenges of sustainability and SDG implementation that may emerge in HEIs due to varied understandings. The results indicate a need for efficient HEI strategic vision communication and consideration of the stakeholders' multiplicity of sustainability values. Originality/value: This paper sheds light on the challenges involved in seeking to enhance sustainable development in an academic setting with multiple disciplines and categories of staff guided by academic freedom. The analysis thus advances the understanding of academic sustainability-related discourses and framings as well as mechanisms through which the implementation of sustainability-related efforts can be enhanced in such a context.

Ethical and sustainable thinking is an important competence in the engineering education to support students' abilities to act and perform in a responsible manner in corporate contexts, and consequently contribute to a sustainable future. This paper investigates engineering students' attitudes towards ethical and sustainable thinking focusing on the corporate social responsibility (CSR) principles in the context of entrepreneurship courses as a part of larger research project. Engineering students from a Finnish and an Estonian university (N = 342) responded to a self-assessment survey. The students' attitudes towards CSR principles were assessed both on the enterprise level and the individual level as expectations of potential future employees. The findings indicate that engineering students acknowledge the need to take into account responsible thinking and that it is important for enterprises to be both socially and environmentally responsible in their activities. The self-assessment tool of ethical and sustainable thinking associated with the entrepreneurship competence model and CSR principles can be helpful in practice when university teachers wish to support and assess their students' attitudes towards CSR principles among other entrepreneurship competencies when creating new course content.

Despite the increasing demand for non-formal science learning activities, few studies report on practitioners' perspectives and experiences with designing and implementing such activities worldwide. This paper focuses on their challenges by drawing upon twenty-two interviews with practitioners involved in diverse science learning activities in various non-formal settings in seven European countries. By including diverse activities and settings, this study contributes to the existing knowledge base, addresses the aforementioned gap in the literature, and informs future practices. Our findings suggest that despite the existing and celebrated diversity, practitioners face similar challenges related to (a) the activities' organisation and management, (b) the competencies required to run such activities, and (c) the attitudes held by the parties involved in them. Direct interview quotes exemplify each theme, further pinpointing the interconnection of multiple factors that inform the organisation and implementation of non-formal science learning activities. The findings allowed for a deeper understanding of challenges reported in the literature and shed light on the challenges voiced by the practitioners including the multiple competencies required and the workload. We conclude with a discussion foregrounding the need to build a knowledge base of shared practices in the field of non-formal science learning.

Scholars, psychologists, and teachers from around the world have been dealing with the topic of giftedness for many years. Also in Slovakia, development of giftedness is a highly topical issue and gifted education has earned its place in the current curricular documents issued by the Ministry of Education. The national curriculum specifies education objectives, teaching plans, requirements for personnel, organizational and material-technological requirements for gifted education. However, the personnel requirements are problematic not only in Slovakia, but also in other countries. Most attention is paid to identification and development of gifted children, but very little consideration is given to the training of teachers for gifted children. The lack of justifying teacher training does not guarantee sustainability of gifted education. The aim of this paper is to map and describe gifted education, teacher training programs and qualifications for teachers of intellectually gifted pupils in Slovakia, Austria, Belgium and Finland. These countries were chosen because of very different perceptions of the gifted education and teacher training. These systems are compared and a proposal for sustainable teacher training is offered.

Purpose: This paper aims to answer the questions of what clothing practices related to sustainable fashion can be observed in young consumers' daily lives in Finland's capital region and what prevents their further proliferation. Design/methodology/approach: This is qualitative research that draws from 22 semi-structured interviews with high school students in the capital area of Finland. The data were analyzed with the use of thematic analysis, a flexible method of data analysis that allows for the extraction of categories from both theoretical concepts and data. Findings: This paper contributes to studies of young people's consumption with the practice theory approach, putting forward the category of following sustainable fashion as an integrative practice. The three-element model of the practice theory allows answering the question of challenges that prevent the practice from shaping. The paper further advances this approach by identifying a list of context-specific dispersed practices incorporated into sustainable fashion. Practical implications: The study suggests practical ways of improving clothing consumption based on the practice theory approach and findings from empirical research. Sustainable practices require competences, knowledge and skills that the school, as an institution working closely with high school students, could help develop. Originality/value: The study contributes to the current studies of sustainability and youth culture of consumption with a practice theory approach and findings, related to a particular context of a country from Northern Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lifelong learning and diverse technical information are challenges for designing curricula. The Finnish National Defence University (NDU) provides undergraduate- and graduate-level courses in academic and military disciplines according to the Bologna process. Technology is one of the major learning lines at the NDU, but basic scientific education is also an essential part of the general curriculum. Elements of sustainable education strategy for STEM disciplines are discussed in this paper. Learning aims include gaining basic scientific knowledge, understanding how technology uses scientific results, and managing practical exercises within the work environment. This study presents only selected aspects, mainly those that may have a wider interest when teaching STEM subjects. Lecturing on fundamental topics is an effective method for using teacher resources for large study groups, while providing knowledge of the principles utilized in artefacts such as communication system devices. Exercises are an essential part of learning and are carried out in small groups led by peer assistants enrolled in the course. As a whole, when trying to enable better student motivation and learning results, enough space must be given for students' contributions.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to review and assess the state of sustainability reporting in universities. Design/methodology/approach: Analysis of the performance level of 12 universities sustainability reports using the Graphical Assessment of Sustainability in Universities tool. Findings: The results show that sustainability reporting in universities is still in its early stages (both in numbers of institutions reporting and in level of reporting) when compared to sustainability reporting in corporations. Research limitations/implications: The research is limited by the limited number of universities that publish sustainability reports. However, the results show that universities could learn from the experiences of corporate sustainability reporting efforts, and incorporate them into their efforts as learning organisations to better align their systems with sustainability. Practical implications: University leaders and champions need to consider publishing more information on the social and educational dimensions. Originality/value: The paper provides an analysis of sustainability reporting in universities, which has the potential to better incorporate and institutionalise sustainability. (Contains 4 notes and 7 tables.)

