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Privacy Policy for the John Nurminen Foundation Group’s customer and supporter register
Privacy Policy for the John Nurminen Foundation’s stakeholder register
Privacy Policy for the John Nurminen Foundation’s Recruitment and manuscript filing system 
Cookie policy of the John Nurminen Foundation

Privacy Policy for the John Nurminen Foundation Group’s customer and supporter register

This privacy policy (hereinafter the “Privacy Policy”) for the John Nurminen Foundation and its subsidiary Baltic Sea Services Oy’s (“JNS” or “we”) customer and supporter register was created on 24 May 2018 and was last updated on 10 May 2023. The updates are described in more detail in Section 12. Amendments to the Privacy Policy

In this Privacy Policy, we provide a detailed description of how JNS collects and processes the personal data of contact persons for our customers, donors and other supporters, and of employees working with our potential customers’ and partners’ sponsorship and sustainability issues. You can also find more information about your rights with regard to the processing of your personal data.

JNS respects your privacy and is committed to processing your personal data in an appropriate manner in compliance with both this Privacy Policy and the European Union’s (“EU”) General Data Protection Regulation (2016/679) and other applicable legislation (together “Data Protection Legislation”).

1. Controller

The John Nurminen Foundation is the controller of any data processing described in this policy that is not related to book and product sales or e-commerce:

John Nurminen Foundation
Pasilankatu 2
00240 Helsinki, Finland

Baltic Sea Services Oy, a subsidiary of the John Nurminen Foundation, is the controller of data processing that relates to book and product sales and e-commerce:
Baltic Sea Services Oy
Pasilankatu 2
00240 Helsinki, Finland
myynti(a)balticseaservices.fi

2. Contact person

Anni Kujala
Pasilankatu 2
00240 Helsinki
rekisteri(a)jnfoundation.fi
+358 50 467 6740

3. Name of the register

John Nurminen Foundation and Baltic Sea Services Oy customer and supporter register

4. The purpose of and legal basis for processing your personal data

We process personal data for the purposes described below, such as managing and developing customer, donor or supporter relations, and for targeting our communications and marketing to both private persons and communities and their contact persons. We collect only the personal data that is necessary in relation to the purposes for which it is being processed.

The purpose of processing your personal data is:
– Carrying out and managing an agreement, for example, when you order products from JNS’s webstore
– Product delivery, invoicing and debt collection
– Customer service
– Managing monthly and other donations, and fulfilling accounting obligations
– Publishing the information you wish to appear in the donor register
– Sending supporter reports and other communications about the use of donation funds
– Sending information to collection organisers about the total amount collected and the donors who participated in commemorative and anniversary collections
– Developing our activities and customer experience
– Designing and developing our products and services
– Organising events
– Collecting feedback
– Sending information about JNS’s ongoing projects
– Organising promotional prize draws and competitions, and their associated communications
– Customer acquisition, direct marketing and marketing communications for the purpose of acquiring donations

Customer relationship management

The legal basis for processing personal data for customer relationship management, managing donor and supporter relations, and keeping in contact with partners is either JNS’s legitimate interest or to enable JNS to implement agreements.

In connection with customer relationship management, the primary purpose of processing personal data is to carry out business transactions between the customer and JNS, for example, when you make a donation or order products from the Foundation’s online store. Personal data can be processed for purposes such as invoicing, customer service, product delivery or collecting overdue invoices.

In connection with the management of donor and partner relations, we also process personal data for publishing the information specified by the donor in a public donor register or providing information about how donations have been used.

Competitions and prize draws

Within the framework of our activities, we organise a variety of competitions and prize draws on our website, in our communication channels (such as social media) and on our partners’ premises. In this case, the legal basis for the processing of your personal data is JNS’s legitimate interest in running promotional prize draws and/or competitions, and sending associated communications or carrying out other related activities after you have entered a competition or prize draw arranged by us, or when you have given us your permission to publish content submitted at exhibitions, on our website, or in another of our communication channels (including social media). When you enter a prize draw, we may ask for your consent to direct digital marketing.

Direct marketing

We may process your personal data for direct marketing purposes and to target marketing, in which case the legal basis for processing data is JNS’s legitimate interest. In this case, we may contact you by phone or letter in order to market things such as fundraisers or activities. You have the right to prohibit the processing of your personal data for direct marketing purposes at any time.

Direct digital marketing

We process your personal data for direct digital marketing with your consent. In this case, we may contact you by email in order to market things such as fundraisers or activities. Our direct digital marketing also includes our newsletter, which contains information about progress on JNS’s projects and other current topics that we believe will be of interest to you.

We may also send direct digital marketing on the basis of an earlier customer relationship or an authorisation based on your position. In this case, the legal basis for processing your personal data is JNS’s legitimate interest.

Based on our legitimate interest, your personal data may also be used for profiling, for example, for marketing purposes. JNS does not make any automated decisions that would have legal implications.

At any time, you have the right to object to the processing of your personal data for the purposes of direct marketing or profiling for direct marketing.

We also use cookies and other similar technologies on our website and in our newsletters, to ensure the functionality of our website, to develop and improve our user experience, and to target relevant marketing. You can read more about the cookies we use, their purpose and retention periods in our Cookie Policy.

5. What personal data do we collect and from where?

We collect the following personal data in our customer and supporter register:
– person’s name
– age/year of birth
– position and company/organisation
– contact details (such as address, email address and telephone number)
– the start and end time of the customer relationship and/or other contact, and the contact method
– invoicing details and payments
– customer history, notes about the customer relationship and notes about meetings
– donation information and information required to process bequests
– school and grade in connection with our Taksvärkki collection
– information about subscription to the newsletter mailing list
– information about consent to/prohibition of direct marketing
– other information necessary for organising and developing events, such as dietary requirements and restrictions
– other information necessary for a competition or prize draw, such as a photo submitted by a competition or prize draw entrant and the name of the photographer
– any other information necessary for accepting donations, customer account management and partnerships.

As a rule, we mainly collect data for the customer and supporter register from you yourself, for example, when you give us information via online forms or social media services, by email or telephone, in agreements, via event registrations and payment information, when entering a competition or prize draw, and at customer meetings or other events at which you disclose your information.

Personal data may also be collected from public sources or from companies that provide services for updating and obtaining personal data. These include Posti’s consumer register update service, Suomen Asiakastieto Oy’s decision-maker register and Profinder’s corporate and consumer information registers.

In addition, we collect personal information using cookies and other similar technologies on our website and in our newsletters.

6. Will your personal data be disclosed or transferred to third parties?

We only transfer your personal data when it is necessary to carry out one of the aforementioned purposes. JNS may transfer your personal data to parties involved in the provision, maintenance and development of JNS’s services, communications and marketing, or to its other partners, and these parties may process your personal data for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy.

Our partners for customer service and marketing include Sanoma Media Finland Oy, Barona Oy, Gainer Oy and LiveRing Oy. Your data may also be transferred to other subcontractors and service providers that are responsible for IT, software, accounting and other similar services. JNS will enter into the necessary contractual arrangements with third parties to ensure that your personal data is processed in accordance with Data Protection Legislation.

