Human rights commitments

Sanoma adheres to internationally recognized human rights standards, including:

  • The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)
  • The International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work
  • The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
  • The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
  • The UN Global Compact, of which Sanoma is a signatory

These principles are embedded into Sanoma's policies, for example the Sustainability and Human Rights Policy, Code of Conduct, and Supplier Code of Conduct.

Human Rights Due Diligence

We follow a continuous due diligence process aligned with the UN Guiding Principles and OECD Guidelines, embedded into Sanoma's Sustainability and Human Rights Policy and including:

  • Governance integration
  • Stakeholder engagement
  • Risk identification and mitigation
  • Monitoring and grievance mechanisms

Human rights impacts 

Sanoma’s core businesses in learning and media directly support fundamental rights. We promote equal access to education for 25 million students across Europe and uphold freedom of expression through independent journalism in Finland. We are committed to data privacy and the ethical use of AI, especially in educational contexts.

Internally, we foster a safe, inclusive workplace through policies on health, equality, and employee development. Across our supply chain, we work to ensure fair working conditions, freedom of association, and gender equality, prioritizing collaboration and corrective action to address risks.

Grievance mechanisms and remediation

We provide secure, anonymous reporting through the Sanoma-WhistleB hotline. This channel is open to employees, customers, and partners to report any violations of our ethical principles. All reports are handled confidentially and without retaliation.

Norwegian Transparency Act Statement

In accordance with the Norwegian Transparency Act (Åpenhetsloven), Sanoma has published a dedicated statement outlining how we address actual and potential adverse impacts on fundamental human rights and decent working conditions across our operations and value chain. This statement applies to Sanoma Corporation and its subsidiaries, including itslearning AS, a leading provider of digital learning platforms headquartered in Bergen, Norway. It covers the fiscal year 2024 and is aligned with the requirements of the Act.

Learn more in the full Norwegian Transparency Act Statement 2024 at itslearning's webpage.