From footprint to handprint

Corporate responsibility and societal impact are the cornerstones of Tesi’s operations. We see businesses as key players in solving global challenges in a sustainable way. Therefore, the society as a whole benefits from what growth companies and their investors are able to accomplish.

Responsibility in our daily operations

Responsible business is a competitive advantage and a prerequisite for long-term success.

 

We think corporate responsibility as business opportunities and sustainable development:

  • Responsibility is our key operating principle and a part of our investment and decision-making process.
  • We promote sustainable development and responsible business together with co-investors, fund management companies, portfolio companies and other stakeholders.
  • In addition to the law, we adhere to the principles of good corporate governance and international standards and agreements concerning, for example, employees’ rights and the environment, and we also expect the same from our portfolio companies.
  • Our reporting is always transparent. We are happy to tell about our own operations and responsible investment.
  • Tesi’s Board of Directors approves our corporate responsibility policy and monitors its compliance. The CEO is responsible for managing our corporate responsibility, and our personnel implements responsibility policies in their daily work.

As a member of the Finnish Venture Capital Association FVCA, we follow its openness and transparency recommendations.

Responsible investment

Responsible investment means integrating responsibility issues into investment activities and ownership, not excluding certain industries or companies from the investment focus. Responsibility is part of the entire investment process: it affects investment decisions, active ownership and exits.

When evaluating companies, we consider the risks and opportunities related to environmental, social and governance factors (ESG) in addition to the economic aspects of the investment. We are a responsible owner in constant dialogue with the management companies of our portfolio funds, the boards of our portfolio companies and our co-investors.

Our corporate responsibility policy and investment activities are based on the UN’s Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). We follow these principles in all our activities.

Fund investments

  • We invest in venture capital and buyout funds whose managers operate in accordance with the principles of responsible investment.
  • We follow a systematic accountability assessment of our target fund managers. Every six months, we evaluate their responsibility policies, their integration into day-to-day operations, staff training and the level of reporting.
  • Finnish fund management companies take responsibility well into account in their operations and are more familiar with ESG matters than their international competitors.
  • Tesi acts as an advisor and as a general partner of the Kasvurahastojen Rahasto funds-of-funds that it manages through its subsidiary Tesi Fund Management Oy. Disclosures of Tesi Fund Management under the EU sustainable finance disclosure regulation (SFDR).

Direct investments

  • In direct investments, we conduct an ESG assessment of the company, which seeks to identify the company’s key risks and opportunities related to environmental issues, social impact and governance, as well as areas for development.
  • We promote responsible business through active board work and through working groups and committees. A member of the Board appointed by Tesi plays a significant role in corporate responsibility matters. The member must ensure that management understands the importance of corporate responsibility and its components, and that the company’s operations are at a sufficient level to safeguard the company’s value and long-term business opportunities.

Aiming for societal impact

We invest in companies and funds with the highest impact potential: the most promising companies grow the fastest and create new jobs and prosperity the most. Furthermore, we challenge ourselves and our portfolio companies and funds to consider how our actions and decisions affect the environment and society now and in the future.

We have selected five impact themes that are in line with the UN Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Within these themes, we support and encourage companies to solve the challenges of tomorrow:

Sustainable production and efficient use of resources, Case: Foamit Group
Sustainable consumption and cities, Case: Virta
Renewable energy and energy efficiency, Case: BMH Technology
Health and wellbeing, Case: Kaiku Health
Learning and equality, Case: HEI Schools