Hurja has been awarded the carbon neutrality symbol by Koodia Suomesta ry
Koodia Suomesta ry awarded Hurja the carbon neutrality symbol in December 2024. This recognition reinforces our commitment to environmental responsibility and the principles of sustainable development. Obtaining the carbon neutrality symbol requires the calculation and minimization of the carbon footprint, as well as the offsetting of remaining emissions.
Toward a more responsible software industry
According to the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, the ICT sector’s energy consumption accounts for 4–10% of the world’s electricity, and emissions from the sector are rising significantly. This makes the sector a key player in mitigating climate change. Hurja’s sustainability program aims to play its part in addressing this challenge by promoting energy-efficient solutions and environmentally friendly practices.
The software industry in Finland is a pioneer in sustainability in many respects, but carbon neutrality is not yet an established practice within the sector. The carbon neutrality symbol established by Koodia Suomesta ry offers companies a tool to highlight their efforts toward more sustainable software production and encourages customers to make more climate-conscious purchasing decisions.
Progress in Hurja’s sustainability work toward its climate action target
The measures set out in Hurja’s sustainability program for the 2024 climate action target were to assess Hurja’s carbon footprint and draw up a concrete plan to reduce emissions. The aim was to achieve carbon neutrality by the end of 2025 and to obtain certification for this.
Hurja’s carbon footprint and measures to reduce it
In 2024, Hurja’s carbon footprint was calculated in collaboration with Carbon Wise Oy, and total emissions were estimated at approximately 39.6 metric tons of CO2 equivalent. The calculation took into account Hurja’s energy consumption, water and waste management, business travel, employees’ commutes to and from work, data transfer and server usage, as well as purchased services.
The sources of emissions were:
- Outsourced services (59%)
- Business travel (27%)
- Heat and electricity emissions (7%)
- Business travel (6%)
- Waste management, data transmission and water supply together accounted for less than one percent of the total carbon footprint
Measures to reduce emissions:
We are also actively working to reduce our own carbon footprint through concrete measures.
- Use of renewable energy: We prioritize renewable energy in areas such as our office and server maintenance, including Hetzner’s virtual servers located in a domestic data center, which are powered entirely by renewable energy.
- Energy-efficient premises and recycling: We pay close attention to the energy consumption of our equipment; we have switched to LED lighting in our premises, improved our waste sorting and recycling practices, and decided to move to smaller premises to improve energy efficiency.
- Circular economy for equipment and resources: We acquire our employees’ computers through leasing agreements, meaning that the equipment is returned to suppliers at the end of its life cycle. We also apply the circular economy to the procurement of office furniture. Another aim is to recycle or donate equipment that is no longer in use but still in working order, such as monitors.
- Sustainable commuting: We are reducing emissions by enabling remote working, minimizing unnecessary travel and offering a company bicycle program.
- Responsible procurement: In our procurement activities, we aim to select responsible suppliers and, where possible, domestic suppliers; for example, we minimize the purchase of corporate gifts manufactured abroad.
- Increasing the availability of plant-based food: We prioritize plant-based food at company events and use oat milk in our coffee.
Increasing the carbon footprint:
We actively strive to increase our positive climate impact by providing software development services that support environmentally beneficial projects, either directly or indirectly. We aim to act as a software development partner in projects that promote climate-positive objectives. This is also enshrined in our company’s sustainability program. To support this goal, we are prepared to offer services related to these projects at more affordable rates, so that we can play our part in enabling the impacts of sustainable development on a larger scale.
*A carbon footprint describes the positive impacts that products or services have on the climate. These impacts may include, for example, emission reductions resulting from the use and application of a product or service. However, a carbon positive footprint does not replace the need to reduce a carbon footprint or offset remaining emissions.
Carbon footprint offsetting
The carbon footprint was fully offset through investment in the ‘Planting Biodiverse Forests in Panama (CO2OL Tropical Mix)’ project.
The project aims to restore tropical ecosystems and promote sustainable timber production by planting native tree species and teak in the area. The new forests provide a habitat for the region’s flora and fauna, protect and enrich the soil, conserve and filter water, and help mitigate climate change. Furthermore, the project enables sustainable cocoa production, which enhances local biodiversity.
The project we have selected thus also supports the ‘decent work and economic growth’ objective of our sustainability program, providing long-term jobs, fair wages and training opportunities for local communities.
Looking to the future
Achieving carbon neutrality means that our original goal of becoming carbon neutral by the end of 2025 has been achieved ahead of schedule. However, this significant step is just the starting point on our journey toward a more sustainable future. We will continue to advance our climate goals and develop responsible practices – one line of code at a time.
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Hurja Solutions has opened a branch office in the Graniittitalo building in Helsinki