At the Finnish National Opera and Ballet, we put our hearts into all that we do. Our work is very meaningful to us, but even more importantly, we want it to be meaningful to others. That is why we must also ensure the well-being of our society and environment.
The strategy of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet lists responsibility as one of our four values. The effectiveness of our responsibility measures is monitored via strategic targets and metrics. Financial and artistic responsibility to the society, responsibility for our personnel, and environmental responsibility are the three key elements of this work.
We have included some examples of our ongoing responsibility work below. To us, responsibility involves continuous development and improvement, and consequently we will be updating the contents of this page regularly.
We are committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In 2021, we selected five key goals to which the Finnish National Opera and Ballet will particularly contribute: Quality Education, Decent Work and Economic Growth, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Responsible Consumption, and Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. We consider these goals every time we review our focus areas. They also help us to further develop our sustainability reporting.
Artistic responsibility
As the only professional opera and ballet company in Finland, we serve the entire society by offering high-quality opera and ballet experiences to different audiences and age groups across the country. Now more than ever, we want to ensure that our performances reflect contemporary values and touch people regardless of their age and background. We work with a long term perspective, as the creative process of individual opera and ballet productions takes several years, and some productions can stay in the repertoire for years, even decades.
Stage24 delivers extraordinary experiences
Our Stage24 service enables us to deliver full-length opera and ballet performances as live streams and recordings to those who cannot attend our performances at the Opera House in Helsinki. The service also contains shorter videos, audio recordings and background articles.
Through Stage24, we can reach many more people than we do with our live performances – in 2023, we had nearly 1.5 million digital audience engagements.
In winter 2024, we also launched the Stage24 smart TV app, designed in collaboration with Sofia Digital, to provide an even higher quality user experience and personalized service. Some of the live streams are produced in collaboration with the Finnish Broadcasting Company Yle, and the European services ARTE Concert and OperaVision.
Guidelines for reviewing representation
Many classical opera and ballet works portray minority characters through stereotypes. To better recognize and address this phenomenon, we introduced representation guidelines in spring 2023. The guidelines help us be more consistent in addressing the challenges of representation early enough in the production process. It is especially beneficial to review old productions with fresh eyes when they return to the stage.
Typically, representation challenges in opera and ballet relate to ethnic minorities (e.g., racialization, exoticism, and orientalism). The representation guidelines direct our attention to the portrayal of all minority groups. Body image, as well as the necessity and portrayal of violence and intimate scenes, are also examined.
For over 30 years, Opera and Ballet’s audience outreach has offered free performances and participatory artistic activities for all ages across Finland. Audience outreach makes art more accessible and cultivates new generations of audiences and future performers.
In 2023, more than half (262) of our total performances were free. Our audience outreach visited 47 locations and reached nearly 45,000 viewers and participants.
The key component of our audience outreach is collaboration with schools, which includes dance workshops and school opera performances developed alongside professionals. For seniors, we host afternoon dances in the main foyer of the Opera House. These Tea Dances are also broadcast live to some care homes.
Our staff’s Diversity Forum works to promote equality.
Environmental responsibility
We’re actively monitoring and minimising the ecological footprint of our operations. In practice, this includes digitalising our customer service and internal processes, improving the energy efficiency of our lighting and stage technology, choosing environmentally sound materials, and enhancing recycling.
Working towards carbon neutrality
The first ever carbon footprint calculation of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet was completed in 2021 (based on the data of 2019).
Bought products and services cause the largest share of our total emissions (56%), followed by production goods (14%). In set design, the majority of emissions result from the sourcing and use of metal products. On stage, the lead culprit is electronics, while in costume design the most emissions arise from the sourcing of fabrics and textiles.
”We also calculated the carbon footprint of three productions, which are all different but share a typical set design format. The set design of Pippi Longstocking had the lowest footprint, as its sets are mostly based on wooden structures.” – Tapio Säkkinen, Head of Set Workshop / Environmental Head
In the future, regular calculations will enable us to our direct our resources even more sustainably and to monitor the effectiveness of our environmental responsibility measures.
A new life for materials
Though metal products comprise less than 10 percent of our yearly set material purchases, they represent the largest share of the set workshop’s emissions. We’re currently exploring the possibility of replacing metal components with wooden L-beams used in the construction industry.