Bioeconomy is portrayed by the EU and several national governments as a central element contributing to sustainability strategies and a post-fossil transformation. This paper critically engages with extractivist patterns and tendencies in the forest sector as one of the main bio-based sectors. It argues that despite the official endorsement of circularity and renewability in the forest-based bioeconomy, current developments of modern bioeconomy might threaten sustainability prospects. The Finnish forest-based bioeconomy and one of its well-known showcase projects, the bioproduct mill (BPM) in the municipality of Äänekoski, serve as a case study in this paper. The forest-based bioeconomy in Finland is scrutinized as a potential continuation or consolidation of extractivist patterns, rather than an alternative to these tendencies. The lens of extractivism is applied to identify possible extractivist and unsustainable characteristics of the case study which are discussed along the following dimensions: (A) degree of export orientation and processing, (B) the scale, scope, and speed of extraction, (C) socio-economic and environmental impacts, and (D) subjective relations to nature. The extractivist lens provides analytical value to scrutinizing practices, principles, and dynamics of the contested political field and vision of bioeconomy in the Finnish forest sector. The analysis results in a discussion of latent and manifest social, political, and ecological contradictions within the forest-based bioeconomy in Finland. Based on its analytical lens and the empirical case of the BPM in Äänekoski, it can be concluded that extractivist patterns and tendencies are perpetuated within the Finnish forest-based bioeconomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An industrial symbiosis (IS) is a group of industrial plants and other actors which exchange energy, water, by-products and waste. This article studies the evolution of an IS centred around a Finnish pulp and paper mill and analyses how the operations of the case system developed in a more sustainable direction during the years 1890–2005. We build upon basic sustainability principles known as The Natural Step (TNS) System Conditions by identifying and selecting quantifiable indicators for each of the conditions in the case of our target symbiosis. The study reveals that the environmental impacts of the case IS became more far-reaching during the 110-year period studied. Emissions, however, decreased substantially after the 1970s due to tightening environmental legislation and other policy measures and the progress in environmental technology, not due to symbiosis-type of arrangements. There has been no strong driver for more symbiosis-like cooperation among the companies in this study. It appeared that the main motives for increased collaboration were economic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Management for Global Sustainability is the property of Ateneo de Manila University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Transformative innovation policy (TIP) implies not only new directionality for innovation policy but also rethinking its means and scope. This requires further investigation into the role of horizontal and cross-sectoral policy programmes that may be relevant for upscaling innovation and destabilising regimes. This paper studies the national implementation, in Finland, of the European Union (EU) programme for COVID-19 recovery, the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), as an example of a cross-sectoral policy programme. It is of interest, because the EU has set certain conditions related to sustainability transitions for the RRF. Using a transformative policy mix approach, the paper finds that the Finnish RRF Programme lists many policy measures that can be regarded as having a transformative intent. These include upscaling innovative sustainability niches and destabilising existing practices. Yet, we also found that there is a risk that cross-sectoral programmes fail to find overall transformative visions and fund multiple potentially competing technological pathways instead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation: Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) expand the development agenda. While all major development actors support policy coherence for development (PCD), analysis has been lacking on how this can be achieved as the development agenda expands. We discuss the relationship between SDGs and PCD through a comprehensive case study from Finland. Purpose: To examine the coherence of Finland's foreign and development policy for achieving the SDGs, while leaving no one behind. Particular focus is given to policies related to the private sector's role in development, and attention is also paid to ministries other than the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Approach and methods: We carried out interviews with policy‐makers and other stakeholders, and analysed relevant documents. We reviewed governmental high‐level policy statements, sectoral alignments, and development aid documents. We also reviewed the position papers that the Finnish Government had issued on European Union (EU) processes, particularly regarding development relating to the private sector. Findings: Finland has been uniquely positioned to advance PCD in its foreign policy, thanks to co‐ordination structures across government. Nonetheless, mainstreaming of the expanded development agenda has been largely limited to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and its development policy department. The breadth of the SDG agenda has enabled individual targets to be cherry‐picked, with less attention paid to advancing the Agenda 2030 as a whole and to implementing its Leave No One Behind (LNOB) principle. Despite an institutional framework seemingly ideal for policy coherence, traditional sectoral divisions between development policy as a separate field and sustainability as an environmental issue, remain. Five factors in particular hindered policy coherence: (a) Finland's position papers to the EU on taxes and migration all but ignored Agenda 2030 commitments; (b) the Finnish emphasis on the private sector in development narrowed the considerations of development to economic growth; (c) sustainability was seen as green technology, with scant regard to social sustainability; (d) private firms interpreted the SDGs to mean that environmental sustainability could address human rights‐related concerns with corporate social responsibility initiatives; and (e) cuts to staffing in the Finnish Government stymied innovative thinking and working across departmental boundaries. Policy Implications: Finland is generally seen as a front‐runner in mainstreaming development issues, which makes it an interesting case. We outline the key challenges that Finland has faced in tackling PCD, which should be relevant for other Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development (OECD) countries as well. Many challenges related to PCD are political and organizational. As such, they are highly dependent on the particular institutional settings in each country. Our methodological approach could be replicated in other similar countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate two current transformation processes in the construction industry: the adoption of a novel material, cross-laminated timber (CLT), and the enhancement of digital transformation. This paper depicts the actors and interaction in the business network that is emerging around