How do companies take the climate, the environment and human rights into consideration in their activities? Do stores offer responsibly produced clothing? How about laptops or phones?
These are the questions to which we are trying to find answers in autumn 2021, as theme weeks or events for sustainable development related to responsible consumption are held on nine university campuses. We can expect interesting discussions, workshops, movie nights, webinars, excursions, Instagram livestreams and podcasts concerning, for instance, responsibility in the clothing and electronics industries. The goal is to challenge students to change their consumer habits in a more responsible direction, and to promote responsible consumer decisions also within student organisations and universities.
The events are held by the National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL), the Student Union of the University of Helsinki (HYY), the Student Union of the University of Jyväskylä (JYY), the Student Union of the University of Turku (TYY), The Student Union of Åbo Akademi University (ÅAS), the Student Union of the University of Lapland (LYY), the University of the Arts Student Union (ArtSU), the Student Union of LUT University (LTKY), and the Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland (ISYY) in Joensuu and Kuopio. Some of the events are organised together with Pro Ethical Trade Finland and Fairtrade. Depending on the COVID-19 situation, the events will be held both online and face-to-face, minding safe distances.
Read more about the programme here: www.syl.fi/en/uphold-sustainability/. You can follow the events on social media with the hashtags #kannatakestävyyttä, #kekeviikko and #upholdsustainability.
The theme weeks and events are part of SYL and the student unions’ joint project Sustainability holds us up, uphold sustainability. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has granted the project support for communications and global education projects.
Additional information
Sinituuli Suominen
Development Policy Adviser
National Union of University Students in Finland
sinituuli.suominen@syl.fi
tel. 044 780 0220
