Code of conduct

The John Nurminen Foundation’s values are: objectivity, independence, profitability and confidence. We act in accordance with these values, and hope that our partners will respect them too.

By partners, we mean both the partners and service providers involved in our projects and companies/associations that support our work by making donations to save the Baltic Sea.

Our partnerships are based on trust, transparency and common goals. We are keen to work with those who want to promote environmental wellbeing, biodiversity and humans’ relationship with the sea, while taking these principles into account.

• It is vital that we and our partners have a shared understanding of the importance of saving the Baltic Sea. Before making any agreements, we will familiarise ourselves with the backgrounds and sustainability of our prospective partners on a case-by-case basis. We require compliance from our partners in all aspects of sustainability (environmental, financial and social responsibility, and governance).
• If a partner receives their primary income from activities that conflict with our environmental protection goals or involve major emissions into the Baltic Sea, we can still work together if we see that they have a strong desire to steer their own business or industry in a more Baltic Sea-friendly direction.
• We do not accept any donations or partnerships that would compromise our independent decision-making. For example, a partner’s donation will not affect how we use funds in our activities, how we make decisions about projects, or how we tell people about the Foundation’s work.
• We want to be a sparring partner. This can sometimes mean a critical assessment of the other’s activities, and both we and our partners have the right to do so.
• We want to make every effort to avoid greenwashing. We may refuse a collaboration if we notice a risk of greenwashing.
• We also communicate openly about the fact that good, professional governance and the Foundation’s activities will also generate necessary expenses. Our partners must also ensure that they do not make any misleading claims about their support to their own stakeholders.

If we or a third party notice that our partners are acting against these principles, we have the right and obligation to report it to the Foundation’s management. We will seek to engage in open and confidential dialogue to fix this. We may also discontinue cooperation in the event that our partner does not correct the issues in spite of our wishes.

Support from companies and associations plays a key role in enabling us to do concrete and effective work to protect the Baltic Sea and its heritage. We are also involved in collaborative campaigns and networks that both raise awareness of the Foundation and lead to new partnerships. Many of our projects involve project-related collaborations with selected companies and operators.