Human rights

The characteristics of the construction industry, such as a high level of subcontracting and long supply chains, increase the risks related to labour and human rights. Therefore we pay particular attention to the realisation of human rights and the prevention of human rights violations in our supply chains.

We are committed to respecting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations and the eight core conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) which our partners must also commit to respect.

Our approach

Our principles regarding human rights are outlined in the YIT Code of Conduct and in the YIT Supplier Code of Conduct. The YIT Code of Conduct illustrates what it means to comply with our values when we interact with our different stakeholders. All YIT employees are required to complete training on the content of the YIT Code of Conduct. YIT’s Supplier Code of Conduct describes the principles that our partners must follow, for example, in freedom of association, non-discrimination, working hours, wages and contractual requirements, prohibition of child and forced labour, and occupational health and safety.

YIT Group HR principles provide guidelines for people related issues. They form the basis for the fair and equal treatment of our employees. We do not tolerate any kind of harassment or inappropriate behaviour. All reported cases are handled, and corrective measures are implemented following the procedures outlined in our Management System. We promote equality and diversity through equal opportunity, gender equality and diversity planning.

Measures to ensure the realisation of human rights

We are actively working  to identify human rights-related risks and develop due diligence procedures concerning human rights. In 2022, we conducted a human rights impact assessment, focusing particularly on human rights issues related to our supply chain. We reviewed processes and measures to identify, assess, prevent, mitigae, remediate, monitor and communicate potential negative human rights impacts. The assessment also identified areas for improvement in the Group’s guidelines and processes.

To prevent labor exploitation and the grey economy, we started enhanced verification of work and residence permits in Finland for employees from countries outside EU, EEA and Switzerland in Finland in 2022. Additionally, we established a policy that no third-country nationals are allowed as posted workers on our Finnish construction sites, but instead, we always require a residence permit with work authorization issued by the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri).

At the beginning of 2023, we implemented functionality in our access management and induction systems to prevent access to our construction sites from contractors who operate in violation of the law or sustainable ethical principles. In 2022, we published a guide for construction industry operators to identify and prevent labour exploitation in the construction sector and introduced  The Prevent labour exploitation poster on our construction sites in Finland. In Finland, our procurement organisation organises regular training to employees on responsible procurement themes. YIT employees and other stakeholders have the possibility to report any suspected deviations or violations anonymously through the YIT Ethics Channel.

We will continue our work to establish a systematic approach and consistent practices to assess the realisation of human rights in all countries where we operate.