Castrén & Snellman continues as a sustainability forerunner in business law. Our newly published sustainability report for 2023 is our fourth. The report offers an overview of our sustainability work thus far, covering three areas: advice for clients, responsible business and impact on society.
7.5.2024
Castrén & Snellman published its sustainability report for 2023
Our sustainability report for 2023 highlights diversity work and ESG-related client assignments
We take ESG considerations into account in all the services we offer to our clients. Increasingly, we carry out ESG due diligence reviews and provide training on the developing regulatory framework of corporate sustainability.
Here are some ways in which we promoted sustainability in 2023:
- We focused on diversity work and have had success. Fewer employees disagree with the statement that our work community supports employees expressing their membership in minorities. In our first equality survey in 2021, 13.5% of the respondents disagreed with the statement while in 2023 only 4.4% disagreed.
- We organised our sustainability work more efficiently. We established an ESG steering group consisting of partners to focus on corporate sustainability. Our Head of Sustainability, Partner Anna Kuusniemi-Laine joined the Management Group. ESG Counsel Lia Heasman was recruited to strengthen our client work. These decisions made in 2023 will be reflected in our work this year.
- We met our first climate targets as our direct emissions and the emissions from the energy we use decreased over 99% compared to 2019. The decrease is largely due to a switch to renewable district heating in our premises in the autumn of 2022. There is still room for improvement in reducing our indirect emissions in the value chain.
Read our sustainability report.
Our sustainability work in 2024 is spurred on by the regulatory framework of corporate sustainability as we help our clients meet the requirements of new ESG laws, such as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. We are also preparing for the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive ourselves, since it will apply to us as of 2025.
You can read the reports for the years 2020–2022 here.
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Latest news
Latest references
Efima – Sale of AI business
We advised Efima Oyj on the sale of its AI business to Better Care Technologies Oy. The transaction included Efima’s Moiva AI platform developed for the care sector, the related technology and brand, customer contracts, and the experts working in the business. Efima is a Finnish digital company that supports the sustainable growth of large and mid-sized companies by streamlining their business processes and by creating competitive advantage through the innovative use of artificial intelligence and data. The company has nearly 200 experts based in Helsinki and Tampere.
Case published 21.9.2026
Neoen – Sale of data centre
We advised Neoen Renewables Finland Oy, part of the French Neoen Group, in its sale of a data centre project to a consortium consisting of international data centre developers and operators. This marked Neoen’s first data centre development project in Finland. Founded in 2008, Neoen is one of the world’s leading independent renewable energy producers. The company operates in 15 countries. It develops, finances, builds, owns, and operates solar power plants, wind farms, and battery storage systems. Neoen Group is owned by global alternative asset manager Brookfield Corporation.
Case published 17.9.2026
Jolt Capital and Tesi – Investment in VEV
We advised Jolt Capital and Tesi in connection with their investment in VEV, a leading provider of commercial fleet electrification solutions. The investment, led by Jolt Capital with Tesi as co-investor, will support VEV’s next phase of growth and expansion across Europe. As part of the transaction, VEV became an independent company following the acquisition of Vitol’s stake in the business. Founded by Vitol, VEV provides integrated fleet electrification solutions combining fleet strategy, charging infrastructure, energy supply and operational services. Through its VEV IQ platform, the company supports more than 6,000 commercial electric vehicles across Europe and has been deployed across more than 600 sites spanning the transport, logistics and waste sectors. Jolt Capital is a private equity firm focused on growth investments in European deeptech companies. Tesi is a Finnish state-owned investment company that promotes Finnish business and economic growth through investments. We advised Jolt Capital and Tesi on the equity financing and structuring aspects of the transaction. International law firm Goodwin advised the investors on the acquisition of VEV.
Case published 10.9.2026
VR Group – Intellectual property matters
VR-Group Plc is a transport and logistics group owned by the Finnish State, operating passenger and freight rail transport in Finland with activities also in the Swedish market. VR Group provides passenger, logistics and maintenance services with over 160 years’ experience in developing responsible transport of the future. We advise VR Group in intellectual property matters as part of the company’s wider brand protection efforts. Our assignments have included advice on copyright, design rights and trademarks, focusing on the protection of the company’s visual identity – including its distinctive green colour – in connection with transport services as part of a comprehensive IP protection strategy. VR Group’s consistent brand building has also received recognition, including the Finland Chamber of Commerce’s Brand of the Year award in 2026. In the competition, brands were viewed comprehensively from various perspectives, including their story, strategic role, brand renewal ability and intellectual property protection. The jury found that VR had understood the importance of the protection of its brand as part of a comprehensive business strategy.
Case published 9.9.2026