Sustainability reports
Read from our sustainability reports how we have made progress on our sustainability journey.
Building sustainable development
The global sustainability crisis requires us to act in an ecologically, socially, culturally and economically sustainable manner. We all need people who can make a difference.
Sustainable development is a cross-cutting theme in Metropolia's strategy. At Metropolia, we are building a sustainable future by promoting the sustainability of our own operations and education and by developing sustainable development and growth solutions together with our partners.
Responsibility and sustainable development will be integrated into Metropolia's studies so that everyone studying with us can both solve sustainability challenges in their own field and promote sustainable development in working life and society.
Metropolia's sustainable development roadmap for 2026−2027
Our sustainability work is steered by the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Metropolia strategy 2030,
the expectations of our stakeholders and our sustainability roadmap. The roadmap depicts our sustainability goals
and the measures and indicators needed to reach them. It also functions as the framework for our development
efforts.
We update and maintain our programme offerings to ensure that the principles of sustainable development are embedded in all studies
Indicator: Graduates’ feedback survey (AVOP) on sustainability competence
Measures:
- Conduct a sustainability status assessment in all degree programmes.
- Develop learning pathways that support lifelong learning and enable skills updates at different stages of life.
- Expand the sustainable development offering in the Open University of Applied Sciences.
Strengthen knowledge and skills for a sustainable future
Indicator for 2026: Number of staff who have completed the DEI course
Measures:
- Deepen understanding of pedagogy for a sustainable future through materials, think tanks and team discussions.
- Ensure that Metropolia staff complete the new DEI course.
- Maintain and update Metropolia’s sustainability module in Moodle.
- Ensure that the use of AI in teaching and learning is ethical and sustainable.
- Promote student wellbeing by providing personalised support and guidance.
- Apply the European Union’s sustainability competence framework (GreenComp) in sustainability education.
We lead responsibly and with a human touch
Indicator: Responsibility Index from the staff survey
Measures:
- Ensure that our management system supports and enables responsible leadership.
- Update Metropolia’s Code of Conduct.
- Renew thinking, practices and structures to be learner-, employee- and customer-oriented.
- Develop models and tools that enhance the community’s capacity for renewal and resilience.
We safeguard the health, wellbeing and safety of students and staff
Indicator: Results of wellbeing surveys for staff and students
Measures:
- Monitor the wellbeing of staff and students and actively develop solutions to promote it.
- Ensure consistency of guidelines and policies related to health, wellbeing and safety.
- Foster a culture of active intervention.
We promote equality, equity and diversity within the Metropolia community
Measures:
- Implement the “Diverse and Equal Metropolia” plan, updated in autumn 2025.
- Participate in FIBS corporate responsibility network’s diversity commitment.
We steer the operations of innovation hubs in line with sustainable development principles
Indicator: Amount of project funding related to sustainable development
Measures:
- Maintain sustainability content and practices in project preparation.
- Provide project managers with sustainability support materials (including operating models).
- Develop monitoring of results and impact of sustainability solutions.
We accelerate solving sustainability challenges through a phenomenon-based approach and by leveraging open innovation and research activities
Indicator: Number of publications related to sustainable development
Measures:
- Promote openness of sustainability-related publications, research data and learning materials. Make research and infrastructure carried out on innovation platforms openly visible in the national research information portal: research.fi.
- Strengthen the identification of sustainability-related phenomena (including foresight and weak signals).
We enhance regional vitality through sustainable entrepreneurship, business and employment
Indicator: Number of Turbiini business ideas related to sustainable development
Measures:
- Invest in sustainability expertise within Turbiini business incubator.
- Offer all students the opportunity to participate in entrepreneurship and innovation studies.
- Promote measures that support sustainable entrepreneurship through collaboration between universities of applied sciences (as part of 3AMK cooperation).
- Strengthen communication showcasing solutions and innovations aligned with sustainable business practices.
Key Indicator: Carbon footprint (tCO₂e)
Measures:
- Calculate our carbon footprint annually (baseline 2022) and develop it to be verifiable.
- Increase the use of renewable energy and improve the energy efficiency of our properties.
- Support low-emission commuting and business travel, and reduce related emissions.
- Promote sustainable use of natural resources and resource efficiency across all operations (including space utilisation, waste management and water consumption).
- Reduce emissions from procurement in accordance with the climate programme.
- Favour climate-friendly food and collaborate with campus catering providers to reduce food waste.
- Monitor carbon sequestration opportunities and explore possibilities for investment in this area.
Measures:
We conduct business responsibly and select partners according to the principles of responsible business.
Indicator: Preventive risk management measures and their effectiveness.We invest responsibly, and investment activities are included in carbon footprint calculations.
Indicator: Portfolio responsibility rating must be at least level A or equivalent (good).We make investments and procurements in accordance with sustainable development principles.
Indicators: CO₂e tonnes from procurements and the share of investments and procurements meeting sustainability criteria, calculated as percentages and euros.We develop circular economy expertise and create related business models.
Indicator: Value of internal shared-use agreements in euros.We refine accounting practices to enable verifiable climate reporting.
We assess the carbon footprint of RDI activities and reduce the footprint of project operations.
- We assess the carbon footprint of business operations and mitigate its growth.
More than half of Metropolia students consider environmental responsibility skills an important part of their education
Metropolia conducts an annual student survey on themes related to sustainable development and responsibility. In 2025, the survey received responses from 215 students.
The survey asked whether students consider skills related to environmental responsibility an important part of their education. 58 percent of respondents selected a rating of 6 or 7 on a scale of 1–7 (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree). The survey also asked whether students feel they are learning about sustainable development themes at Metropolia and whether they are capable of applying these skills in their future profession. On this same scale, 40 percent of respondents gave a rating of 6 or 7.
The aim of the survey is to map students’ wishes, observations and experiences to support the development of activities. Key areas for improvement identified in the 2025 survey include teaching and applying sustainable development themes across different fields, as well as increasing student awareness of Metropolia’s sustainability goals and efforts.
Areas that received mostly positive ratings included environmentally friendly choices enabled by campus food services as well as experiences of safety and equality on campuses.
Contact us
Anssi Almgren
Development Manager