CLT construction and, in particular, how digital transformation (that is, the deployment of Construction 4.0 solutions) occurs in this business network. Design/methodology/approach: Digital transformation is a relatively new phenomenon in CLT construction, and the authors, therefore, adopt a qualitative inductive research approach and rely on semi-structured interviews. Findings: The findings of this paper suggest that it is critical for actors to adopt an interorganizational perspective in CLT construction, instead of only focusing on internal operations. An interorganizational perspective supports successful CLT construction, as well as the deployment of Construction 4.0 solutions. This will bring about the benefits of digital transformation in the construction industry. Research limitations/implications: This paper investigates the network created around CLT construction in Finland but more generally illustrates the change toward Construction 4.0 solutions. Practical implications: For managers, this paper explicates the importance of networking, instead of focusing on the internal development of the company, when adopting novel solutions emerging from both construction and information technology-related advancements. Originality/value: Stability and traditions are characteristic of the construction industry. New technical solutions and materials, together with calls for sustainability, have challenged the traditional ways of constructing, and for example, the development of CLT construction has led to an emergence of new business networks. This material-related process and the ongoing digital transformation of business form an interesting context for an empirical-based analysis of changing interaction and networks. This paper gives the first insights into how digital transformation can benefit the evolution of the network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This article aims to analyze emergent learning practices for globalizing work through two research questions: "What are the conceptualizations of work represented by the Virtual Factory and how do they mediate globalizing work?" and "What is the potential of expansive learning efforts to expand conceptualizations towards the emergent learning practices of globalizing work?". Design/methodology/approach: Cultural-historical activity theory is applied, specifically the historical tool-mediated activity, concept formation and the zone of proximal development. A dynamic hierarchy of conceptualizations forms the framework for expansive learning efforts. Data were gathered by ethnographic and development interventionist methods from a distributed engineering design project. Findings: The paper finds that, historically, multi-layered conceptualizations of work face developmental challenges in globalizing work. Expansive learning efforts enhance the emergent learning practices when orienting global participants to motivating "why" and "where-to" conceptualizations. In order to turn emergent practices into sustainable learning practices, material representations need to be created to mediate the bottom-up and top-down conceptualizations at the interfaces of distributed work. Research limitations/implications: Emergent learning practices are studied longitudinally through concrete work in transformation. The learning approach emphasizes developmental interventions at global workplaces. Practical implications: Expansive learning efforts at different levels of conceptualization, may be supported by tools that mediate and sustain emergent learning practices. Social implications: Global workplace learning should be a concern of those involved with corporate social responsibility. Originality/value: Emergent learning practices offers a new approach for studies of globalizing work through its multi-layered conceptualizations of work. (Contains 3 figures and 4 tables.)

Sustainability transitions have effects on working life, but there are no standardized measurement instruments for understanding employees' views on their effects. This article presents a novel survey targeted at employees to gather information on employees' perceptions of sustainability in their work. A survey was designed to gather information on all workers, regardless of the economic sector in which they work in, to broadly capture transition-relevant changes in working life. These include measuring the actions of both work organizations and employees to work in a more sustainable way. This paper presents the survey with findings from a nationally representative data collection taken in Finland. The topics include questions from work organizations' sustainability actions to employees' own sustainable actions. The results show the differences in organizations and individuals' actions in working life. Large work organizations are most active, and there are differences between sectors. Individuals' sustainable actions are more common among women and climate worried employees. The method provides evidence of employees' views and actions in sustainability transitions and improves our holistic understanding of transitions in all sectors of the economy. In addition, the results provoke new questions for both policy and research on how to acknowledge differences between social groups in transitions and support them in delivering a just sustainability transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Forestry Review is the property of Commonwealth Forestry Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study investigates the intersection of bioart and posthumanistic perspectives through the innovative use of reindeer by-products, specifically reindeer blood, as a medium for artistic expression. Utilising an Arts-Based Research (ABR) approach, the research investigates the methodological, ethical, and cultural dimensions of integrating waste materials into creative practices. The project repurposes reindeer blood, an often-overlooked by-product of reindeer herding, to provoke ethical discussions on sustainability and cultural sensitivity within the arts. Experiments in the BioARTech laboratory transform reindeer blood into air-dried pigment, which is then incorporated into glassblowing and surface pattern design. These innovative techniques challenge traditional boundaries of artistic materials and prompt deeper reflections on human-nature relationships. Exhibitions across Finland highlight the ethical application of this unique Northern material, highlighting its cultural significance and promoting a reimagining of our interconnectedness with the natural world. Ultimately the study expands the artistic repertoire and advocates for more harmonious and sustainable futures through pioneering bioart practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the extent to which zero-carbon energy transitions are a securitized phenomenon in selected countries and what that means for sustainability transitions more broadly. Without taking a normative stance on securitization, we focus on the ways in which security is constructed through in-depth interviews with experts in the energy, security, and defense sectors in Estonia, Finland, and Norway. We use a securitization framework to study how securitization as a process is discussed by identifying "securitization moves." The analysis is also connected to the literature on sustainability transitions: the zero-carbon energy transition can be depicted as a large-scale socio-technical transition related to environmental sustainability. Our findings suggest that energy transitions are securitized to an extent