Ministry for Foreign Affairs addresses inappropriate conduct in the workplace

Allegations made about inappropriate conduct in the Finnish Foreign Service have recently been debated in public. All allegations of inappropriate conduct, harassment and sexual harassment are taken seriously and investigated, says Under-Secretary of State Pekka Puustinen.

Pekka Puustinen, Under-Secretary of State, Internal and External Services, how does the Ministry for Foreign Affairs address allegations of inappropriate conduct?

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs prohibits inappropriate conduct, harassment and sexual harassment. As an employer, the Ministry has the right and the obligation to investigate incidents that have come to its attention and to decide on action for looking into and resolving the problems. The Ministry has procedures in place for resolving and providing support in challenging workplace situations. These procedures have been agreed on with the Ministry's employee organisations. Similar procedures are in use throughout central government.

All parties are heard. In some cases, the hearings may extend to all members of staff in the workplace. The hearings are documented. If necessary, external support and assistance may also be used. The employer draws conclusions based on the information it has collected. Personnel administration handles data in accordance with the data protection requirements.
 

How are you addressing the incident which recently came to light at the Embassy in Ottawa?

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has taken immediate action regarding the reports of harassment it has received from the Embassy. As an employer, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has an occupational safety and health obligation: it needs to hear all parties involved. Every employee's protection under the law is ensured. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs will draw its conclusions at the end of the investigation.

The investigation has been launched and it is proceeding. The hearings are being held at the moment.

We were prepared to employ an external investigation team but we have decided not to do so.  The cost of using the services of an external investigator proved to be so high that the Ministry's senior management were unable to approve it. Instead, I will lead an internal inquiry into the matter. We hope that everyone understands that to protect the privacy of all parties involved, the Ministry cannot publicly comment on cases concerning an individual person or an individual mission. This does not mean that we would not take the matter seriously and act on it.
 

Does the Ministry for Foreign Affairs have instructions or training on how to handle such matters?

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has introduced a set of instructions, "Guidelines on eliminating harassment and inappropriate behaviour in the workplace". It describes the practices and procedures which the Ministry has put in place for reporting, examining and resolving cases of harassment, sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct. The processes for addressing inappropriate conduct are covered by the training provided in various situations, for example when employees begin their work at the Ministry or transfer to a new position. In addition, the Prime Minister's Office regularly provides training. As of autumn 2024, all employees at the Ministry will be participating in mandatory training on key procedures related to wellbeing at work. Together with the Guidelines, these trainings form part of our preventive approach.

It is important that everyone knows our common practices and follows them. Each employee has a role to play in ensuring wellbeing in the workplace.
 

What kind of support does the Ministry for Foreign Affairs provide to the staff at embassies?

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs always provides its staff posted from Finland with comprehensive support by occupational healthcare professionals in crisis situations.  In host countries, our missions represent the employer and provide healthcare for locally employed staff in the manner they consider best, including in crisis situations.

Locally employed staff and posted staff have the same opportunities to report inappropriate conduct in the missions abroad. The Guidelines I mentioned have been translated into English and they apply to all those working in the Foreign Service.
 

What can you tell us about job satisfaction at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in general?

We have achieved very good results in nearly all categories, even in the context of central government administration as a whole. Leadership and supervision are at a good level, with immediate supervisors in particular receiving good feedback for their work. Our employees say they know and appreciate the values of the Foreign Service and that they understand their own objectives at work. The fact that the Ministry for Foreign Affairs can offer work which is extremely motivating and meaningful is our strength. We value and intend to ensure the wellbeing and resilience of our employees.