If you make a donation to a commemorative or anniversary collection, we will send your name to the collection organiser. Your personal data may also be disclosed to third parties in certain situations, such as those in which its disclosure is required by law or official regulations.

Please note that third parties may process the information collected via cookies and social media plugins on our website.

JNS or its service providers may use companies located outside the EU or European Economic Area (“EEA”) to process personal data or provide services. Personal data will only be transferred out of the EU or EEA when there are justified grounds for doing so and in compliance with Data Protection Legislation.

7. Joint controllers

When JNS administers pages on Facebook and Instagram, JNS and Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd (“Facebook”) are the joint controllers of JNS’s Facebook and Instagram pages, as applicable. Your personal data will be used for purposes such as keeping you informed about JNS’s work/events and how donations have been used; running competitions and prize draws; marketing and collecting feedback; purchasing and measuring the performance of Facebook advertisements; and better targeting communications. The legal basis for processing your personal data is JNS’s legitimate interest.

JNS collects data through its Facebook and Instagram pages in the form of, for example, likes and other reactions, comments, visits, post visibility, and personal data submitted in connection with competitions. The information that JNS receives from Facebook is the person’s user name, public profile picture, and any other data that has been marked as public. Data subjects may provide other personal data in comments on social media pages or via messaging services.

Where applicable, we are also joint controllers with Facebook with respect to the cookies used in Facebook’s social media plugins and certain services relating to Facebook’s advertising networks. You can read more about cookies and social media plugins in our Cookie Policy.

In Facebook’s privacy policy, you can read how and on what legal basis Facebook processes your data, and how you can exercise your rights under data protection legislation. We have signed a joint controller agreement with Facebook that describes JNS’s and Facebook’s responsibilities with respect to the data we collect. Please note that if you wish to exercise your rights under data protection legislation with respect to data processed by Facebook, you should contact Facebook.

You can restrict the processing of your personal data by unliking and/or unfollowing a page. You can also request a conversation to be deleted from a messaging service. You can also choose not to accept non-essential cookies when you visit our website, or withdraw your previously given consent.

8. How is your personal data processed and protected?

JNS processes your personal data only for the aforementioned purposes and only for the purposes for which the data was originally collected. The protection of your personal data is important to us, and we comply with both good data management practices and the due diligence and obligations laid down in Data Protection Legislation. We adhere to generally accepted technical and organisational measures to prevent any unauthorised or unlawful processing or misuse of personal data, and to protect personal data from loss, alteration or deletion. The electronically processed personal data contained in the register is protected by means of firewalls, passwords and other technical means that are generally used and accepted in the information security industry. Workstations and IT systems are protected using personal usernames and passwords. Our workstations also utilise two-factor authentication. Manually maintained material is located in facilities to which unauthorised access is prevented. Access to the personal data contained in the register is granted only to designated employees of the Foundation or of an enterprise acting for or on behalf of the Foundation, and only to the extent that is required to carry out the task at hand. Our employees have signed a non-disclosure agreement.

9. For how long will your personal data be retained?

We comply with statutory retention periods, and will retain your personal data only for as long as is necessary, and to the extent that is required, to carry out the purposes for which the personal data is being processed as defined in this Privacy Policy (for example, for the duration of a contractual term).

10. What are your rights as a data subject?

As a data subject, you have the following rights with regard to your personal data in the customer and supporter register:

– The right to access and verify your data: You have the right to receive confirmation from us about whether or not your personal data is being processed; and if your personal data is being processed, you have the right to access and verify all of the personal data being held about you in the customer and supporter register.
– The right to correct, delete and restrict the processing of your data: You have the right to require us to correct any inaccurate, unnecessary, incomplete or outdated personal data without undue delay. You have the right to request us to delete any of your personal data that is no longer required for the purpose for which it was originally collected or processed, or if you suspect that your personal data is being processed illegally, or if your personal data must be deleted to comply with a legal obligation (that applies to the controller). You also have the right to request a restriction on the processing of your data. Please note that deleting or restricting the use of your personal data may, for instance, result in a deterioration in your customer service experience, that you can no longer be a monthly donor, or that you no longer receive our newsletters or information on our project progress.
– The right to object to the processing of your data: When the basis for processing personal data is JNS’s legitimate interest, you have the right to object to the processing of your personal data with respect to a specific personal situation. The exception to this is when JNS can demonstrate that there is a very important and justified reason that overrides the data subject’s interests, or if processing is necessary for the preparation, presentation or defence of a legal claim. However, you always have the right to object to the processing of your personal data for direct marketing purposes (including profiling) without any justification. Please note that objecting to the processing of your personal data may, for instance, result in a deterioration in your customer service experience, that you can no longer be a monthly donor, or that you no longer receive our newsletters or information on our project progress.
– The right to transfer data from one system to another: You have the right to transfer the personal data you supplied to JNS to another controller. This transfer right covers automatically processed personal data whose processing is based on your consent or an agreement to which you are a party. JNS will send the data in a machine-readable and commonly used format to you, and will also send the data directly to the other controller if this is technically possible.
– The right to withdraw consent: If your personal data is being processed on the basis of your consent, you may withdraw your consent to such processing at any time by contacting us.

If you would like to exercise any of the rights described above, would like to receive more information about the processing of your personal data, or have any comments on its processing, you can contact us at any time by sending an email to rekisteri(a)jnfoundation.fi.

11. Lodging a complaint with the supervisory authority

JNS always aims to resolve any disputes regarding the processing of your personal data directly with you. If you believe that JNS has not processed your personal data in accordance with applicable Data Protection Legislation, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority. The contact details for the supervisory authority are:

Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman
P.O. Box 800
00531 HELSINKI
Visiting address: Lintulahdenkuja 4, 00530 Helsinki
email: tietosuoja@om.fi
telephone exchange: +358 (0)29 56 66700
www.tietosuoja.fi.

12. Amendments to the Privacy Policy

We continuously strive to develop our services and privacy protection, and therefore reserve the right to change this Privacy Policy by placing a notification of change on this page. The Privacy Policy may also be updated in order to reflect changes in legislation. We recommend that you revisit this Privacy Policy on a regular basis.

The following updates have been made to this Privacy Policy:

– Update 30 November 2021 We revised and clarified the purposes of processing personal data, and added that we may also collect personal data from public sources.
– Update 31 January 2023 We added that personal data may also be collected from companies that provide services for updating and obtaining personal data.
– Update 10 May 2023 We combined the privacy policies for our customer and supporter register and our competitions and prize draws register, and the name of the document was changed to the “Privacy policy for the John Nurminen Foundation Group’s customer and supporter register”. We clarified from which public sources personal data is obtained, and to whom our customer service and marketing partners may disclose personal data.

Privacy Policy for the John Nurminen Foundation’s stakeholder register

This privacy policy (hereinafter the “Privacy Policy”) for the John Nurminen Foundation’s (“JNS” or “we”) stakeholder register was created on 29 May 2018 and updated on 30 November 2021. In this Privacy Policy, we provide a detailed description of how JNS collects and processes the personal data of representatives of our various stakeholders. You can also find more information about your rights with regard to the processing of your personal data.