because we were able to detect all "securitization moves" in the interview data. The interviews showed different ways in which security is interpreted and what is achieved by its construction in specific contexts. For example, the identified threats were connected to preserving sovereignty in Estonia, the inability to openly discuss threats related to energy transitions created new concerns in Finland, and the connections between the two sectors were urgently and inescapably addressed in Norway only after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leadership from a distributed pedagogical perspective involves engaging multiple professionals in implementing shared responsibilities. In educational organizations, leadership responsibility structures have changed, with researchers advancing a more decentralized leadership system for sustainable pedagogical improvement. These global changes in education systems have informed the demand for sustainable quality teaching, the desire for 21st‐century learning skills, and rapid progress in education. As a result, traditional individual ‘heroic leadership’ is no longer tenable in any learning environment that intends to achieve quality pedagogical outcomes. Therefore, this narrative review paper aims to examine the essence of distributing pedagogical leadership responsibilities among multiple professionals to understand how the concept is perceived in diverse educational contexts and settings. This study reviewed relevant empirical research studies conducted to investigate the concept of distributed pedagogical leadership in Finland, Norway and Singapore. The findings revealed some gaps that informed our understanding of the concept and recommended further research studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn this paper, we explore some of the challenges and opportunities of integrating environmental education in pre-service teacher education in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Arctic. Case examples from teacher education programs in Namibia and Finland set the scene for a critical analysis of environmental education in teacher training from these two distinct contexts. We begin with an overview of the current situation of environmental education in pre-service teacher education in Namibia and Finland, followed by a reflection on the courses we have developed at our respective higher education institutions. In response to the urgency of education to attend to the escalating climate crisis, through lessons learned from our environmental education courses and our collaboration on co-designing teacher education, we explore whether sustainability really does start with teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The mining industry plays a critical role in the global economy by providing raw materials and metals for various sectors, but it is also associated with environmental and social impacts. This paper presents a comparison of the findings from social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) with those obtained from a stakeholders' risk perception analysis. The goal is to provide a multifaceted view on the challenges faced by the mining industry in achieving sustainable practices. Methods: This research reports the results of S-LCA and stakeholders' risk perception analysis used to evaluate the social dimension of sustainability in two different European Horizon 2020 projects: (i) recovery of secondary metals and minerals from mining residues through bioleaching and chemical precipitation (project NEMO with a demonstration site in Finland), and (ii) recycling of wastewater and valorization of tailings from mining activities to create geopolymers through chemical activation (project ITERAMS with a demonstration site in Portugal). Results: The S-LCA conducted in NEMO reveals that fair salary is the social category presenting the highest risk (22% of the total). This risk is unequally shared between foreground activities (4%) and background activities (18%), and it occurs mostly in Finland. The S-LCA in ITERAMS shows that the low percentage of employees organized in trade unions accounts for the highest social risk (14%), occurring mostly with the background activities (8.5% out of the 14%). The risk perception analysis conducted among involved stakeholders for both projects highlighted that the analysis performed using only S-LCA databases overestimated some social issues (e.g., access to biomass, trade unionism) that were not relevant for local stakeholders while underestimating, or even ignoring, other social issues that are considered important by the same stakeholders (e.g., health and safety, housing prices). Conclusions: The two case studies show the critical need to integrate locally gathered data from stakeholders directly involved in the projects with the broader insights offered by sector-level S-LCA. Local analysis can capture site-specific dynamics and social risk perceptions, while S-LCA can extend the analysis to the entire supply chain. Both analyses highlighted that one of the main limitations of the current S-LCA framework is the omission of the positive environmental, social and economic effects resulting from the proposed projects. Ultimately, these case studies provided valuable insights for the stakeholders involved in both projects, facilitating information sharing concerning the primary social risks associated with the development and implementation of the technologies proposed by the projects. This empowers decision-makers with the information required to formulate strategies that can enhance the sustainability of the bioleaching and geopolymer technologies used to valorize mining residues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The practices of organizational talent acquisition are rapidly transforming as a result of the proliferation of information systems that support decision-making, ranging from applicant tracking systems to recruitment chatbots. As part of human resource management (HRM), talent acquisition covers recruitment and team-assembly activities and is allegedly in dire need for digital aid. We analyze the pitfalls and tensions of digitalization in this area through a lens that builds on the interdisciplinary literature related to digital ethics. Using three relevant landmark papers, we analyzed qualitative data from 47 interviews of HRM professionals in Finland, including team-assembly facilitators and recruitment experts. The analysis highlights 14 potential tensions and pitfalls, such as the tension between requesting detailed data versus respecting privacy and the pitfall of unequal treatment across application channels. We identify that the values of autonomy, fairness and utility are often especially at risk of being compromised. We discuss the tendency of the binary considerations related to human and automated decision making, and the reasons for the incompatibility between current digital systems and organizations' needs for talent acquisition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Projects are used in large numbers as a method to steer societal development, especially in contemporary Western societies. This so‐called projectification has relevant socio‐political effects on sustainability transitions, especially from the policy perspective. The aim of this paper is to analyse how projects and policy framework programmes can accelerate transition processes. The paper introduces the concept of a 'projectified transition policy process' by synthesising research on projectified governance, transitions