Espoo joins the inclusivity campaign of European cities
Espoo has joined the Inclusive Cities for All campaign of the Eurocities network consisting of large and medium-sized European cities. The campaign highlights the cities' commitment to the European Pillar of Social Rights.
The European Pillar of Social Rights is a guiding beacon and a toolbox through which EU member states can promote just, equal and inclusive societies.
In Espoo, the third Pillar principle of equal opportunities especially speaks to us. We want to work towards Espoo remaining an innovative, fair and responsible city where everyone can live, work and thrive.
We promote social sustainability and equal opportunities
As Espoo grows more multicultural, it is important for us that residents with different backgrounds are able to feel at home in the city and are welcome to participate in building the future of Espoo. To support new residents in feeling at home, we have developed the Hello Espoo concept that connects the service point located in the Matinkylä neighbourhood, Espoo-based communities and events, and the HelloEspoo.fi website.
At the end of 2024, 9.3% of the Espoo workforce was unemployed. However, the situation is more challenging for those working-age persons who do not speak Finnish or Swedish as their first language: one in five of them are jobless. Our goal is to narrow this gap and improve the job market opportunities of foreign-language speakers. It is essential that they find work for our society's vitality, the availability of skilled labour, and the sustainability of public finances. Key measures in achieving this are the Espoo Talent Hub and the Skills Centres that support the employment, education and inclusion of immigrants.
In Espoo, we pay attention to different starting points in life: for example, we have developed language and integration courses specifically for stay-at-home mothers, supported by early childhood education services. We are also developing our digital services to increase equality.
In Espoo, you are a welcome and valued member of the community. We are committed to continuing our work for equal opportunities.
The European Pillar of Social Rights is a guiding beacon and a toolbox
Eurocities is a network of major European cities that was founded in 1986. Its members include over 200 cities from 38 countries.
The European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR) aims to ensure that social justice and wellbeing go hand in hand with economic development. The Pillar of Social Rights consists of 20 principles. The Council of the European Union, the European Parliament, and the European Commission made a joint proclamation of the Pillar in 2017.
The campaign of the Eurocities network that makes the local actions related to the Pillar more concrete, Inclusive Cities for All – Eurocities(external link, opens in a new window), has been running since 2019. A hundred European cities have signed the pledge connected to the campaign, including the largest cities in Finland: Espoo, Helsinki, Oulu, Tampere, Turku, and Vantaa.
Enquiries
Milla Ovaska, Head of International Affairs, tel. +358 43 8244911, milla.ovaska@espoo.fi.
Read Espoo's pledge on the ‘Inclusive Cities for All’ campaign page(external link, opens in a new window).