JNS respects your privacy and is committed to processing your personal data in an appropriate manner in compliance with both this Privacy Policy and the European Union’s (“EU”) General Data Protection Regulation (2016/679) and other applicable legislation (together “Data Protection Legislation”).

1. Controller

John Nurminen Foundation
Pasilankatu 2
00240 Helsinki, Finland
info(a)jnfoundation.fi

2. Contact person for the privacy policy and person responsible for data protection

Anni Kujala
Pasilankatu 2
00240 Helsinki
rekisteri(a)jnfoundation.fi
+358 50 467 6740

3. Name of the register

John Nurminen Foundation stakeholder register

4. The purpose of and legal basis for processing your personal data

We process personal data in order to manage and develop communications and collaborative partnerships with, for example, the contact persons for our project partners, government ministries, authorities and service providers, media representatives, Baltic Sea Action Day partners, as well as members of steering groups appointed to our projects. In order to acquire new partners for sustainability projects, JNS may also reach out to employees of potential partner companies whose responsibilities include stakeholder engagement, sponsorship, or sustainability issues. We collect only the personal data that is necessary in relation to the purposes for which it is being processed. The purpose of processing your personal data is:

– Sending information about JNS’s ongoing projects
– Keeping you informed about JNS’s activities
– Sending out press releases and media invitations
– Convening steering group meetings
– Sending invitations to JNS’s events and meetings
– Managing other collaborator and stakeholder relations
– Managing Baltic Sea Action Day events, activities and other contacts
– Contacting new and potential partners and partner companies.

The legal basis for processing stakeholders’ personal data is JNS’s legitimate interest and to enable JNS to implement agreements. JNS does not make any automated decisions that would have legal implications.

We may also process data about employees of our stakeholder organisations for direct marketing purposes. Our direct marketing mainly covers our newsletter, which is sent either by email or post, and contains information about progress on JNS’s projects and other current topics that we believe will be of interest to our stakeholders and their employees. The Foundation’s newsletter is only sent to those people who have subscribed to it. Consent is the basis for processing personal data in this context. You have the right to prohibit the processing of your personal data for direct marketing purposes at any time.

We also use cookies and other similar technologies on our website and in our newsletters, to ensure the functionality of our website, to develop and improve our user experience, and to target relevant marketing. You can read more about the cookies we use, their purpose and retention periods in our Cookie Policy.

5. What personal data do we collect and from where?

We collect the following personal data in our stakeholder register:

– person’s name
– position and company/organisation
– contact details (such as address, email address and telephone number)
– information about consent to/prohibition of direct marketing
– information about subscription to the newsletter mailing list
– the start and end time of the contact, and the contact method
– notes about the stakeholder relationship and notes about meetings
– any other necessary information relating to cooperation
– any other information necessary for organising and developing events, such as dietary requirements and restrictions.

As a rule, we mainly collect data for the stakeholder register from you yourself, for example, when you give us information via online forms or social media services, by email or telephone, in agreements, or during meetings and other events at which stakeholders disclose information. We may also collect personal data from public sources and, for non-commercial purposes, from third parties on the basis of, for instance, recommendations.

In addition, we collect personal information using cookies and other similar technologies on our website and in our newsletters.

6. Will your personal data be disclosed or transferred to third parties?

We only transfer your personal data when it is necessary to carry out one of the aforementioned purposes.

JNS may transfer your personal data to parties involved in the provision, maintenance and development of JNS’s services and communications, or to its other partners, and these parties may process your personal data for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy. Your data may also be transferred to other subcontractors and service providers that are responsible for IT and other similar services. JNS will enter into the necessary contractual arrangements with third parties to ensure that your personal data is processed in accordance with Data Protection Legislation.

In principle, your personal data will not be disclosed to third parties without your consent. However, your personal data may be disclosed to third parties without your consent in some situations, such as situations in which its disclosure is required by law or official regulations. If necessary, we may also provide funding organisations, such as the European Union, with lists of event participants, so that the funders can confirm that a project’s objectives have been realised and fulfil their legal obligations.
Please note that third parties may process the information collected via cookies and social media plugins on our website.

JNS or its service providers may use companies located outside the EU or European Economic Area (“EEA”) to process personal data or provide services. Personal data will only be transferred out of the EU or EEA when there are justified grounds for doing so and in compliance with Data Protection Legislation.

7. Joint controllers

When JNS administers pages on Facebook and Instagram, JNS and Facebook Ireland Ltd (“Facebook”) are the joint controllers of JNS’s Facebook and Instagram pages, as applicable. Your personal data will be used for purposes such as keeping you informed about JNS’s work/events and how donations have been used; running competitions and prize draws; marketing and collecting feedback; purchasing and measuring the performance of Facebook advertisements; and better targeting communications. The legal basis for processing your personal data is JNS’s legitimate interest. Data used in competitions will be processed in accordance with a separate privacy policy that will be issued for each competition.
JNS collects data through its Facebook and Instagram pages in the form of, for example, likes and other reactions, comments, visits, post visibility, and personal data submitted in connection with competitions. The information that JNS receives from Facebook is the person’s user name, public profile picture, and any other data that has been marked as public. Data subjects may provide other personal data in comments on social media pages or via messaging services. This information will not be combined with other data held in personal data registers without informing the data subject or without the data subject’s consent.

Where applicable, we are also joint controllers with Facebook with respect to the cookies used in Facebook’s social media plugins and certain services relating to Facebook’s advertising networks. You can read more about cookies and social media plugins in our Cookie Policy.

In Facebook’s privacy policy, you can read how and on what legal basis Facebook processes your data, and how you can exercise your rights under data protection legislation. We have signed a joint controller agreement with Facebook that describes JNS’s and Facebook’s responsibilities with respect to the data we collect. Please note that if you wish to exercise your rights under data protection legislation with respect to data processed by Facebook, you should contact Facebook. You can restrict the processing of your personal data by unliking and/or unfollowing a page. You can also request a conversation to be deleted from a messaging service. You can also choose not to accept non-essential cookies when you visit our website, or withdraw your previously given consent.

8. How is your personal data processed and protected?

JNS processes your personal data only for the aforementioned purposes and only for the purposes for which the data was originally collected. The protection of your personal data is important to us, and we comply with both good data management practices and the due diligence and obligations laid down in Data Protection Legislation. We adhere to generally accepted technical and organisational measures to prevent any unauthorised or unlawful processing or misuse of personal data, and to protect personal data from loss, alteration or deletion. The electronically processed personal data contained in the register is protected by means of firewalls, passwords and other technical means that are generally used and accepted in the information security industry. Workstations and IT systems are protected using personal usernames and passwords. Our workstations also utilise two-factor authentication. Manually maintained material is located in facilities to which unauthorised access is prevented. Access to the personal data contained in the register is granted only to designated employees of the Foundation or of an enterprise acting for or on behalf of the Foundation, and only to the extent that is required to carry out the task at hand.

9. For how long will your personal data be retained?

We comply with statutory retention periods, and will retain your personal data only for as long as is necessary, and to the extent that is required, to carry out the purposes for which the personal data is being processed as defined in this Privacy Policy (for example, for the duration of a contractual term).