and policy processes. The concept's empirical relevance is addressed with a case study analysis focussing on a framework programme that supports nutrient recycling technologies and practices via project funding. The framework programme was the first measure to actualise transition‐driven nutrient recycling policy in Finland, which has been ongoing since 2010. The conceptual exploration and case analysis in this paper show that projects and framework programmes can accelerate transition processes by mobilising actors, creating synergies between them with intermediary actions and producing project outcomes that can be turned into effective transition inputs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper empirically examines the relationship between business sustainability and firm competitiveness and the role of sustainability partnerships in the relationship between business sustainability and firm competitiveness. By classifying two dimensions (environmental sustainability and social sustainability) that are needed to realize business sustainability, this study suggests that a sustainability partnership serves as a moderator in the relation between business sustainability and firm competitiveness. Three developed hypotheses were tested using regression analysis to find the relationship between business sustainability, sustainability partnership, and firm competitiveness. Using a structured survey questionnaire, the data were collected from 135 firms that operate in construction industries in Finland. The findings suggest that investing in environmental sustainability will directly improve firm competitiveness, but investing in social sustainability will not. In addition, sustainability partnerships serve as a promoter in the relationship between social sustainability and firm competitiveness but inhibit the relationship between environmental sustainability and firm competitiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper investigates the capacity of welfare policies to support sustainability transitions. Welfare policy involves the discussion on public and private responsibilities and choices in public spending. The Finnish government's decision to turn Finland into a carbon neutral welfare society by 2035 is interpreted as a possible sustainability transition. The government launched a social security reform at the same time as the carbon neutrality target was announced. It was assumed that one of the major reforms would be utilised to achieve the carbon neutrality target. The research material consists of administrative, policy and political documents. The chosen documents describe how the issues are presented in policymaking. The qualitative analyses focused on the frames. It was examined how the current problems of the system were framed because the frames guide the possible solutions. According to our analysis, the Finnish government showed strong political will for sustainability transition. However, one of its major reforms was not utilised to create policies to support the shift towards a carbon neutral welfare society. The political will did not convert into action on the social security reform. The main reason seems to be related to the strongly guiding legislative frame in the reform. The legislative frame impacted on the utilised knowledge, which focused solely on the system level of social security. It could have been useful to utilise research knowledge about large‐scale reforms and how to formulate them cross‐sectionally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydropower, as a flexible energy source, has sparked renewed interest in the ongoing decarbonisation of the society. Simultaneously, a wider transformation of the socio-ecological system towards more sustainable practices of energy production is required. Our paper draws from the sustainable transformation theory and the concepts of transformability, hydro-social cycle, and aquatic regime to study a system of water governance and regulation in Finland. Our case study data consists of 16 semi-structured interviews and 207 news articles from Yle national broadcast company. We studied the policy frames to reveal how the water governance actors understand, view and make sense of future river use and restoration, and how they utilise the frames for strategic purposes. Results demonstrate that the future river use and restoration were framed by four modes of thinking: 1) hydropower as a 'cultural trauma', 2) restoring rivers and dam removal after hydropower construction and operation to improve ecological flows in rivers, 3) improving the social acceptance of hydropower and dam removal, and 4) improving the efficiency of the hydropower regime as a flexible source of power. Our paper shows that to enable pathways for socio-ecological-technical transformations of aquatic ecosystems further scientific scrutiny should be focused on reconciliation of the interest of river restoration, recreational uses of aquatic environments and the flexible energy function of hydropower in energy transition. Removal of migration barriers and small-scale hydropower plants and building fishways and bypasses are part of this transformation. Furthermore, the river regulation needed to give impoundment facilities the flexibility, causes changes in water levels which may be a potential source of conflict between riparian residents and hydropower operators. Therefore, more emphasis should be placed on water governance that recognises the local dynamics and interactions within the social-ecological systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiments are deemed not only useful, but necessary in sustainability transformation to enhance local decision-making. This is especially apparent in Finland where national government programmes and city administrations promote sustainability experimentation and bottom-up initiatives in the interest of equitable participation. At the same time, universities are expected to respond to societal calls for major infrastructural transformations, while neoliberal principles shift responsibility from authorities to individual citizens. This paper examines the case of a student-driven sustainable campus initiative called "Test Site" in a university committed formally to sustainability education. The students questioned whether sustainability should be taught in air-conditioned classrooms, what topics were socially just and worth pursuing, and rather sought material engagement, creative exploration and autonomy. Invested faculty members were dependent on demonstrations and proof of impact, or at least convincing visuals, to sustain the initiative. The outcome of experimenting most valued by the students however was the material-based social learning on how to self-organise. The meaning of such "minor" experiments thus becomes muddled, involving local, situated power dynamics among university management, faculty and students and what is regarded as useful space and activity for learning. The case illustrates how an experimental site partly removed from university constraints rendered explorations of self-organising participants as valuable yet depended on visible proofs to justify this very exploration as worthwhile. Even within a neoliberal and highly hierarchical governance structure, some participants are able to make small gains to pursue socially just solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to offer an alternative to a priori theorising in research on firm‐level growth and environmental sustainability. We outline an approach that combines John Shotter's