Finnair is taking part in Plan International's #GirlsTakeover campaign, where girls step into the shoes of political, social and economic leaders as part of the UN's International Day of the Girl celebrations.
At Finnair, 17-year-old Siru Nuutinen will take over the role of CEO Topi Manner and work with Finnair's Executive Board on 9 October. The takeover is part of campaign by Plan International, a children's rights organisation that seeks to raise awareness about discrimination against girls and, at the same time, highlighting their potential.
"In recent years, we have seen growth in the importance of companies as socially responsible actors. At Finnair, we strongly believe in a diverse and equitable society, which is why we wanted to join Plan's initiative," says Manner.
The theme for the takeovers is equality in working life. Globally, girls still have fewer opportunities than boys to get an education, to access decision-making positions and earn equal pay. There is also room for improvement in equality in working life in Finland.
At Finnair, the campaign focuses not only on the position of girls but also on the broader theme of equality and diversity. Updated objectives and actions will be published during the takeover.
"We have long enjoyed a multicultural and diverse working environment. However, after long years of crisis, now is a good time to update our goals and restart the systematic actions to achieve a more equitable and inclusive workplace," says Manner. “We want to be an attractive employer also in the future, and by working with Siru, we believe we can get good ideas on how to concretely advance equality and inclusion".
