Ahlström Collective Impact Celebrates World Children’s Day with UNICEF Finland
Ahlström Collective Impact Celebrates World Children’s Day with UNICEF Finland
On November 20th, the world unites to honor and celebrate the rights of children everywhere. This day stands as a reminder that children are not only the future but are deserving of respect, protection, and opportunities today. World Children’s Day symbolizes our collective commitment to building a better world for future generations.
For the fifth consecutive year, Ahlström Collective Impact joins forces with UNICEF Finland to raise awareness about Child Rights as part of the World Children’s Day celebrations. Initially established in 1954, World Children’s Day was introduced by the UN General Assembly to promote global unity and consciousness among children, all while advancing their well-being. Childhood stands as a pivotal phase in life, establishing the foundation for lifelong success by nurturing cognitive abilities, emotional wellness, social competence, and robust physical and mental health.
Our Responsibility
Within the Ahlström network, we are aware that we have an impact on the lives of children—directly or indirectly. The choices we make today resonate in the lives of the next generation. Therefore, it is our responsibility, not only as global citizens but also as industry leaders, to champion and respect children’s rights in the workplace, in the marketplace, in the community, and through environmental stewardship.
What Does This Mean for Us as a Network?
Investing in Education: Together, we invest in children’s education by supporting UNICEF’s Global Education Fund.
Promoting Child Rights: We have actively promoted child rights for four years and raised awareness through various activities.
Creating Impact: We have created impact through awareness activities in our businesses, foundations, and family network, including World Children’s Day and Child Rights in Business Webinars, Ambassador network, and CEO meetings.
During the week of November 20th, the members of Ahlström Collective Impact spread the message about World Children’s Day among their employees and external stakeholders, reinforcing our commitment to the rights and well-being of children everywhere.
Ahlström Collective Impact Continues its Support for UNICEF's Educational Work
"BUSINESSES PLAY A KEY ROLE IN FULFILLING SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY" - AHLSTRÖM COLLECTIVE IMPACT CONTINUES ITS SUPPORT FOR UNICEF'S EDUCATIONAL WORK
Ahlström Collective Impact will continue to support UNICEF's global educational program in 2024, reinforcing its commitment to children's education worldwide. A key element of this collaboration is the training organized by UNICEF Finland for members of the Ahlström Collective Impact network, emphasizing the importance of children's rights in business operations and corporate responsibility.
The support provided by Ahlström Collective Impact for UNICEF's educational program this year amounts to close to 800 000 euros.
"I see that the corporate sector plays a crucial role in social responsibility, and this role will become increasingly important in the future. UNICEF Finland's recent report on the child rights performance of Finnish companies, viewed through a 'child lens,' is a significant step forward in this effort.
Our vision is to create a better world for future generations, and as the world's most influential children's organization, UNICEF has the potential to effect long-lasting changes in the lives of children and young people." - Nelli Paasikivi-Ahlström, Chair of the Ahlström Collective Impact
"We are grateful to Ahlström Collective Impact for its long-term commitment to partnering with us and supporting our educational work. Education is every child's right. It is also a key part of building a sustainable and stable future and strengthening the resilience of societies," says Johanna Talvela, Director, Corporate Collaboration, UNICEF Finland.
Partnership in Action
The collaboration extends beyond financial support. Earlier this year, companies within the Ahlström Collective Impact network participated in a study by UNICEF Finland on the implementation of children's rights in Finnish-listed companies. Based on the study's findings, these companies have started to further develop their responsibility work.
Addressing the Digital Divide
In a rapidly changing world, the digital divide remains a significant barrier for many children and young people. Nearly three-quarters of 15-24 year-olds in the lowest-income countries lack the necessary skills for the workforce, and about two-thirds of school-aged children worldwide do not have internet access at home.
UNICEF's educational efforts aim to bridge this divide by bringing digital learning to millions of children and young people. This includes training teachers in digital pedagogy and extending these solutions to refugee centers, homes, and schools, even in emergency situations. Thanks to UNICEF's work, nearly 38 million children gained access to education in 2022, and 14 million children and young people developed skills through digital channels.
"Education reduces inequality. Our task is to ensure that learning is within reach of every child," says Johanna Talvela, Director, Corporate Collaboration, UNICEF Finland
A Broader Mission
UNICEF, the world's largest advocate for children's education, promotes education in 150 countries. Its efforts include providing education in crisis situations, changing attitudes that hinder schooling, promoting quality teaching, and defending the right to education for children with disabilities and minorities. The organization works on both grassroots efforts and the development of entire education systems in collaboration with government authorities.