10. What are your rights as a data subject?

As a data subject, you have the following rights with regard to your personal data in the stakeholder register:

– The right to access and verify your data: You have the right to receive confirmation from us about whether or not your personal data is being processed; and if your personal data is being processed, you have the right to access and verify all of the personal data being held about you in the stakeholder register.
– The right to correct, delete and restrict the processing of your data: You have the right to require us to correct any inaccurate, unnecessary, incomplete or outdated personal data without undue delay. You have the right to request us to delete any of your personal data that is no longer required for the purpose for which it was originally collected or processed, or if you suspect that your personal data is being processed illegally, or if your personal data must be deleted to comply with a legal obligation (that applies to the controller). You also have the right to request a restriction on the processing of your data. Please note that deleting or restricting the use of your personal data may, for instance, result in you no longer receiving our newsletters or invitations to our events.
– The right to object to the processing of your data: When the basis for processing personal data is JNS’s legitimate interest, you have the right to object to the processing of your personal data with respect to a specific personal situation. The exception to this is when JNS can demonstrate that there is a very important and justified reason that overrides the data subject’s interests, or if processing is necessary for the preparation, presentation or defence of a legal claim. However, you always have the right to object to the processing of your personal data for direct marketing purposes without any justification. Please note that an objection to the processing of your personal data may, for instance, result in you no longer receiving our newsletters or invitations to our events.
– The right to transfer data from one system to another: You have the right to transfer the personal data you supplied to JNS to another controller. This transfer right covers automatically processed personal data whose processing is based on your consent or an agreement to which you are a party. JNS will send the data in a machine-readable and commonly used format to you, and will also send the data directly to the other controller if this is technically possible.
– The right to withdraw consent: If your personal data is being processed on the basis of your consent, you may withdraw your consent to such processing at any time by contacting us.

If you would like to exercise any of the rights described above, would like to receive more information about the processing of your personal data, or have any comments on its processing, you can contact us at any time by sending an email to rekisteri(a)jnfoundation.fi.

11. Lodging a complaint with the supervisory authority

JNS always aims to resolve any disputes regarding the processing of your personal data directly with you. If you believe that JNS has not processed your personal data in accordance with applicable Data Protection Legislation, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority. The contact details for the supervisory authority are:

Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman
P.O. Box 800
00531 HELSINKI
Visiting address: Lintulahdenkuja 4, 00530 Helsinki
email: tietosuoja@om.fi
telephone exchange: +358 (0)29 56 66700
www.tietosuoja.fi

12. Amendments to the Privacy Policy

We continuously strive to develop our services and privacy protection, and therefore reserve the right to change this Privacy Policy by placing a notification of change on this page. The Privacy Policy may also be updated in order to reflect changes in legislation. We recommend that you revisit this Privacy Policy on a regular basis.

John Nurminen Foundation Recruitment and manuscript filing system 

Following its entry into force on 25 May 2018 the provisions of the EU General Data Protection Regulation are applied to all organisations processing and holding personal data. The key aim of the new Regulation is to strengthen the rights and the conditions for consent of data subjects in relation to the processing of personal data. In this Privacy Statement issued by the John Nurminen Foundation (hereinafter also the Foundation), we describe in detail what personal data we collect and for what purposes personal data are used. The Privacy Statement also provides further information on the rights of data subjects. 

1. Controller

John Nurminen Foundation 
Pasilankatu 2 
00240 Helsinki 
rekisteri(a)jnfoundation.fi 

2. Contact person for the Privacy Statement

Anni Kujala 
Pasilankatu 2 
00240 Helsinki 
rekisteri(a)jnfoundation.fi 
+358 50 467 6740 

3. Name of filing system

John Nurminen Foundation Recruitment and manuscript filing system 

4. For what purposes and on what legal grounds we can use your personal data

We process personal data for the purpose of managing the application process of persons who apply for a position with the John Nurminen Foundation or submit a manuscript for publishing. Furthermore, we can process personal data in connection with diverse statistical purposes in which case personal data is, as a rule, pseudonymised in such a manner that the personal data can no longer be attributed to a specific data subject. 
The collecting of personal data of data subjects is always limited to what is necessary in relation to the purposes for which they are processed.  

Applications for positions 
Personal data is processed for purposes of carrying out and managing recruitment activities, processing applications, assessing the applicant’s suitability, and carrying out communications related to the application and recruitment. The legal basis for the processing of personal data in accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation is the legitimate interest pursued by the controller. 

Manuscript submissions 
Personal data is processed for purposes of evaluating and managing the publishing project, reviewing the manuscript and carrying out communications. The legal basis for the processing of personal data in accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation is the legitimate interest pursued by the controller.

5. What data are recorded

We may store the following personal data of applicants: Identifiable information such as name, personal identity code, home address, email address, and telephone number.

• Recruitment: Other information, such as education (e.g. name of degree and institution), work experience (e.g. previous employers, position held, duration of employment), language proficiency, possible information pertaining to suitability assessments, position applied for, and other information provided by the applicant.

• Manuscript: Other information, such as education, previous published works, and the manuscript.

6. How long data are retained

We retain personal data only as long as necessary for the processing purposes specified in this Privacy Statement. The retention period may be longer due to the provisions of the Accounting Act or other statutory requirements binding upon us. 

We store open applications for a maximum of 12 months and applications submitted in response to an announced vacancy for a maximum of 6 months. 

7. From what sources personal data are collected

We collect personal data primarily from data subjects themselves by means of the application and a possible interview. We may also obtain information from other sources to the extent permitted by law. In the case of recruitment, this may include data from a third party performing the suitability assessment. In such cases, we will always ask for your consent before collecting your data.

8. Regular destinations of disclosed data and transfer of data outside the EU or EEA

We can transfer personal data to our own filing systems to be processed for the purposes specified in section 4.   

Apart from our own filing systems, personal data are not disclosed or transferred to entities other than those contracted by the Foundation for the production, development or maintenance of services and communications, except in accordance with an agreement, separate explicit consent and/or specific statutory requirements. We can transfer personal data outside the EU or EEA in compliance with the conditions laid down in the provisions of the EU General Data Protection Regulation. 

9. How your personal data are secured

Protection of privacy is paramount for us, and we exercise great care in the processing operations of personal data contained in the filing system. We adhere to generally accepted standards of technology and operational security in order to prevent any unauthorised or unlawful processing or misuse and to protect personal data from loss, alteration or destruction. 

The electronically processed data contained in the filing system are protected by means of firewalls, passwords and other technical means generally accepted in the information security industry. Manually maintained material is located in facilities to which unauthorised access is prevented. Access to the data contained in the filing system is granted only to designated employees of the Foundation or of an enterprise acting for or on behalf of the Foundation. 