phenomenology with post‐hoc application of the Bourdieusian concepts of habitus, practices and social capital. This is illustrated empirically through a study conducted with a small group of Finnish entrepreneurs, which examines their lived experience of growth alongside its practical application in their ventures. The entrepreneurs' responses reveal holistic perspectives on growth that extend beyond the economic to incorporate personal commitments to norms of collectivity and well‐being for themselves and others. The paper offers an exploratory but empirically grounded approach, arguing that a combination of insiders' perspectives and attention to the social embedding of economic activity challenge the dichotomous distinctions between sustainable and conventional entrepreneurship and reveal a degree of commonality that would not be evident via conventional categorisations on the basis of features such as business model type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to explore methods of teaching sustainability and business ethics, relevant to the modern demand for student's skills and knowledge. The study explores the challenges of teaching a business school undergraduate-level course and argues that a constructivist pedagogy is a suitable epistemological approach for designing a course unit concerning sustainability and ethics. Design/methodology/approach: The paper presents case study findings drawn upon course feedback and course reflections aimed at making sense of what the most effective pedagogic approaches were that influenced students' learning. Findings: Results indicate that students appreciate active forms of learning via practical assignments and discussions. As knowledge of sustainability and business ethics is important for the student's future career path, students need to develop skills of applying conceptual knowledge to practice via constructive pedagogical methods. Practical implications: This empirical study contributes to the literature of constructivist pedagogics, which is explored in the context of sustainable development and business ethics teaching. Practically, it contributes to the analysis of teaching methods and frameworks applied in the course emphasizing the necessity of engaging in interactive and personalized learning and teaching processes. Originality/value: Issues of teaching ethics and sustainable development are known concerns, but they have to be addressed systematically because of the changing business environment. This study explores the constructivist pedagogy based on empirical evidence and highlights its value in the educational process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we look at the impact of different possible changes and innovations in the national/regional infrastructure and of individual households on the reduction of their material 'footprint' and carbon emissions. We have developed an 'agent-based model' (ABM) that explores the impact of possible changes in regional infrastructure and in 'household agent' behaviour and lifestyles. We study households of the UK, Germany, Spain and Finland, and calculate the overall effects of the diffusion of such changes and innovations. The 'lifestyle' of households is divided into four different 'Domains'—Living, Food, Mobility and Energy. For each change, the model shows the linked effects of adoption, and total household input requirements (materials, energy etc.), household and food wastes and CO2 emissions. This informs policy concerning which modifications will be most effective. We can also estimate approximately how much 'clean' electricity will be needed in each country for household needs and their electric vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines Generation Z consumers' perceptions of a good life beyond consumerism and how their perceptions and practices have evolved during crises and the cultural context in which they live. We present a unique theoretical and empirical cross‐cultural investigation which focuses on the ecological crisis and COVID‐19 pandemic, and the changes they have caused to Gen Zs' daily lives in the United States (California) and Finland. Two large qualitative data sets were collected through focus group interviews and open‐ and closed‐ended surveys before and during COVID‐19 and analyzed via the PERMA framework. Findings revealed that Gen Zs' pathways that lead to a good life include: healthy behaviors and balance; positive and meaningful relationships; happiness and positivity; meaningful things; productivity and goals; and daily routines. Findings also indicated that since COVID‐19, Gen Zs are increasingly shifting toward virtuous behaviors and eudaimonic‐oriented life, in which moderation, meaningfulness, and self‐realization play key roles. Gen Zs are characterized as a global consumer cohort and a driver of change for a sustainable future, thus understanding how these future professionals, leaders, and mainstream consumers perceive a good life provides theoretical and practical insights into how to provide ecologically sustainable well‐being for nature and future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has pointed out how tourism destinations in northern, sparsely populated areas are typically developed in accordance with the ideals of growth. This hinders efforts towards sustainable development in destination communities. The objective of this paper is to look into the large-scale growth-focused path creation process by studying how such tourism path creation appears from the perspective of various tourism actors in a destination community. The research draws on insights from local tourism actors in the case study area of the Ylläs in Finnish Lapland. This paper approaches tourism path creation by combining poststructural political economy thinking with evolutionary economic geography perspectives. The analysis highlights the existence of alternative economic knowledge on tourism development in the Ylläs tourism destination community, which deviates from the strongly growth-focused tourism path. The paper proposes that if regional economies of northern sparsely populated areas are to be developed in line with the goals of sustainability, tourism path creation should appreciate such alternative economic thinking existing in the community. In doing so, the paper suggests there is a possibility for less resource-intensive and more locally-led path creation through tourism in the sparsely populated north. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the ban on plastic bags is gaining in prominence as a policy option to manage plastic bag litter, there are mixed views on its rationale and effectiveness. This study employs a systematic literature review to understand considerations, benefits and unintended consequences of banning plastic bags. The review's results pointed to the limited success of a plastic bag ban owing to lack of suitable alternatives, limited state capacity to monitor and enforce the ban, thriving black market, structural and instrumental power of the plastic industry. The power of the industry was manifested by the covert practice of deflecting accountability to consumers by focusing on business-oriented solutions, including an inclination towards self-regulation. The findings of this study underscored the need for a global treaty to address the transient nature of plastic bag litter and moving away from the symbolic gesture of targeting only plastic shopping bags but considering the environmental impact of all forms of plastic such as straws, foamed plastics, plastic bottles and caps. There is a general consensus in literature that the end of plastic shopping bags is not nigh due to their utilitarian benefits. This study therefore recommends the promotion of a circular economy focusing on ecological modernisation, sustainable plastic bag manufacturing and recovery strategies such as recycling as a long-term strategy. A significant strand of literature reviewed also recommends the adoption of community-driven approaches such as voluntary initiatives as opposed to a plastic bag ban as they proved to be effective in promoting environmental citizenship behaviours in countries such as Finland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disruptive innovations are perceived necessary for accelerating sustainability transitions. However, it is not always clear what exactly is meant by it, what is to be disrupted, and by whom. Socio-technical transition research on pays too much attention at the technological niche-innovations in the production, and overlooks business model innovation and user practices in the consumption, whilst management literature on disruptive innovation falls short in the scale and scope of disruption in terms of systemic outcome. Thus, the first aim of the paper is to synthesise the extant literature and put forward a general practice-based view on disruptive sustainable innovation. The second aim of the paper is to use empirical data to elaborate the theoretical framework in the Finnish food system context. Four firm-level cases provide empirical scrutiny to each type of disruptive sustainable innovation in the food system and shed light on the interlinked practices of producer-entrepreneurs and citizen-consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of our research is to gain understanding about material flow related information sharing in the circular economy value network in the form of industrial symbiosis. We need this understanding for facilitating new industrial symbiosis relationships and to support the optimization of operations. Circular economy has been promoted by politics and regulation by EU. In Finland, new circular economy strategy raises the facilitation of industrial symbiosis and data utilization as the key actions to improve sustainability and green growth. Companies stated that the practical problem is to get information on material availability. Digitalization is expected to boost material flows in circular economy by data, but what are the real challenges with circular material flows and what is the willingness of companies to develop co-operation? This paper seeks understanding on how Industry 4.0 is expected to improve the efficiency of waste or by-product flows and what are the expectations of companies. The research question is: How Industry 4.0 technologies and solutions can fix the gaps and discontinuities in the Industrial Symbiosis information flow? This research is conducted as a qualitative case study research with three cases, three types of material and eight companies. Interview data were collected in Finland between January and March 2021. Companies we interviewed mentioned use-cases for sensors and analytics to optimize the material flow but stated the investment cost compared to the value of information. To achieve sustainable circular material flows, the development needs to be done in the bigger picture, for the chain or network of actors, and the motivation and the added value must be found for each of them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes new insights on sustainability of tourism through social innovations. The underlying aim is to find practical ways to enhance sustainability in and through tourism, as sustainability has been criticized for its abstract nature. The marginally studied relationship of sustainability of tourism and social innovations is explored by utilizing ethnographic data on tourism, which is expected to grow in Kemi, Finland. Two examined examples of social innovations—related to social inclusion, employment, and using waste food—offer insights for tourism by bringing out non-traditional public sector perspectives and novel, multi-sectoral grass-root initiatives for coping with societal challenges at the local level. This paper suggests that sustainability of tourism can be informed through social innovations as cooperative processes, which respond to local needs and create novel solutions and social and other value at the destination. It is discussed how insights from social innovations can widen the understanding of what constitutes a tourism stakeholder, bring in the holistic, multi-sectoral dimensions of sustainability, and provide examples on the use of collaborative spaces for practical tourism planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to enrich extant understanding of the role of both agency and context in the uptake of sustainability assurance. To this end, the authors examine auditors' attempts to promote sustainability assurance and establish it as a practice requiring the professional involvement of auditors. Design/methodology/approach: Applying institutional work (Lawrence and Suddaby, 2006) and institutional logics (Thornton, 2002; Thornton et al., 2012) as the method theories, the authors examine interview data and a variety of documentary evidence collected in Finland, a small society characterized by social and environmental values, beliefs in functioning institutions and public trust in companies behaving responsibly. Findings: With this study, the authors make two main contributions to extant literature. First, the authors illustrate the limits that society-level logics related to corporate social responsibility, together with the undermining or rejected institutional work of other agents, place especially on the political and cultural work undertaken by auditors. Second, the study responds to Power's (2003) call for country-specific studies by exploring a rather unique context, Finland, where societal trust in companies is arguably stronger than in many other countries and this trust appears to affect how actors perceive the need for sustainability assurance. Originality/value: This is one of the few accounting studies that combines institutional logics and institutional work to study the uptake of a management fashion, in this case sustainability assurance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper seeks to shed more light on how businesses have used the language of sustainability in their disclosures. The study employs interpretive textual analysis and takes a closer look at how the corporate talk of sustainability has developed in the disclosures of three major Finnish companies during the period 1987-2005. In-depth understanding is sought by limiting the analysis of disclosures from four anchor points only. The findings indicate major changes in the ways the case corporations have used sustainability-related concepts over the two decades. Over time sustainability seems to have transformed from a possibly revolutionary concept into an evolutionary one, if not to one merely concerned with sustaining of the status quo. Moreover, whereas in the early disclosures the conceptualisation of sustainability appears to be rather polyphonic, in more recent years the companies use fairly similar rhetoric drawing on the discourse of weak sustainability. As a longitudinal study the paper makes a contribution to the still relatively limited body of research deconstructing corporate social and environmental disclosures from an interpretive standpoint. However, the study focuses only