📋 Tender Overview
The European Institute for Criminal Policy HEUNI has implemented the Handbook on Occupational Exploitation and Public Procurement on behalf of the Ministry of Finance to support contracting entities. Procurement units are for example the state and municipalities and they comply with the Procurement Act in their procurement. The guide has been prepared as part of the Procurement Finland program and the implementation of the national public procurement strategy.By safeguarding the rights of our employees we increase the well-being of our employees and improve the position of responsible companies and organizations. It is essential that infringements of workers rights are also prevented in public procurement. It requires expertise from the procurement units for which this guide provides important support says Sirpa Paatero Minister of Local Government .The guide describes the phenomena of exploitation and trafficking in human beings as well as instructions on what to do if you suspect that labor exploitation is taking place in domestic procurement. In addition the guide suggests measures to prevent exploitation at different stages of procurement. Finnish contracting entities have the opportunity to act as a leader as similar guidelines have not previously existed to combat labor exploitation in Europe.Occupational exploitation also occurs in FinlandCombating labor exploitation and human trafficking in procurement is important in Finland especially in high-risk sectors such as cleaning construction and restaurants. In this way contracting entities can prevent abuses and crimes and promote respect for human rights and the fundamental principles of working life. In addition this will improve fair competition between companies equality equal treatment and ensure legal working conditions for all. It is important that in practice procurers are provided with concrete tools for their procurement processes. Closer co-operation between different authorities is also needed here so that the procurement units are not left alone to consider these emphasizes Tiina Ekholm Purchasing Director of the City of Vantaa . Cases of work-based exploitation in Finland have been identified as for example underpaid work work in poor conditions rape and human trafficking. Cases are difficult to identify and victims of exploitation do not always know they are being exploited or want to raise issues. Human rights violations have occurred especially in subcontracting chains which are difficult to control. Its important to realize that the problems arent just about global sourcing. Procurement units combat exploitation by among other things clarifying roles clarifying responsibilities and developing controls. I hope that the guide will encourage procurement units to familiarize themselves with their own subcontracting chains and help them see deeper into the surface says Anni Lietonen a researcher at HEUNI .Learn more about socially sustainable procurement in next years webinarsThe guide has been published online in Finnish Swedish and English and can be downloaded free of charge from the HEUNI and Hankinta-Finland websites. Print versions can also be requested from HEUNI. The Ministry of Finance HEUNI and Hansel will organize webinars on socially sustainable procurement in 2022. The webinars will be based on the Labor Exploitation and Public Procurement guide and the common minimum targets for responsibility to be completed by the end of the year. The webinars will be held on January 18th and February 10th.
