Course on Finnish Business Culture for asylum seekers strengthen Hanken´s social responsibility

The target group for the course is asylum seekers in Finland and exchange students at Hanken.

- During the course the participants will get an introduction to the factors influencing business operations in Finland, to the Finnish business culture and management style, and very concrete tips on how to establish and operate a business in Finland, explains Pia Polsa, who is responsible for the course.

During the course the participants will also work on a business plan and their CV.

The participants in the course consist approximately fifty-fifty of asylum seekers and exchange students. The asylum seekers come mainly from Iraq, but also from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Eritrea, Nepal, Somalia and Syria.

During the past six months Hanken has initiated several actions as part of its social responsibility. In May, Hanken & SSE Executive Education launches the integration programme for educated asylum seekers and in April, Hanken decided to award study credits to students performing voluntary work.

- These initiatives are a response to an appeal from the Ministry of Education, in which it called for activities that support the integration of refugees into Finnish society. Hanken also has several other initiatives under development, says Minna Martikainen, Dean of Education at Hanken.

Since several years back, Hanken offers a study module in corporate social responsibility, which is open to all students at Hanken regardless of major. In addition, Hanken has a humanitarian logistics track in one of its six master’s degree programmes in English.

- Hanken has actively worked with promoting social responsibility within both research and education for several years. Within research, the institute in humanitarian logistics (HUMLOG) is a global forerunner in its field and within education, Hanken has been in the forefront of promoting responsible management education within the so called PRME initiative, concludes Martikainen.

More information:
Pia Polsa, associate professor in marketing
pia.polsa@hanken.fi
+3521 3521 419

Minna Martikainen, Dean of education
minna.martikainen@hanken.fi
+3521 3521 460