About Ahlström Collective Impact
The Ahlström Collective Impact collaboration model began in 2020, uniting companies and foundations in the Ahlström network to invest in children's well-being through selected UNICEF projects aligned with the UN's sustainable development goals. Members include A. Ahlström, Ahlström Invest, Ahlstrom, Avain Yhtiöt, Destia, Detection Technology, Eva Ahlström Foundation, Glaston, M&J Recycling, Suominen, and Walter Ahlström Foundation.
Ahlström Collective Impact celebrates World Children's Day together with UNICEF Finland
United Nations’ World Children’s Day is celebrated on November 20 each year to promote children’s rights and welfare. For the fourth consecutive year, Ahlström Collective Impact joins forces with UNICEF Finland to raise awareness about the wellbeing of the new generations as part of the World Children’s Day celebrations.
Initially established in 1954 as Universal Children's Day, World Children's Day was introduced by the UN General Assembly to promote global unity and consciousness among children while advancing their well-being. Childhood is a pivotal phase in life, establishing the foundation for lifelong success by nurturing cognitive abilities, emotional wellness, social competence, and robust physical and mental health. Alongside essential requirements such as nutrition, health, and shelter, access to education is essential as it empowers individuals with knowledge, skills, and opportunities, enabling personal growth, economic progress, and societal advancement. That is why we have chosen to focus this year's campaign on Article 28, Access to Education.
During the week of November 20th, the members of Ahlström Collective Impact spread the message about World Children’s Day among their employees and external stakeholders.
Read more about World Children’s Day: https://www.un.org/en/observances/world-childrens-day
Read more about Ahlström Collective Impacts investment into UNICEF’s Global Education Program: https://ahlstromcollectiveimpact.com/2023/06/ahlstrom-collective-impact-continues-to-support-unicefs-education-work
Child Rights – over 30 years of improving children’s lives
In 1989, world leaders made a historic commitment to the world’s children by adopting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child – an international agreement on childhood. It has become the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history and has helped transform children’s lives around the world.
UNICEF is the only organization mentioned as the expert of child rights
UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. It is the only organization specifically named in the Convention on the Rights of the Child as a source of expert assistance and advice.
UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children's lives, to defend their rights, and to help them fulfil their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.
UNICEF influences laws and policies to create lasting change for children and implements long-term development programs that support the own structures of low- and middle-income countries. UNICEF is also the world's leading organization working for children in crisis situations; wars, conflicts and natural disasters.
By supporting UNICEF, Ahlström Collective Impact is making an impact in strengthening children's rights.
Childhood defined
Contained in the Rights of the Child treaty is a profound idea: that children are not just objects who belong to their parents and for whom decisions are made, or adults in training. Rather, they are human beings and individuals with their own rights.
The Convention says childhood is separate from adulthood and lasts until the age of 18; it is a special, protected time, in which children must be allowed to grow, learn, play, develop and flourish with dignity.
Most widely ratified human rights treaty
The Convention is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history. It has inspired governments to change laws and policies and make investments so that more children finally get the education, health care and nutrition they need to survive and develop, and there are stronger safeguards in place to protect children from violence and exploitation.
It has also enabled more children to have their voices heard and participate in their societies.
Many childhoods still cut short
But still not every child gets to enjoy a full childhood. Still, too many childhoods are cut short.
Millions of children continue to suffer violations of their rights when they are denied adequate health care, nutrition, education and protection from violence. Childhoods continue to be cut short when children are forced to leave school, do hazardous work, get married, fight wars or get locked up in adult prisons.
And global changes, like the rise of digital technology, environmental change, prolonged conflict and mass migration are completely changing childhood. Today’s children face new threats, but also new opportunities to realize their rights.
Hope for the children of today and tomorrow
The hope, vision, and commitment of world leaders in 1989 led to the Convention of the Rights of the Child. It is up to us all to demand that world leaders from government, business and communities commit to action in making sure every child has every right. By learning about the rights of the child and sharing what you have learned, you can help improve knowledge and understanding and also strengthen their realization.
Further reading: https://www.unicef.org/child-rights-convention/convention-text
Ahlström Collective Impact Continues to Support UNICEF’s Education Work
Education plays a key role in reducing inequality and poverty and in strengthening societal stability. For the fourth consecutive year, Ahlström Collective Impact continues to support UNICEF's global education work.
Ahlström Collective Impact, a unique cooperation model bringing together the companies and foundations in the Ahlström network, continues to support UNICEF’s education work. The investment of close to 800,000 euros will be directed to UNICEF’s global education program. This program provides support for millions of children who need to continue to learn, grow and develop the skills necessary to thrive in life. By bringing together the companies and foundations in the Ahlström network, the initiative can amplify the impact of individual organizations.
