Materiality assessment
Sustainability is extremely important in public procurement, and we wish to acknowledge sustainability extensively in our operations. Hansel’s materiality matrix includes nine points, and it was last updated in the autumn of 2019 after the reorganisation of the company and its ownership, when Hansel’s services were opened for the entire Finnish public administration. In 2020, it was linked to the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDG). In 2022, there was no need to make changes to the materiality matrix.
For more information, click on the matrix’s circles.
Climate- and eco-friendly procurement
Prevention of the black economy
Openness and transparency
of public procurement
Ethical policies
Providing support and guidance
for our customers and suppliers,
and ensuring their commitment
Efficient procurement in the entire public sector
Socially responsible procurement
Well-functioning
markets and good
tendering practices
Competent work
community where
people feel well
Social responsibility
Financial responsibility
Environmental responsibility
Effects in several areas
Realising procurement in a climate- and eco-friendly manner is possible with the contracts Hansel makes. We have 15 years’ experience of considering environmental matters in tendering.
Indicator: Hansel’s ecolabel; SDG: 7 Affordable and clean energy, 12 Sustainable consumption and production, 13 Climate action, 15 Life on land
Prevention of the shadow economy has been included in our processes for a long time. We demand good performance from our suppliers in their contractual obligations, and we continuously monitor the situation with an automated oversight service. Before signing contracts, we make sure that the contractual suppliers have taken care of their social responsibilities. We do not condone the shadow economy, and we have tools to eradicate it.
Indicator: Social responsibility label; SDG: 8 Decent work and economic growth, 16 Peace, justice and strong institutions
Openness and transparency of public procurement are some of the basic principles of our operations. There is a great deal of responsibility when procurement is realised using tax revenue. We maintain the Tutkihankintoja.fi and Hilma services.
Indicator: The use of the Tutkihankintoja.fi service and further development of the Hilma service; SDG: 12 Responsible consumption and production, 16 Peace, justice and strong institutions
Ethical policies create the foundation for Hansel’s operations. Transparency and openness towards both customers and suppliers is one of the prerequisites for our operations. Hansel has a compliance function and reporting channel.
Indicator: No misconduct; SDG: 16 Peace, justice and strong institutions
Providing support and guidance to our customers and suppliers, and ensuring that they are committed to the process, come with our role as the developer of comprehensive procurement operations. We serve our customers and suppliers through a variety of channels. We value functional cooperation and regular interaction. We are developing first-class digital services.
Indicator: customer and supplier satisfaction; SDG: 12 Responsible consumption and production, 17 Partnerships for the goals
Efficient procurement in the entire public sector can be achieved by centralising procurement operations. We have strong evidence that concentration will achieve both cost and process savings.
Indicator: Joint procurement volume; SDG: 12 Sustainable consumption and production
Hansel’s sustainability analysis covers socially responsible procurement. The Code of Conduct requirements are more often included in joint procurement projects in which high social responsibility risks have been identified (e.g. long subcontractor chains). Procurement-related employment and accessibility are often emphasised in tendering, for example.
Indicator: Social responsibility label; SDG: 1 No poverty, 2 Zero hunger, 3 Good health and well-being, 8 Decent work and economic growth, 12 Responsible consumption and production
Functionality of the market and good tendering practices are key aspects of our work. We are active in the supplier market and familiar with the market. We want our procurement operations to attract interest and we follow the number of tenders. We arrange tendering in accordance with our own processes, which always include quality assurance.
Indicator: SMEs’ share of the total volume; SDG: 8 Decent work and economic growth, 12 Responsible consumption and production, 16 Peace, justice and strong institutions
A competent work community where the people feel well is one of the prerequisites for success. An employee of Hansel is a respected expert in public procurement who continuously develops their competence and also shares it with their colleagues. As a company, Hansel is a desired workplace with a working culture that supports the balance of work and free time as well as flexible working.
Indicator: personnel satisfaction, number of training days; SDG: 3 Good health and well-being, 4 Quality education, 5 Gender equality, 10 Reduced inequalities
Sustainability management approach
| Materiality theme | Material aspects | Limitations and impact | Management approach | Performance assessment |
| Efficient procurement in the entire public sector | Efficient use of public funds; price and process savings |
Joint procurement volume benefit strongly influences the finances of internal customers | Category management carries the main responsibility, extensive internal instructions | Price and volume monitoring, savings calculations |
| Ethical policies | Compliance is absolutely necessary because of the nature of our operations | The actions of all the employees have direct impact | Compliance function established and compliance officer named | Compliance monitoring and reporting; event and gift list |
| Climate- and eco-friendly procurement | Procurement can have a positive impact on climate and environmental matters | Impact comes through the requirements specified for suppliers’ products and services | Sustainability management and related processes; new tool: sustainability analysis | Ecolabel; considering climate and the environment as comprehensively as possible in tendering; environmental matters considered, % |
| Openness and transparency of public procurement | Public funds must be used transparently | Systematic collection of joint procurement data; cooperation with customers to obtain their procurement data |
Development of analytics services | Volume of procurement data; expansion of the tutkihankintoja.fi service |
| Socially responsible procurement | High effectiveness of joint procurement and taking into account subcontracting chains in procurement | The effects can be seen in the operations of the contractual suppliers and their subcontractors | Code of Conduct appended to joint procurement agreements | Social responsibility label, % |
| Prevention of the shadow economy | Public funds are used through our contracts, which is why the prevention of the shadow economy is important | Hansel monitors the operations of its contractual suppliers | Financial sustainability processes and their monitoring | Financial sustainability label, % |
| Operation of the market and good tendering practices | Public procurement should be realised in accordance with the existing competitive conditions | Hansel’s goal is to obtain several offers in each tendering process | Compliance with processes when preparing procurement | Number of offers/tendering; number of contractual suppliers and subcontractors; share of SMEs among suppliers |
| Providing support and guidance to customers and suppliers, and ensuring their commitment | Development of public procurement | Direct impact on the sharing of good practices and operating models | Extensive internal instructions | Customer and supplier satisfaction; number of participants at different events |
| Competent work community where people feel well | Strategic goal: becoming the most valued public procurement expert and an attractive employer | The company’s operations and management method have a direct impact | HR processes | HR indicators, personnel satisfaction |
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Read next: Sustainability management