Co-operation principles

Co-operation with companies, public authorities, foundations and non-governmental organisations is one of the Finnish Environment Institute's (Syke) key objectives. Syke’s co-operation principles have been updated to reflect our goals and the current requirements of the operating environment.

The aim of the updated co-operation principles is to create a foundation for collaboration with different stakeholders. The principles take into account key issues for Syke, such as independence, impartiality, responsibility, transparency, and publicity. They also emphasise the consideration of sanctions-related matters as well as the confidentiality, fairness, and compliance with competition regulations in commercial activities. The goal is to ensure that these factors are comprehensively incorporated into Syke’s operations. A checklist has been prepared to support case-by-case assessments, and it is completed already during the planning phase of the co-operation.

Key operating principles for Syke

We safeguard our independence.
We avoid conflicts of interest and do not accept bribery.
We do not co-operate with entities subject to sanctions.
We value the responsible conduct of our partners.
Our research results and data materials are mostly public.
Our commercial activities are confidential and impartial.
We comply with competition regulations in our commercial operations

We safeguard our independence

Syke is an independent and impartial research and expert institute that strives to make society more sustainable. We rely on good scientific and professional practice and a solid scientific foundation. International peer review of scientific publications serves as a key quality assurance for research results.

We adhere to openness, transparency, and fairness in all our activities. In our co-operation, we ensure that our independence or the equal treatment of the various actors is not compromised. We also ensure that the conditions of our official duties are always taken into account.

We encourage the participation of our researchers and experts in societal debate. Syke does not participate in the activities of political interest groups and does not support their activities financially.

We avoid disqualification and do not accept bribery

We make sure that the people who make decisions are not impeded about what is being decided. Disqualification covers all situations in which the resolution of a case constitutes or appears to constitute a conflict of interest due to one's own position or close relationship. We maintain a register of the commitments and dependencies of Syke's entire management.

We follow the instructions given by organisations and authorities for receiving gifts and hospitality. We may give or receive only customary, low‑value personal gifts that do not create any explicit or implicit obligations, nor any expectation of a return favour for either the giver or the recipient.

We do not cooperate with entities subject to sanctions

We comply with sanctions imposed by the EU, the UN and Finland, and we verify that any prospective partner is not subject to such sanctions.

We value the responsibity of our partners

The activities of every company or organisation have social, economic and environmental impacts. Responsible operations take into account the direct and indirect effects on the surrounding society.

We verify that our partners have fulfilled their statutory obligations. We value partners who are committed to continuously developing their operations. It is important to us that our partners act responsibly and strive to implement solutions that promote sustainability.

Our research results are mainly public and the data are open

The research results obtained in research collaboration are mainly public. The need to protect research results and research methods will be confirmed before publication. The data collected in cooperation are mainly openly available through Syke's information services. The results of public research funded by foundations are also public.

The results of research funded by individual customers are generally the responsibility of the subscriber. In the assignment agreements, we define the ownership rights to the results, methods, and data, as well as the procedures related to their publication.

Our commercial activities are confidential and fair

We offer customer-funded research and expert work fairly and impartially to all companies and organisations whose operations support Syke's vision and mission, and comply with the principles of good scientific practice.

In all commercial activities, we always conclude an agreement with the client, specifying the publicity and any confidentiality of information concerning the client and of research results obtained in the course of the work. We always treat client information and business secrets as confidential. When necessary, Syke’s personnel are required to sign separate non‑disclosure undertakings.

We comply with competition regulations in our commercial operations

In our commercial activities, we ensure that we operate in compliance with competition legislation and the competition regulations of the European Union. We aim to anticipate and avoid any potential conflicts in advance.

We price our research and expert services in accordance with the provisions of the Act on Criteria for Charges Payable to the State, and we follow all applicable regulations concerning procurement.