10. Your rights as a data subject

In comparison to the provisions of the repealed Data Protection Directive, the rights of data subjects are specified in more detail in the EU General Data Protection Regulation. The Regulation also confers a number of new rights on data subjects. As a data subject, you have the following rights to your personal data held by the Foundation:

a) Right of access to your personal data. You have the right to know whether we are processing your personal data and to review your personal data we may have collected, if any.

b) Right to rectification of inaccurate or incomplete data. If the data are inaccurate, incomplete or imprecise, you have the right to request your personal data to be rectified, e.g. by means of providing a supplementary statement.

c) Right to erasure, i.e. right to be forgotten. You may request your personal data to be erased under the following conditions:

• The personal data are no longer necessary in relation to the purposes for which they were collected or otherwise processed and there are no overriding legitimate grounds for the retention of your personal data.

• You withdraw your consent on which the processing is based and there is no other legal ground for the processing.

• You object to the processing and there are no overriding legitimate grounds for the processing.

• The personal data have been unlawfully processed.

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If you have any queries about the Privacy Statement, do not hesitate to contact via email (rekisteri(a)jnfoundation.fi) or by post (Pasilankatu 2, 00240 Helsinki) our contact person for the Privacy Statement.

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Goal

To reduce biogasproduction’s effects on the Baltic Sea.

Schedule

2018–2020

Status

The assesment is completed and will be utilised in the Sustainable biogas project.

Project partners

Tyrsky Consulting, Aalto-yliopisto, Pöyry Finland, Latviasta Riga Technical University, Gdańsk University of Technology, International Biogas and Bioenergy Competence Centre Germany, Århus University and Monus Minek Ltd. Estonia.

Location

Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, Denmark

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Summer Tip: Herring Day in Seili

8 August 2024

Seili

Open for public, free of charge

At the Archipelago Sea Research Institute in Seili, you will get to explore the Baltic Sea from a herring’s perspective – welcome! You will learn about marine research and herring, get a glimpse of the underwater world, and enjoy guided tours of the exhibitions.

Herring is a key species in the Baltic Sea ecosystem. Along these Northern shores it has also fed the development of human cultures. Baltic herring has fueled maritime travel and cultural exchange already for thousands of years. Thanks to herring the coastal communities survived even the hunger years.

These days, however, the environmental changes caused by human activities are severely affecting the herring population. Industrial waste has blinded the herring and now their hearing seems to be suffering. The herring in the Archipelago Sea is growing ever thinner as it adapts to the impacts of climate change.

”Herring is truly a political animal, our companion species in the natural-cultural history of the Baltic Sea region. Similarly our futures go fin in hand”, says curator Taru Elfving, the co-founder and director of CAA (Contemporary Art Archipelago).

The Intersection of Science and Art in Seili

The Archipelago Sea Research Institute of the University of Turku has been monitoring changes in herring and its habitat since the 1980s. The Archipelago Sea Research Institute is part of the Finnish University Research Stations Network and is one of the three marine research institutes in Finland located in maritime environments. As the institute celebrates its 60th anniversary, its long-term herring research also marks its 40th anniversary.

Known for its interdisciplinary collaboration at the intersection of art and science, CAA Contemporary Art Archipelago has been operating in the Turku Archipelago since 2009, bringing together international and local artists and researchers.

The Herring Day is co-organised by Archipelago Research Institute (Turku University) and CAA Contemporary Art Archipelago in collaboration with Imagining Godzilla and John Nurminen Foundation. The event is part of a long-term collaboration between art and science in Seili, which is presented in the exhibition At The Edges of Knowledge this summer at the Archipelago Research Institute in celebration of its 60^th anniversary. The exhibition and the public event are supported by the Arts Promotion Centre Finland.

Stressed Herring returns to its home island

”How should we live in relation to our environment in an ever-changing global ecosystem, and as a cause of that change?“, asks artist and architect Arja Renell.

Arja Renell’s artwork Stressed Herring was seen at the exhibition Unknown Baltic Sea of John Nurminen Foundation, in Suomenlinnan island in the summer of 2023. The herring artwork returns this summer to its home island at the Archipelago Sea Research Institute of the University of Turku in Seili, once again renewed and still relevant as an art installation.

”We are in the midst of celebrating the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, which prominently involves enhancing ocean literacy among people. The more people who gain an understanding of the ocean’s significance to our planet’s well-being, the greater the hope for a better future for our ocean and planet. This understanding translates into action”, says the John Nurminen Foundation’s Cultural Producer Elina Tuomarila.

Programme

12.30–13.00 60 Years of Research on the Changing Sea: guided tour of the Archipelago Research Institute

13.00-14.00 What’s up Herring?: how to read the otoliths (hearing bones) of herring and the food web of the sea, guided by biologist Katja Mäkinen at the Seawater Laboratory.

14.00–15.00 Below the Surface: view the seashore through water binoculars, snorkeling, swimming or floating, guided by biologists

15.00–15.30 Music performance organized by Imagining Godzilla and guests

15.30–16.00 At the Edges of Knowledge: exhibition tour with the curator Taru Elfving

16.00–16.30 60 Years of Research on the Changing Sea: guided tour of the Archipelago Research Institute

The program is open to the public, and participants can join any parts they wish. The event will be in Finnish and English

Transport to Seili

M/S Norrskär
Turku-Seili 9.30–11.15
Seili-Turku 16.30–18.15

M/S Östern
Nauvo-Seili 12.10–12.40
Seili-Nauvo 17.25–17.55

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Baltic Sea greetings from Alf Norkko, the Baltic Sea professor

Author

Kirsi Kurki-Miettinen

Alf Norkko is a renowned marine researcher and Baltic Sea professor. He will now share with us how he ended up researching the seas, and bring us up to date on the Baltic Sea.

The journeys of a professor took him from the seas of the world to the shores of the Baltic Sea

As a young man, Alf Norkko felt a little lost, as do many people at that age. It was hard to pinpoint a particular field of interest. Chance intervened, and Norkko wound up at the university, studying biology. Trainee periods at a biological station and the Indian Ocean sparked a fire that has been burning until today: his passion for marine biology. The young, enthusiastic Ph.D. joined top research teams all the way in New Zealand and Antarctica, studying the impact climate change has on biodiversity and coastal habitats.

Nevertheless, he always felt the calling of the north and the Baltic Sea. The research conducted in the oceans had taught him a lot, and research questions were formulated in a similar manner, even though the problems faced by the seas were different. To be able to assess the speed of the change, it is important to do the groundwork in change monitoring. Changes in both Antarctica and the Baltic Sea have been extremely fast.

The most serious problems faced by the Baltic Sea impact organisms and ecosystems

For around ten years now, Norkko has been the scientific lead of the Tvärminne Zoological Station. According to Norkko, the sea in front of the research station is now doing better, partial recovery from eutrophication can be witnessed, and the area features some magnificent underwater nature. Location is a key factor for the clarity of water areas. The water in front of Hanko, for example, gets mixed more efficiently than the water in the Archipelago Sea. ”In terms of water turnover, the Baltic Sea is a bit like a poorly flushing toilet, which is why the problems accumulate in certain regions”, explains Norkko.

