Stakeholder dialogue

Suominen’s stakeholders are entities or individuals that have an impact on or are impacted by our business. Our stakeholder groups differ greatly, and thus the focus areas and the channels of communication vary according to each groups’ interests and needs. Continuous interaction with our stakeholders is a key aspect in Suominen’s approach to sustainability.

Stakeholder dialogue provides important insights into the expectations and concerns our stakeholders have and helps us to identify the opportunities and risks in our operating environment. We want to engage in open and continuous dialogue with our stakeholders and strive for transparent communication through various channels.

Suominen conducted its first double materiality assessment in 2024. Our previous materiality assessment was conducted in 2019. The scope of the 2019 assessment was different from the double materiality assessment and thus the results are not directly comparable. The results of the 2019 assessment served as the basis for our Sustainability Agenda for the period 2020–2025.

Suominen’s Sustainability Agenda 2025–2030 was published in March 2025. The Agenda is built around four key themes that reflect the most important topics for the company and its stakeholders. The themes are based on the double materiality assessment completed in 2024, which reaffirmed that the themes from previous period of the Sustainability Agenda (2020–2025) remained relevant.

The process of identifying and assessing material impacts, risks and opportunities through a double materiality assessment followed the requirements of the European Sustainability Reporting Standards. The double materiality assessment was carried out in the beginning of 2024 with an external partner. The scope of the double materiality assessment included all Suominen’s operations and geographies and our key business relationships within our value chain.

Stakeholder group	Expectations and interests	Meeting stakeholder expectations / Outcome of engagement	Meeting stakeholder expectations / Outcome of engagement
Employees	Safe working environment Compensation and benefits Development opportunities Equal treatment Well-being and positive workplace culture	Strong safety culture, including Behavior Based Safety program, Life Saving Rules, and the ISO 45001 standard certifications Fair and equal compensation and benefits Performance Development Process including individual competence development plans Recruitment policy, HR principles Open communication Code of Conduct	Daily interaction Global intranet and internal newsletter Global employee engagement survey and local pulse surveys Performance development discussions Stakeholder survey Trainings and e-Learning platform
Suppliers	Long-term partnership Open communication and cooperation Payment for materials and services	Continuous cooperation Smooth and efficient raw material quality assurance process Supplier Code of Conduct General Terms and Conditions of Purchase	Meetings and other direct contacts Requests for tender and contracts Stakeholder survey
Customers	Product quality and safety Innovation and product development Reducing environmental impact Responsible fiber sourcing Value for the customer Long-term partnership Cost-competitiveness	Quality and safety assurance through audits and certifications Sustainable product portfolio and product development with customers Low impact manufacturing including resource efficiency targets Development of expertise Continuous cooperation and on-site visits Participation in exhibitions and trade fairs Code of Conduct	Meetings and other direct contacts Exhibitions and other industry events and industry media External communication, e.g., customer newsletter Audits and certificates Customer and stakeholder surveys Customer service Requests for tender and contracts
Investors, shareholders, analysts	Market value and dividends Sustainable growth Accurate, consistent, and reliable information Risk assessment and management Innovation and product development Sustainability	Communication in accordance with Finnish legislation, EU directives, stock exchange rules and other regulations Implementation of our strategy aiming for growth and profitability Implementation of our Sustainability Agenda Transparent reporting, sustainability reporting in accordance with CSRD Code of Conduct	General Meetings of shareholders Quarterly and annual reporting Stock exchange and press releases Shareholder and analyst events Website and other digital channels Stakeholder survey
Political decisionmakers, public authorities, NGO	Regulatory compliance Responsible supply chain Responsible operations	Compliance with laws and regulations Whistleblowing channel Sustainability reporting in accordance with CSRD Code of Conduct	Reporting and other external communication Direct contacts Stakeholder survey
Society and local communities	Jobs and fair employment practices Responsible and sustainable production Regulatory compliance Tax contribution	Employment and fair compensation Recruitment policy and HR principles Low impact manufacturing including resource efficiency targets Good corporate citizenship Tax contribution Code of Conduct	Media Reporting and other external communication Stakeholder surve