Central government’s sustainability reports for 2024 highlight economic and security issues

The State Treasury has instructed central government organisations to report on their sustainability work on an annual basis. The organisations used their reports to describe how they have promoted the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that apply most to them, and how they have handled the direct impacts of their activities on their operating environment. In 2024, 60 organisations reported on the sustainability of their operations.

As in previous years, the organisations reported most on the SDGs related to climate action, responsible consumption, peace, justice and strong institutions, and decent work and economic growth. The least addressed SDG was the one targeting the elimination of poverty.

Societal unrest reflected in the reports

Societal phenomena contribute to how sustainable development is approached and promoted at different times. The reports for 2024 examined how sustainability initiatives relate to challenges in areas such as public finances and security.

The central government’s savings also challenged sustainability work and the resources allocated to it. Economic scarcity guided organisations to approach sustainability work from new angles. Many organisations have faced difficult co-operation negotiations that have had an impact on their social sustainability.

Global political instability and the heightened focus on security issues have brought security-related themes to the fore, not only in the reports by traditional security authorities but also in those from other organisations. Sustainability work can be seen as a means of strengthening comprehensive security – for example, by addressing environmental crises as part of societal resilience alongside traditional measures for bolstering national defence.

“We in the central government share similar change factors, threats, and opportunities in our operating environments, though naturally from the perspective of our individual organisations’ tasks and emphases. As part of the central government’s savings efforts, the Government has decided to streamline its administrative procedures and reporting, which also means discontinuing the central government’s sustainability reports. This is a new phase where our strengths will not disappear with the reports – rather, they will instead be reflected in the actions and solutions that build a sustainable future,” says Liisa Räsänen, Director General of the State Treasury.

The summary for 2024 will be the last edition

As part of the central government’s savings measures, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Policy has decided to pursue savings by, for example, streamlining the central government’s tasks and obligations, improving the use of joint central government group services, and accelerating the use of digitalisation and artificial intelligence in central government. As part of the efforts to streamline the central government’s reporting activities, the central government has decided to discontinue its sustainability reporting.

Report (in Finnish, Abstract in English) >

Summary of the report (in Finnish) >