“Supporting education plays a vital role in building a more sustainable world. As the world’s leading organization working for children, UNICEF has a real opportunity to create long-term changes in children’s future. We see our donation to UNICEF as an investment, which results in more stable societies”, comments Maria Ahlström-Bondestam, Chair of Ahlström Collective Impact.
Learning in crisis
Currently, almost 90% of the children worldwide are attending school. At the same time, learning is in crisis. More than 600 million children and young people across the world are failing to reach the minimum levels of reading and mathematics, even though two-thirds of them are in school.
“Education is every child's right. It reduces inequality and poverty and creates more stable societies in which businesses can thrive. At the same time, we are contributing to a future where every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential," says Marja-Riitta Ketola, Executive Director of UNICEF Finland.
Training on the importance of children's rights
As an area of corporate social responsibility, human rights and children's rights are tightly connected to companies’ business activities. As part of the cooperation, UNICEF Finland trains the employees of Ahlström Collective Impact companies and foundations on children's rights. In addition to general training on child rights and business, UNICEF Finland provides in-depth training on topics such as child rights in supply chains and creating family-friendly workplaces.
Launched in 2020, the Ahlström Collective Impact cooperation model brings together companies and foundations in the Ahlström network to invest in the well-being of children in selected UNICEF projects in accordance with the UN's principles of sustainable development. Ahlström Collective Impact includes Ahlstrom, A. Ahlström, Ahlström Invest, Avain Yhtiöt, Destia, Detection Technology, Eva Ahlström Foundation, Glaston, M&J Recycling, Suominen and Walter Ahlström Foundation. Ahlström Collective Impact was initiated by the Eva Ahlström Foundation in 2020, with the purpose of inspiring a new type of collaboration within the Ahlström network.
ACI Ambassadors visiting UNICEF Supply Division in Copenhagen
ACI ambassadors Carla Kruse from A. Ahlström and Søren Guldbæk Arentsen from M&J Recycling visited UNICEF Supply Division in Copenhagen in May. UNICEF Supply Division is housed in the largest humanitarian warehouse in the world. These headquarters are much more than a warehouse: they are the heart of the UNICEF global supply operation, forming the pivot of all related activities.
“ I was impressed with this vast, robotized and extremely efficient logistics machine, that we saw and how all of this has been put in place with a higher purpose – to help the world’s children. I was especially impressed with the procurement function at UNICEF and how it has shaped the market of suppliers – for the good of children”, says Søren Guldbæk Arentsen, Global Marketing Manager for M&J Recycling.
UNICEF delivers life-saving supplies for children worldwide, procuring and delivering over 5,000 products to support essential programming in sectors such as health, education, and child protection. These supplies are also an integral part of UNICEF’s emergency response.
“The need for and amount of attention regarding everything was impressive. How to e.g. store the products taking into consideration shipping time, expiration dates, temperature – pretty much every small detail. Also, how to stack products into convenient kits for schools, for health purposes and so on”, says Carla Kruse, Family Functions, specialist, from A. Ahlström.
Working for affordable and sustainable markets
Access to affordable and fit-for-purpose products from sustainable markets is essential for the survival and development of children.
For example, worldwide, preventable birth complications, acute respiratory infections and diarrhoea are some of the leading causes of death for children under five years old. This is mostly because products and services such as vaccines, medicines, clean water, and appropriate sanitation are out of reach for these children.
Innovation to meet the needs of UNICEF’s strategic programme areas
Product innovation at UNICEF is about turning ideas into tangible and scalable solutions. It involves the identification, development and scaling of fit-for-purpose and value-for-money products that respond to the unmet needs of children.
UNICEF is managing a portfolio of product innovation projects that respond to the needs outlined in UNICEF’s strategic programme areas, including child survival, child protection, education, and emergencies.
Some projects include the High Performance Tents, Disability-friendly Latrines and Non-pneumatic Anti-Shock Garment.
How working for the collective good helped bring a family closer together
The Ahlström family in Finland recognizes that commercial success depends not only on generating profit but also on making a positive global impact on the lives of others, write Malgorzata Smulowitz and Peter Vogel. Ahlström Collective Impact is a vehicle that makes it possible for everyone in the Ahlström network to contribute towards solving some of the most pressing challenges facing our global society. The uniqueness lies in the power that comes from bringing all entities together under one umbrella and letting purpose and values be the guiding principles that unite the Ahlström network - Maria Ahlström-Bondestam.
Read more about Ahlström Collective Impact in the article below, published in I by IMD in 2023.
https://www.imd.org/ibyimd/magazine/how-working-for-the-collective-good-helped-bring-a-family-closer-together/
World Children's Day
Ahlström Collective Impact celebrates World Children's Day together with UNICEF Finland
United Nations' World Children's Day is celebrated on November 20 each year to promote children's rights and welfare. For the third consecutive year Ahlström Collective Impact joins forces with UNICEF Finland to raise awareness about the wellbeing of the new generations as part of the World Children's Day celebrations.