The severe problems of the Baltic Sea, i.e. eutrophication and climate change, are punishing to the sensitive ecosystems whose status is poor to begin with. It is as if the Baltic Sea were a member of a risk group: it already has many problems and ailments to tackle, and a new disease or symptom, such as rising temperatures, will weaken it further. The Tvärminne station has measured the temperature of the Sea already from the 1920s, or almost one hundred years. From the results, we can see that the rise in water temperature has accelerated, heat waves come more often, and they last longer. We can conclude that climate change makes the Baltic Sea’s other problems worse. In addition to rising temperatures, rainfall in mild winters brings more nutrients to coastal waters, making eutrophication even worse.

Important habitats in the throes of change

For many organisms and for the wellbeing of the Baltic Sea, important key species, such as bladderwrack, blue mussel, and common eelgrass, have been especially hit by the long-term temperature rise in shallow coastal waters. Unfortunately, the organisms in the shallow seabeds are not really monitored, so we do not know what is the combined impact of the various problems to the status of the ecosystem.

In addition to nutrients and temperature, ecosystems are impacted by the carbon cycle. As temperatures rise, production grows; this is known by every home gardener. As an example, Norkko highlights the familiar method of composting. If there is an excess of organic matter, but no organisms and plants – in the case of composting, earthworms – that would utilize the matter, the organic matter will accumulate, and, when decomposing, create methane, which is a greenhouse gas much stronger than carbon dioxide. This is how rising water temperatures accelerate climate change.

Cross-border research introduces new information on the Baltic Sea

Tvärminne is also the founder of CoastClim, a multi-disciplinary and international Centre for Coastal Ecosystem and Climate Research. CoastClim brings together researchers from various fields, allowing us to build a better view of all the factors that impact the Baltic Sea. In addition to traditional marine research, the project studies the atmosphere, nutrient cycles, the carbon cycle, and carbon sinks.

As climate change advances, it is increasingly important to understand where carbon is, in which form it is cycled, and how it impacts the ecosystems. We have, for example, noted that ecosystems that are off balance may release methane, in the case of coastal ecosystems all the way to the atmosphere, which obviously accelerates climate change even further. Carbon sinks in forests have been widely discussed, but would it be time now to turn our eyes underwater? The carbon cycles of large sections of Finnish coastline are still unfamiliar to us. The Sea has potential to be both a carbon sink and a carbon source, which is why it is important to study it further.

We need a wide selection of solutions to save the Baltic Sea

The Baltic Sea is saved by tackling, in particular, its severest problem, i.e. eutrophication. Naturally, climate change must be curbed also because of global problems, but locally, the Baltic Sea will benefit most from reductions in its nutrient load. In particular, discharges from non-point sources such as agriculture and forestry should be tackled with an array of different methods. In addition to methods with an immediate impact, such as gypsum treatment, we need change throughout society. Our agricultural policies should be changed to include biodiversity, so that farming could be more diverse, and take carbon cycles into account.

The role of forests must also not be underestimated: carbon, as well as nutrients, enters the waterways with runoff from drained forests. Finland is a country with exceptionally many drained areas, so we need to take action. Luckily, the same methods used by for example the John Nurminen Foundation’s VALVE project reduce the runoff of both nutrients and dissolved carbon.

Summer brings blue-green algal blooms and Baltic Sea celebrations

All friends of the Baltic Sea are of course interested in what the summer ahead looks like. Will there be blue-green algal blooms? Or will we be splashing about in clear waters? Unfortunately, professor Norkko does not have good news to tell us. If the summer is warm and not windy, we will see a lot of algal blooms. Nutrients in the Baltic Sea are in fact plentiful, and this boosts blue-green algae growth.

Fortunately, there are also causes for celebration! The Tvärminne Zoological Station has its 120th anniversary, and in honour of the event, you can learn more about the magnificence of underwater nature all through the summer. In addition to the summer events, early in the autumn, on 3rd September, you can learn more about marine research, as the Tvärminne research station opens its doors to the public.

In this year of festivities, the eyes of the Tvärminne station and professor Norkko look firmly to the future: we hope to see a cleaner and healthier Baltic Sea ahead!

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The peat sector introduces a new entrepreneurial approach to mowing coastal reeds – mowing aims to protect the Baltic Sea and biodiversity

More information

Eeva Tähtikarhu Project Manager, on parental leave

Mowing coastal reeds can prevent nature loss, remove nutrients that cause the eutrophication of the Baltic Sea and produce climate-friendly raw materials to replace peat in applications such as growing media, including garden soil products. It is hoped that machine entrepreneurs and processors from the peat sector will bring a new entrepreneurial approach to the business.

The spread of reeds on Finland’s marine coasts has been strong in recent decades – there is more than enough to mow to provide plenty of raw materials for further processing. The John Nurminen Foundation seeks to accelerate the utilisation of the common reed and the emergence of a market for reeds with the Coastal Reed Project. The project brings together parties that engage in mowing and processing companies interested in utilising the common reed.

To start up the utilisation of reeds, both mowing entrepreneurs and reed processors are needed in the sector. Reeds can be mown with machines designed for use on soft ground – like those used in peat production.

“This year, we’ve been delighted to see that new entrepreneurs have entered this business from the peat sector. Processors are also increasingly interested in utilising reed material,” says Eeva Tähtikarhu, Project Manager of the Coastal Reed Project.

Companies such as Biolan Oy, Kekkilä Oy and Kiteen Mato ja Multa Oy are testing out the utilisation of reeds mowed in the John Nurminen Foundation’s Coastal Reed Project in their soil products.

“We’re proactively researching a variety of raw materials suitable for growing media. We’re especially interested in rapidly renewable and circular economy materials. It’s especially important to ensure the good quality, purity and safety of growing media materials. We’re constantly acquiring research data on different raw materials,” says Sales & Development Manager Toni Luoma from Kekkilä.

Mowing and utilisation of the common reed can reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“The common reed can replace raw materials that have an adverse climate impact. Mowing might also reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of reeds. However, the climate impacts of mowing haven’t been researched comprehensively yet and the phenomenon is poorly understood,” says Tanja Myllyviita, Senior Research Scientist at the Finnish Environment Institute.

Utilisation of reed material can help the Baltic Sea

Mowing and collecting the common reed for utilisation can reduce the eutrophication of shores, as the reed biomass contains a substantial amount of nutrients that cause eutrophication in the Baltic Sea.

“Mowing and collecting reeds that grow in water is the only method apart from management fishing that has been proven to be a cost-effective way of removing nitrogen and phosphorus from the Baltic Sea,” says Miina Mäki, environmental expert at the John Nurminen Foundation. “In addition to nutrient removal, mowing can at its best also be beneficial to diversity, heritage landscapes and the recreational use of shorelines in many other ways.”

The challenge is that the collection of reed mass substantially increases the cost of mowing – for this reason, reeds are often crushed at the growth site without being collected. “This leads to a loss of good raw materials and the nutrients contained in the reeds are released back into the coastal waters. There is emerging demand for reeds. We hope that in future, the market will set a price that covers the costs of mowing and collection,” says Mäki.

As a sustainable and market-based system is still being established, this work has been partly carried out with donated funds. For instance, Ålandsbanken, one of the John Nurminen Foundation’s main partners, is involved in making the Coastal Reed Project possible alongside the Foundation’s other protection projects.

