Responsibility

• We recognise and take into account the environmental impact of our operations and regularly measure and monitor the achievement of our environmental targets.
• We are participating in the Society's Commitment to Sustainable Development 2050 project(external link, opens in a new window), committed to increasing awareness and popularity of sustainable food choices in cooperation with our customers. For example, we organise vegetarian food competitions for the students, inspiring young people to develop and share vegetarian recipes. 
• We take part in the Steps to Organic programme, serving organic milk, crushed grain and porridge flakes in schools and day-care centres and organic sour milk, milk and bread at our lunch restaurants.
• The daily product selection at our lunch restaurants features many Fairtrade products, such as Fairtrade coffee and tea, bananas, juices, cocoa, chocolate and sugar. 
• We have created a quality and environmental system, which we apply in our main Kilon Keittiö kitchen and administration. Through the quality and environmental management system, we ensure the responsible and customer-oriented development of our operations. We recognise and take into account the environmental impact of our operations and regularly measure and monitor the achievement of our environmental targets.

• Food safety is the foundation of our high-quality catering operations.  We continuously work to ensure product safety in all areas of our operations. We manage product safety risks through a self-control programme and ensure product safety through measurements and assessments.  
• The self-control programme covers all our activities from employees’ hygiene competence to the sanitation of production facilities. We regularly monitor and assess the realisation of the self-control programme at all of our locations. Our restaurants display near their entrance the Oiva-report(external link, opens in a new window) published by a municipal food inspector.

• We provide 80% of the City of Espoo branches’ meal services, working closely together with the City of Espoo and representatives of the various branches.
• Customer feedback guides our operations, and we actively collect feedback through various channels.

• We cooperate with Uusimaa TE Services and the City of Espoo’s employment services, and we are involved in the Easy Steps towards Working Life project together with, for example, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare and the Rehabilitation Foundation.
• The well-being of our employees and a good working atmosphere are important to us. We treat our employees and customers fairly and equally with respect.

• Profitable operations are a basic requirement for growth, development and employment. We aim for financial stability. Ensuring the continuity of the business operations is an essential part of our responsibility effort. 
• We make responsible procurements and promote sustainable development together with our contract suppliers.

Espoo Catering has been awarded ISO 9001 quality management system and ISO 14001 environmental management system certifications. The external audit was carried out by Bureau Veritas Certification. 

The certificates demonstrate our long-term commitment to continuous development, customer satisfaction and environmental protection improvements. Our operations meet the criteria of the international quality management and environmental management system standard.

We have made the following quality and responsibility promises:

• Espoo Catering Oy provides high-quality and sustainably produced meal services in accordance with the customer agreement, supporting the customers’ well-being. Kilon Keittiö kitchen complies with the company’s quality and environmental policy in production. The recommendations of the National Nutrition Council serve as the foundation of planning the meals served to different age groups. 
• We develop our operations in collaboration with the customers. We assess, monitor and continuously improve our operations based on the needs of our customers. 
• We set quality and environmental goals and regularly measure, monitor and analyse their results. 
• We recognise and take into account the environmental impact of our actions. We specify the environmental viewpoints, objectives, and goals of our operations and identify the measures needed to achieve these goals. We regularly monitor the achievement of the environmental targets. We are involved in the Society’s Commitment to Sustainable Development 2050 programme with commitment for sustainable development.  
• We comply with current legislation and regulations. Quality is founded on product safety. In order to maintain the high level of product safety, we train our staff and carry out continuous monitoring. 
• Our environmental work is derived from the City of Espoo’s sustainable development strategy and through our environmental work, we support a sustainable lifestyle in Espoo. 
• Our staff members have great professional skills and follow our operating principles. 
• We regularly monitor our staff’s well-being at work and occupational safety. 
• The management of Espoo Catering Oy is committed to environmental protection and continuous improvement of operations with consideration of the needs of our customers, environment, laws and regulations, our staff and shareholders. 

This is how we ensure risk management at Espoo Catering:

• The Board of Directors and the CEO of Espoo Catering are jointly responsible for our risk management and the related processes.
• We report significant risks and the effectiveness and adequacy of our risk management to the City of Espoo.
• We conduct a risk assessment that includes identifying, evaluating, and assessing the tolerance of both internal and external risks, as well as evaluating their likelihood, significance, and management.
• We regularly prepare and update our own risk management summary and actively monitor our operating environment.
• In our assessments, we strive to identify, evaluate, and manage potential risks that may impact the achievement of our business objectives.
• We report essential risks to the City of Espoo in a corporate report on a quarterly basis. Our reporting considers short-term risks and uncertainties and presents key risks along with measures to manage them.
• Our risk management particularly focuses on controlling food hygiene deviations, ensuring the availability of skilled personnel, and managing exceptional situations such as power or water supply disruptions, strikes, or pandemics. Additionally, we assess risks related to corporate security.
• We have organized risk management through crisis communication guidelines and agreed-upon operational models, employee training, an occupational safety action plan and safety representatives, Signal messaging groups, and food security stocks.
• Espoo Catering’s management assesses that the company’s risks are currently at a manageable level, considering the scale of operations and the practical possibilities for risk management.