The World Children’s Day was first established in 1954 as the Universal Children's Day The UN General Assembly started World Children's Day in 1954 to promote international togetherness and awareness among children worldwide and improve children's welfare. Childhood is one of the most critical periods in life. This is when the development of cognitive skills, emotional wellbeing, social competence, and sound physical and mental health builds a strong foundation for success well into adulthood. Along with the basic needs of nutrition, health, shelter, and quality education, play is essential to growing the potential for future success.
During the week leading up to November 20, the members of Ahlström Collective Impact spread the message about World Children's Day among their employees and external stakeholders. This year the importance of quality education and the right to play are in the focus, and all employees within the network are challenged to #makeyourmove and think about children's right to education and play by reminiscing about a favorite childhood game.
Read more about World Children's Day: https://www.unicef.org/world-childrens-day https://www.un.org/en/observances/world-childrens-day
Read more about Ahlström Collective Impacts investment into UNICEF's Global Education Program: https://ahlstromcollectiveimpact.com/2022/09/ahlstrom-collective-impact-invests-eur-1-million-in-the-welfare-of-children-via-unicef-finland
Ahlström Collective Impact invests EUR 1 million in the welfare of children via UNICEF Finland
Investment used for education of children globally and to support children in Ukraine
Ahlström Collective Impact, a unique cooperation model bringing together the companies and foundations in the Ahlström network, has invested EUR 1 million in the education of children globally and to support children in Ukraine. Ahlström Collective Impact made an investment of EUR 770,000 into UNICEF’s Global Education Program in 2022. In addition, the companies, employees, foundations, and shareholders within the Ahlström Collective Impact have raised nearly EUR 300,000 for the children in Ukraine.
Quality education, gender equality and partnerships for the goals
Ahlström Collective Impact unites 10 public and private companies, 3 foundations, shareholders and employees to act together with UNICEF Finland to support the realization of selected United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This year, the joint investments will be directed to UNICEF’s Global Education Program, supporting goal number 4. UNICEF’s Global Education Program provides support for millions of children who need to continue to learn, grow and develop the skills necessary to thrive in life. By bringing together the companies and foundations in the Ahlström network, the initiative can have a bigger impact than the partners could have alone.
“Ahlström Collective Impact is very much a continuation of the values and beliefs held by my great-great-grandparents Antti and Eva Ahlström, who 170 years ago passionately argued that an investment in an equal education for girls and boys is the basis for a stable society, a prosperous business as well as the key to a sustainable future. We are now supporting these topics on a global level through cooperation with UNICEF ”, says Maria Ahlström-Bondestam, Chair of Ahlström Collective Impact.
"Education plays a key role in reducing inequality and poverty and strengthening societal stability. Right now, nearly two-thirds of ten-year-olds are unable to read and understand a simple text. UNICEF works for the education of every child, so that children would have the skills and abilities needed to thrive in the future. This work would not be possible without strong and innovative supporters like Ahlström Collective Impact", says Marja-Riitta Ketola, Executive Director, UNICEF Finland.
The entire Ahlström network comes together
The Ahlström Collective Impact includes the entire Ahlström network of companies and foundations; Antti Ahlström Perilliset, Ahlström Capital, Ahlström Invest, Ahlstrom-Munksjö, Destia, Detection Technology, Enics, Glaston, Suominen, Avain Yhtiöt, M&J Recycling, the Eva Ahlström Foundation and Walter Ahlström Foundation. Ahlström Collective Impact was initiated by the Eva Ahlström Foundation in 2020, with the purpose of inspiring a new type of collaboration within the Ahlström network.
Ahlström Collective Impact supporting UNICEF Global Education Program - Key Results 2021
The pandemic brought education systems across the world to a halt, with school closures affecting more than 1.6 billion learners at its peak, including 167 million younger children who lost access to early childhood education. Learning losses are substantial, with the most marginalized children and youth disproportionately affected.In 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic continued to disrupt education for millions of children. Education plays a key role in reducing inequality, cutting poverty rates, and strengthening societal stability. It contributes to a better society and sustainable development. Without skills for lifelong learning and active citizenship, children face greater barriers to earning potential and employment later in life.
UNICEF works around the world to support quality learning for every child. UNICEF’s aim is to ensure that every child and adolescent has access to school and quality learning.
In 2021 Ahlström Collective Impact supported UNICEF’s Global Education Program and could therefore help to offer thousands of children around the world:
- An equitable access to quality education.
- Improved learning outcomes.
- Skills development for knowledge and skills to face an ever-changing world.
This report summarizes some of the key results of how UNICEF together with its partners, worked for children’s education in 2021