on the disclosures of three case companies in one particular country, and thus the generalisation of the findings must be approached with caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modern industrialized food system has faced criticism for several decades. Since the 1990s, various alternative food networks (AFNs) have attempted to increase the economic, environmental and social sustainability of the food system. A recent innovation in Finland, REKO food rings, was motivated by the desire to enhance the livelihood of farmers and to facilitate a broader change in agricultural practices. It applies contemporary social media tools to organize communication and trade between producers and consumers. The present paper analyses perceptions and experiences of sustainability among REKO producers using thematic interviews and questionnaire data. The results show that the expectations for increased sustainability are high, but the producers nevertheless face multiple challenges to ensure sustainability in their daily practices. Many producers reported having modified their production methods to be more environmentally sustainable already before joining REKO. With regards to economic sustainability, after an enthusiastic start, the positive impacts of REKO have started to diminish. Our findings point to the variations and dynamics of the experiences and perceptions that exist across locations and product segments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research introduces the green methodologies applied in the virtual project- and problem-based learning (PPBL) courses in years 2019-2022.The implementation was done in the environmental engineering study programs and in B.Sc. and M.Sc. levels in the LAB University of Applied Sciences (LAB), Finland. First, the paper discusses about the theoretical green management methods, selected for the course implementation. The selected methods were regarded suitable for solving the sustainability challenges', given by the university's regional partners as they deepen the knowledge of sustainability. Second, after defining challenges and discussion between students and commissioning organisations. the implementation of the projects starts. The expected output is to find solution(s) for the given challenges. The first course for the research started in the spring 2019 and now, in the beginning of the fourth year, it is time to report about the mid-term results of the study. The research has been carried out as an in-depth, multi-method case study collecting data from the students and commissioners and in oral and written form. Third, and finally, the results have important implications for the deepening knowledge in teaching and learning of the sustainability. Moreover, the relevance of the topic area is increasing as the ability to act as a sustainability maker is becoming as a norm. The main limitation of the study is the uniqueness of each project case and the amount of the gathered project cases so far. Anyhow, the results give material and guidance for the further development of green project management studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to discover ways to promote a native sheep breed in Finland, the Finnsheep. The focus is placed on wool, its characteristics and applications. In history, the sheep was an essential animal for families because it provided textile materials and meat. Over the decades, the population of Finnsheep has declined. The paper reviews articles (N = 169) in newspapers and magazines from 1915 to 2015. Data-based qualitative content analysis was used. The analysis shows that, in spite of numerous projects and much education, little progress has been made to increase the farming and large-scale utilization of Finnwool. The amounts of pure Finnwool are small and insufficient in themselves for industrial-scale spinning. Also, the quality of wool sent from farms to spinning mills varies greatly. The low price of wool hinders farmers' interest in paying attention to quality. The main focus is meat production. Trends such as green consumption, a slow lifestyle, local production and services, and support for biological and cultural diversity could positively influence the demand for Finnsheep. For this, cooperation is needed between different actors. High quality and novel design in the products and services related to Finnsheep are key factors for promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The funding note is missing in the paper. The funding note to add is the following: Open access funding provided by Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This multimethod study investigated an environmental recycling project in a Finnish kindergarten group, tailored for children aged 4 to 6, as part of early childhood environmental education for sustainable development. We aimed to identify the main drivers of sustainable lifestyles in the families of kindergarten children and evaluate the project's effective practices. We utilized a qualitative approach using interviews with parents and feedback from teachers and employed the Following a Thread approach alongside inductive thematic analysis. The results highlight the crucial role of Finland's socio-cultural context, including the emphasis on free play in natural settings and the encouragement of exploration under gentle guidance, in fostering sustainable behaviors among children. Additionally, the parents' strong environmental sensitivity was manifested in their will to engage with their surrounding community to promote sustainability. The results underscore the importance of collaboration between parents and educators in promoting environmental awareness from an early age. The study advocates for policy changes to ensure that children and teachers have access to natural environments during day care, suggesting that integrating free play in nature with hands-on recycling activities can significantly contribute to sustainable education. Moreover, this topic should be further investigated in different living environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of sustainable practices has become widespread in tourism and has led to the proliferation of sustainability evaluation tools. They focus mainly on measuring outcomes, making scientific expertise an essential part of evaluations. This study argues that involving stakeholders throughout the evaluation process is essential if evaluation is to play a role in promoting the necessary understanding of sustainability to address the ecological and social concerns within a tourism setting. Drawing upon multi-stakeholder thinking, ethics, the Bellagio Principles and action research, this paper introduces a theoretical and methodological framework for engaging tourism organisations in collaboration with stakeholders in planning and implementing sustainability evaluations. The application of the framework is illustrated using a study of tourism product development, involving a group of eight craft-based entrepreneurs and their stakeholders in Finnish Lapland. A focus is placed on using ethical theories to promote dialogue and critical reflection and to expose the plurality of moral orientations behind the multiple views of sustainable tourism. Through discourse analysis, four moral discourses, ethical egoism, utilitarianism, deontology and virtue ethics, are constructed and examined. The paper shows how each influences the various ways in which stakeholders perceive sustainable tourism and the practical outcomes of the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]