Children and education

We work with our stakeholders to increase children’s access to education by 2030, and promote respect for children’s rights by actively supporting and participating in initiatives aimed at keeping children in school.

We are committed to respecting and supporting children’s rights, and to implementing the Children’s Rights and Business Principles throughout our business and value chains, including in our workplace, marketplace and communities.

Eliminating child labor

At Neste, we are committed to eradicating child labor and recognize the need to find durable solutions that support children and members of their families, who are in or at risk of child labor, to ensure they are given the chance they deserve to better education, protection and future. Read more in our Modern Slavery Statement which is updated annually and details the steps we are taking to identify, assess and address child labor risks in our operations and supply chains.

Neste as a Leader in Global Child Forum’s benchmark

In 2024, we were recognized as a leader in the Global Child Forum’s annual benchmark, The State of Children’s Rights and Business 2024. Neste was ranked among the top 10 companies out of 1,802 benchmarked globally. This accomplishment demonstrates our ongoing commitment to safeguarding children's rights throughout our operations and value chains.

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Decent working conditions and family friendly policies

We understand that our business can impact the lives of children in multiple ways on a daily basis. That is why we also strive to support our employees as families and parents. We promote employee wellbeing and a healthy work-life balance, provide agile, flexible ways of working, pay a living wage so parents can support their families and children stay in school, ensure safe working conditions so that caregivers return home, and regularly conduct employee surveys to determine if these practices meet our employee needs.

Creating opportunities for young people

We recognize the urgent global need to reduce the number of youth aged 15-24 not in employment, education or training. We provide summer job opportunities for young professionals yearly. We offer multiple thesis work opportunities to students from different disciplines, and partner with educational institutions and schools on an ongoing basis to expose students to different career paths and insights on the future of working life.

We also offer opportunities for high school students to gain exposure to working life, including our participation in the TET two-week work experience period for Finnish 9th graders.

Collaborating on advancing Children’s Rights

As is the case with all human rights issues, children’s rights are best advanced through collaboration. Below are just a few ways in which we are collaborating to ensure children’s rights are supported, protected and upheld:

Improving access to education and supporting caregivers with SOS Children’s Villages

At the end of 2022, we started a partnership with SOS Children’s Villages for a three year project to support children and improve school-attendance in high-risk communities where Neste has supply chains. In 2024, we continued to work in collaboration to support vulnerable families and improve children’s lives through education and life skills training in Kolkata, Nagapattinam and Bawana. Through this partnership, SOS Children’s Villages also offers guidance and local expertise to deepen Neste’s understanding of children’s rights issues in our supply chains in India.

Partnering to provide free healthcare for children in Latvia

Protecting the rights of children living on palm plantations

Since 2019, Neste, together with a number of major brands, has been working in partnership with Wilmar and the international non-profit, BSR, on a program aimed at protecting the rights of children living on palm plantations. A key element in the program has been the development and publication of a Child Protection Policy Implementation Manual, developed in consultation with child protection authorities, NGO topic experts, unions, and international organizations including the RSPO.

Environmental education under the Siak Pelalawan Landscape Programme

Neste is a founding member of the Siak Pelalawan Landscape Programme (SPLP), a private sector-driven initiative which aims to achieve sustainable palm oil production by supporting smallholders and communities in the Siak and Pelalawan districts in Riau, Indonesia.

The SPLP includes environmental education programmes for children. For example, in 2024, SPLP village facilitators launched a nature school for children and youth in Kayu Ara Permai. The nature school aims to educate community members from a young age about the significance of mangrove ecosystems, fostering greater awareness and engagement in conservation and protection activities. In 2022, village facilitators in Tanjung Air Hitam initiated collaboration with local primary schools to develop educational materials and teach children about the environment and biodiversity surrounding their village, including the Kampar river, peatlands, mineral soils, and local plants and animals. For younger children the method used was learning whilst playing. Older children were introduced to village maps, land use, and recognizing peat and river types to help protect the environment. The schools plan to continue the education with field learning activities, such as visiting local rivers, forest areas and peatlands.