“The protection of the Baltic Sea is the responsibility of all of us and companies have a significant role to play in enabling the necessary measures. The Ålandsbanken’s Baltic Sea project is a good example of this, and over the years we have already supported environmental projects with more than three million euros,” says Anne-Maria Salonius, Head of Finland Division at Ålandsbanken Abp.

Mowing prevents nature loss

The restoration of coastal meadows overgrown with reeds supports biodiversity first and foremost.

“Many species and habitats in open coastal areas have become endangered – the removal of reed growths helps these species,” says William Velmala, Waterfowl Habitats Coordinator at the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment of Uusimaa.

The planning of mowing also takes into account the species living in the reeds, the diversity of the reed environment and the ability of the reeds to bind nutrients in the bottom sediment. As part of the Coastal Reed Project, the John Nurminen Foundation has compiled ground rules for the sustainable utilisation of coastal reeds. These ground rules will be helpful to all those interested in mowing and utilising reeds. They can be read on the John Nurminen Foundation’s site.

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John Nurminen Foundation – Baltic Sea protection and marine culture
Founded in 1992, the purpose of the John Nurminen Foundation is to save the Baltic Sea and its heritage for future generations. The Foundation is an award-winning communicator of information and producer of marine cultural content. The goal of the Foundation’s Clean Baltic Sea projects is to improve the condition of the Baltic Sea with tangible measures that will reduce the load and environmental risks directed at the sea. Our work is steered by measurable results and impact.

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New Book Reveals: Damages of the War Are Still Visible in the Baltic Sea

Requests for interviews and review copies

Oona Piiroinen Communications Specialist

oona.piiroinen@jnfoundation.fi +358 50 434 4879

Russia’s attack in Ukraine reminds us of the events that led to World Wars, and highlights the strategic importance the Baltic Sea continues to have even today. The Fog of War, a new book by Juha Flinkman and Jouni Polkko, explores events during WWI, the strategic position of the Baltic Sea, and the stories of ships that ended their journeys at the bottom of the Sea.

“It is, in a sad way, good timing to release this book now. Russia’s attack in Ukraine brings to mind the times and events that led to the two World Wars”, says author Juha Flinkman.  

Recent tensions between Russia and the West have highlighted the Baltic Sea’s importance for security policy. The marine area had major strategic importance also in WWI.

“Russia wanted to protect the Gulf of Finland so that the Germans would not be able to execute landings on the Finnish coastline. Even though the Russian navy was effective in protecting the Gulfs of Riga and Finland, its naval warfare leadership was passive and avoided taking risks. The Germans, on the other hand, attacked actively, resulting in greater losses”, explains Flinkman.

The most important role of Russia’s Baltic Sea fleet was to confine Germany’s naval units to the Baltic Sea, thus preventing their use against Great Britain in the North Sea.

 “Few know what happened in the Gulf of Finland during the battles of WWI. Our goal is to make the general public aware of what took place at sea in 1914 – 1918”, says Flinkman.

Wrecks can remain in the Baltic Sea for centuries

The narrative in The Fog of War advances on multiple levels, moving ahead in parallel with events that are approximately one hundred years apart. The authors, who have conducted thorough archival and literature research for several years, shed light on the dramatic turns of events during the war. A second narrative features the underwater expeditions of Flinkman, Polkko, and the Badewanne diving team, spanning 30 years and reaching the shipwrecks that await in the depths, almost 100 metres from the surface.

The stories of the shipwrecks are illuminated with underwater photography, which, together with archival photos of ships, submarines and personnel dating back to WWI, bring historical moments to life.

An estimated 10,000 shipwrecks lie in the Baltic Sea, and many of the vessels have rested at the bottom of the Sea for centuries. The low salinity and oxygen levels of the Baltic Sea slow down decay, such as rust build-up, in the shipwrecks. Due to the conditions in the Baltic Sea, there are no organisms like shipworms that are common in oceans, consuming wood and other materials.

“The enormous number of the wrecks is also explained by the fact that the Gulf of Finland is shallow throughout, and is easy to lay mines in. During both World Wars, it has been the most densely mined marine area on our planet. Many vessels found their final resting place after hitting a mine in the Baltic Sea”, says Flinkman.

Rebuilding after the war does not reach the depths of the Sea: the battlefield, with its wrecks, is frozen in time at the bottom of the Baltic Sea. The book gives the reader an opportunity to peek into this underwater museum.

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Further information

Juha ”Roope” Flinkman, PhD, is a marine biologist, mixed gas diver and scientific diver. Previously a zooplankton researcher at the Finnish Institute of Marine Research, he has worked for the past 15 years as a development manager at the Finnish Environment Institute’s (Syke) Marine Research Centre, with the main task of managing and developing marine research methodology and technology related to research vessels. He has been responsible for scientific diving and related development projects at the University of Helsinki’s Tvärminne Zoological Station, the Finnish Institute of Marine Research, and the Finnish Environment Institute (Syke). He has been diving for about 40 years.

Jouni Polkko has worked for over 30 years as a senior researcher at the Finnish Meteorological Institute in planetary and space research projects, participating in space instrument design, construction, testing, and scientific use in international research projects. He has been active in diving and shipwreck research for over 35 years.

Badewanne is a non-profit organisation whose volunteer divers have documented shipwrecks in the Gulf of Finland for more than 20 years.

The Fog of War – The First World War in the Gulf of Finland
Text: Juha Flinkman, Jouni Polkko
Images: Jouni Polkko
Publisher: John Nurmisen Säätiö, 2024
Pages: 320 pages, approximately 200 images
Published: 20 August 2024
RRP: €49.90 (including 10% VAT)
The book can be purchased from the John Nurminen Foundation online store.
The English translation of the book was made possible by the support of the Weisell Foundation. On 20 August 2024, the book is published also in Finnish with the title Sodan sumua – ensimmäinen maailmansota Suomenlahdella.

Purchase the book online

The Fog of War exhibition
On 20 August, the John Nurminen Foundation will launch an online exhibition, based on the book The Fog of War, in the Digimuseo service. This free exhibition is available in English and Finnish.

To Digimuseo

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HELCOM: The State of the Baltic Sea Remains Worrying – the Sea Needs Our Help

How is the Baltic Sea doing, and what is to be expected in the future? HELCOM (the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission) published its third holistic assessment of the Baltic Sea, called HOLAS, in October 2023. The assessment examines the state of the ecosystem health of the Baltic Sea between 2016-2021.  

As the name suggests, HOLAS is a comprehensive, holistic assessment of the state of the Baltic Sea. It assesses the total impacts on the sea focusing on five thematic areas: biodiversity, eutrophication, hazardous substances, economic and social analyses, as well as spatial analyses of pressures and impacts.    

The message of the assessment does not give us much to celebrate: the assessment shows only little or no improvement in the state of the sea. The assessment is done using almost 60 different indicators that show the pressures on the sea and the state of its biodiversity. All three assessed categories of pressures on the sea – eutrophication, hazardous substances, and commercial fishing – are on an unsustainable level or have not decreased enough. 

