Empowering Finnish SMEs to Reduce Emissions

Summary

In 2025, the Finland Chamber of Commerce committed to launch the Climate Community with the goal of supporting Finnish small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in line with Finland’s carbon neutrality target by 2035. Over five years, this national, first-of-its-kind initiative will reach 750 companies across all regions of Finland, directly impacting an estimated 1,500 entrepreneurs and indirectly influencing thousands more through participating companies’ supply chains and employee networks. The program also addresses a major barrier identified in a national survey: SMEs lack both resources and knowledge to advance climate action. Through a no-cost support platform, the Climate Community will provide training sessions, expert advice, emission calculations, peer-to-peer learning, and digital tools tailored to SMEs, and the Chamber commits to coordinating this effort with a dedicated expert team. Measurable outcomes include annual carbon footprint calculations and emission reductions and increased climate competence among SMEs across diverse sectors.

Approach

The Finland Chamber of Commerce commits to launching the Climate Community, a first-of-its-kind national initiative designed to offer long-term, free-of-charge support to SMEs committed to climate action. This initiative provides practical tools and expert-led services, including a carbon footprint calculator for scope 1-3 emissions, and high-quality training in Scope 3 emissions, climate risk management, environmental claims in marketing, energy efficiency, biodiversity, and other climate-related topics. Other benefits for participants include peer support, feedback on environmental claims, and opportunities to collaborate with others committed to reducing emissions.
In its first year, the initiative will support 150 SMEs across different sectors, with a goal of expanding annually by 150 new SMEs. Participants will be expected to actively commit and engage with the program to ensure the support translates into measurable reductions and credible climate communication.
The Climate Community is an expansion of the successful Climate Program provided by the Finland Chamber of Commerce with the support of LocalTapiola. Established in 2024, the Climate Program provides 300 Finnish SMEs annually with training on calculating scope 1&2 GHG emissions and setting a carbon reduction plan, valued at $350,000 per annum.
The Finland Chamber of Commerce will coordinate the Climate Community’s operations, including organizing events and reviewing the organization’s carbon footprint calculation by experts, in accordance with the international Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol, which will improve the reliability of emission data. Five core staff members are directly committed to the initiative: climate program officer, climate coordinator, sustainability manager, sustainability specialist, and climate policy advisor. Additional internal resources, such as event producers and communications professionals, will also support the implementation as needed.
LocalTapiola General Mutual Insurance Company, the corporate partner of this commitment, contributes essential funding to the Climate Community through donations.

Action Plan

The Climate Community will be launched on August 20, 2025. The initiative will begin with a live kickoff event, where 150 participating SMEs will receive inspiration, updated information on evolving climate regulations, and insights into new business opportunities. This launch marks the first step in a long-term initiative planned to continue through 2030. Preparatory work and soliciting applicants to the program is currently ongoing.
In September 2025, the first training module on Scope 3 emissions accounting will take place, followed by sector-specific workshops in October and November, allowing companies to receive tailored guidance and exchange best practices. The fall season will also include three expert-led thematic sessions focusing on biodiversity (October) , responsible environmental claims (November) , and energy efficiency (December) .
In January 2026, a second live event will strengthen peer networking and review early progress. During early 2026, the Finland Chamber of Commerce will begin its review of companies’ emissions calculations and collect sectoral data to monitor the impact of the commitment. Monthly thematic training will continue in the spring, covering topics such as positive climate impact, climate risks, and circular economy. The digital community platform will remain active year-round to encourage ongoing exchange and collaboration between businesses.
In spring 2026, a new application round will open for participants, allowing the initiative to grow annually by 150 SMEs. The structure of training and events will remain consistent year to year, with updated content to reflect emerging trends and policy developments. Annual Scope 3 training, calculation reviews and feedback surveys will form the backbone of long-term impact tracking.
The initiative will continue annually based on the above-mentioned schedule, with the last new application round opening in autumn 2029 and the last round of training sessions completed by June 2030.

Background

Although businesses are committed to addressing climate change, their efforts are falling short of national and global emission reduction goals. In Finland, while 90% of large companies, 75% of medium-sized companies, and 37% of small companies have set climate targets (Finland Chamber of Commerce, 2025) , emissions have only been reduced by 3%, far below the necessary levels (Global Compact Finland, 2023) . Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) , representing over 98% of Finnish businesses, play a key role in achieving Finland’s carbon neutrality target by 2035. However, a national survey by the Finland Chamber of Commerce (2025) identifies the lack of knowledge and suitable business solutions and high costs as key barriers that limit SMEs’ ability to effectively reduce emissions. To overcome these challenges, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) would benefit from easily accessible expert support and the opportunities of sharing best practices with peers and finding new collaborative partnerships.
The EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) requires large companies to gather emissions data from their supply chains, creating additional pressure on EU Member States’ SMEs to prove their emissions reductions with limited resources. Ensuring the accuracy and comparability of emissions data from SMEs is a major challenge.
Moreover, much of companies’ indirect emissions arise from global supply chains. To effectively address climate change, companies need to understand their full emissions footprint, including Scope 3 emissions from the supply chain. Calculating these emissions is more complex than measuring direct emissions, requiring specialized knowledge and detailed data from suppliers. This is particularly challenging for SMEs, as they often lack the capacity to collect and analyze such information. Overcoming these challenges requires practical and accessible solutions to help SMEs accurately measure and manage their climate impact.

Progress Update

Partnership Opportunities

The Finland Chamber of Commerce seeks media support and credibility to ensure the continuity and expansion of the Climate Community. Notably, the Finland Chamber of Commerce looks to CGI and the broader community for communication and media support, which are essential for raising awareness among SMEs and the broader public about the importance of SME-led climate action, thereby increasing participation and influence.,Through the Climate Community, The Finland Chamber of Commerce shares access to a growing national network of climate-active SMEs, sectoral insights, and best practices in climate action. They are open to sharing at an operational level with similar convening platforms and communities how it has achieved success.