The major challenge of eutrophication

Eutrophication remains a major problem for the ecosystems and the services they provide in the Baltic Sea region.  

Lotta Ruokanen, Professional Secretary at HELCOM, notes that although the nutrient inputs have decreased significantly, the status of the sea is mostly below the good environmental status threshold. However, noteworthy and somewhat positive is that only 1,3 percent of the sea area is in the worst category, bad status. 

Ruokanen also points out that in terms of water transparency, oxygen debt, shallow water oxygen, and state of the soft-bottom macrofauna community, the status is good in the Bothnian Sea, Bothnian Bay and Kattegat.  

There are multiple reasons why good status in different categories has not been achieved: i.e. changes in ecosystems may happen with a time lag, “new” challenges such as climate change arise, and some measures have yet to be implemented while some might be insufficient. 

The importance of assessing the state of the Baltic Sea

HOLAS provides necessary information for those protecting the sea. For example, John Nurminen Foundation bases its work on the best available scientific information to save the Baltic Sea most effectively. Thus, information on how different measures and actions are working is critical. 

Ulla Rosenström, the Director of Marine Environment at John Nurminen Foundation, says that HOLAS3 shows both that where agreed protection measures were implemented they have in fact been effective and that the work needs to be continued. We can also identify the areas that need special attention. 

Rosenström notes that along with assessing the state of the environment, following the past and future trends is important. Solely knowing the present state does not tell us whether protection measures are optimal.  

The high cost of inaction

The sea knows no boundaries, so concerted action is needed between Baltic Sea states as well as the European Union. It is key to consider societal, economic, and ecological connections as the three are in fact interconnected.  

Rüdiger Strempel, the Executive Secretary of HELCOM, points out a striking figure in the assessment: “The poor environmental status of the Baltic Sea has been shown to impact a wide range of ecosystem services on which we depend. The cost of inaction is therefore high.” 

The estimated yearly worth of achieving good environmental status (GES) in national marine waters by 2040 is 5.6 billion euros for the people around the Baltic Sea. 

To reach a good environmental status, transformative change is needed in all marine-related societal and economic sectors. Well-informed public decision making is crucial en route to change.  

The change requires a shared knowledge and understanding of the status of the sea and the objectives of actions to improve the status. According to Strempel, only a shared understanding can lead to targeted and effective measures as duplication of efforts can be avoided and efficiency maximized. 

The necessary but challenging indicators 

According to Rosenström, it is vital to look at the multiple pressures that can affect the same ecosystem. If they are viewed separately, the combined effects might go unnoticed.  

While using different indicators of the effects is important in assessing the environmental status, combining them into an index can be challenging, as the combined indicators might change in opposite directions. When publishing results, it is crucial to explain how the different indicators work – particularly to support well-informed decision making. 

“For example, the heaviness of nutrient load might not go hand in hand with the state of some species”, Rosenström specifies. 

Ruokanen likewise explains that the HOLAS assessment is done on the most integrated level: e.g. it combines all eutrophication indicators. Considered separately, the indicators of nutrient levels, direct effects and indirect effects show more variety in their results.  

Climate change requires attention

According to Ruokanen, climate change is something that needs a lot of attention. What’s notable is that climate change mitigation and marine protection often support each other. 

“There are signs of combined efforts and synergies in policies on e.g. simultaneous climate change mitigation, adaptation and improving the biodiversity status”, says Ruokanen. 

So, as the new year progresses, further work on saving the Baltic Sea is needed. While “new” pressures, such as climate change, make the protection work as pressing as always, it is not too late to save the sea.  

What is HOLAS?

The Baltic Sea countries have agreed on a strategic programme called Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) – adopted first in 2007 and updated in 2021. Aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the aim of the BSAP is to achieve a good environmental status of the Baltic Sea. The progress is followed up with HOLAS to review how the taken measures and actions are working.  

Hundreds of experts from various fields contribute to the assessments done roughly every six years. The HOLAS 3 report was published in its totality in October 2023.

Go to HOLAS 3 website

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Goal

To reduce agricultural nutrient emissions into the Baltic Sea by promoting the gypsum treatment of fields in countries bordering the Baltic Sea and by supporting the widespread introduction of gypsum treatment.

Schedule

2023–2026

Status

In Åland, 100 hectares of fields are treated with gypsum. The trial operation is carried out in several coastal states of the Baltic Sea.

Project partners

Finnish Environment Institute, Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Farmers’ Parliament (Latvia) Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Institute of Technology and Life Sciences – National Research Institute (Poland), Research Institutes of Sweden, Race for the Baltic (Sweden)

Location

Finland, Sweden, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland

More information:

Henri Nikkonen

Project Manager, agriculture

henri.nikkonen@jnfoundation.fi +358 50 553 3953

How does the gypsum treatment of fields help the Baltic Sea?

Eutrophication is the biggest problem in the Baltic Sea. Most of the phosphorus emissions that cause marine eutrophication currently come from agriculture, as phosphorus leaches from fields into waterways and the Baltic Sea.

Gypsum (calcium sulphate) improves the crumb structure of the soil, and helps phosphorus bind to soil. When phosphorus is bound in the soil, less phosphorus will leach into bodies of water. Gypsum also helps to prevent soil erosion and reduces the amount of solids and organic carbon that leach into waterways. Studies have shown that the gypsum treatment of fields effectively reduces phosphorus emissions into bodies of water: gypsum treatment halves the amount of phosphorus and solids that end up in the water. The effect on the soil lasts for about five years.

Gypsum treatment on the world map

The effects of gypsum treatment on soil, crops and waterways in Finland have been studied, and 52,000 hectares of fields have already been treated with gypsum. Gypsum treatment has been found to be effective, and has been included in the State’s Programme for Improved Water Protection. However, gypsum treatment is not so well known in other Baltic Sea countries and has not been recognised as an effective means of protecting the Baltic Sea.

The GYPREG project is studying gypsum treatment, and will be conducting tests in Sweden, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. The project is being led by the Finnish Environment Institute, and involves the John Nurminen Foundation from Finland and six other organisations from the target countries. The project is being funded by the European Union’s INTERREG Baltic Sea Region programme, which finances cross-border cooperation projects to improve the state of coastlines and marine environments.

It involves close cooperation between organisations in both the environmental and agricultural sectors in the target countries. The project aims to find a suitable method and boundary conditions for the gypsum treatment of fields in each target country and region, and to pilot this method with farmers. Country-specific solutions are being sought in accordance with factors such as the cost of gypsum treatment, the availability of gypsum and local legislation.

The John Nurminen Foundation’s role in the project is to promote the expansion of gypsum treatment in the Åland Islands and to support its introduction in other countries around the Baltic Sea.

The project aims to increase the use of this proven method of water protection, thereby helping EU Member States to fulfil their obligations under the EU Water Framework Directive, Marine Directive and Maritime Safety Directive, and to achieve the target set by the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM) of getting the Baltic Sea’s coastal waters into good condition by 2030.

The experiences and insights gained from this project will be utilised in, for example, policy recommendations and a variety of training materials.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdOKUW52TYc

Financing

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