When a production reaches the end of its performance lifecycle, we separate the materials of its sets and recycle them. We also supply set components and furniture to a circular economy service provider.
During refurbishment projects we save items for future repairs or replacements. When revamping our dressing rooms, for example, we stored the old green glass doors, which were still in good condition.
We forward our cutting waste and other forms of textile waste to a Finnish company, which, for instance refines textile fibre into products used in industrial maintenance. Larger pieces of cutting waste are handed over to children’s daycare centres for craft material. Our unique costumes are given new lives either through alterations or at our popular flea markets.
Rooftop solar power and carbon neutral heating
In summer 2020, a solar power system was installed on the roof of the Opera House as part of the Senate Properties’ national solar programme. Our rooftop system currently comprises 122 solar electricity panels, the total size of which amounts to more than 200 sqm. The system’s annual electricity production, approximately 34 700 kWh, reduces our carbon emissions by 16 tons. The rest of our electricity consumption is covered by 100 percent renewable hydropower.
The district heating and cooling used at the Opera House are 100 percent carbon neutral.
Our restaurants collect and repurpose loose tea and coffee grounds into growing soil.
A microforest and a managed meadow were established in the Opera House’s lands in summer 2024, together with Senate Properties.
Responsibility for our personnel
By fostering equality, transparency and integrity, providing opportunities for continuous personal development and supporting our personnel’s health, safety and well-being at work, we ensure that the Finnish National Opera and Ballet is an attractive and inspiring place to work. We also offer employment opportunities to professionals who do not speak Finland’s official languages.
Behaving responsibly at work
An art institution is a workplace just like any other, and everyone has the right to work in a safe environment. In 2012, we launched our Workplace Conduct guide, which outlines a set process for preventing and addressing inappropriate behaviour and sexual harassment in our work community.
The process makes it easier for everyone to understand what constitutes appropriate behaviour at work and what does not, as well as to flag inappropriate behaviour so that it can be dealt with immediately. Situations are resolved together with workplace mediators, employee representatives, occupational health and safety representatives, and occupational healthcare professionals.
The readiness to flag inappropriate behaviour in our workplace has improved, and transparency helps us make even further progress.
Intimacy coordinator ensuring safety
We used the help of an intimacy coordinator for the first time in the Salome opera in 2022. An intimacy coordinator is a professional who ensures the physical and psychological safety of the crew and performers in intimate scenes.
Starting from autumn season 2024, an intimacy coordinator will work with us at the start of rehearsals for every opera production, going through psychologically safe working methods with the entire team. Additionally, productions that require more assistance from an intimacy coordinator are identified.
We have begun training all staff present in rehearsals and performances, so that they understand the importance of consent and personal boundaries and can foster a safer working environment for performers. Guidelines for intimacy work are also being prepared.
As an operator mainly covered by public funding, we continually strive to improve our operational efficiency, increase our self-financing ratio, and invest responsibly. We plan our operations also from a financial point of view for several years to come.
Virtual stage design
Our virtual stage design tool XR Stage enables us to get as far as possible in our production planning well before the beginning of stage rehearsals. The sharp 3D image of the stage, set in a custom virtual space within each venue, is informative and adaptable and ensures an artistically and technically viable end result.
The virtual model allows artistic teams based in different countries to work together, considerably reducing the need for travel. It also improves the reliability of final plans and prevents the production of unnecessary sets and last minute changes. This, in turn, means less wasted material and effort.
Our working days are brightened by the young ballet students whizzing through our corridors. The Ballet School of the Finnish National Ballet moved premises from Sörnäinen in East Helsinki to the Opera House in early 2022. Warehouse spaces were converted into three ballet rehearsal rooms as well as new dressing rooms and a break rooms. The move allows the Ballet School to collaborate even more closely with the professionals of the Finnish National Ballet.
Sharing premises makes our operations both more financially sound and sustainable. It also helps children and young people to collaborate even more closely with the professionals of the Finnish National Ballet and gives them a better grasp of what the profession of a dancer entails. The new premises also better serve the needs of visiting groups performing at Almi Hall and the productions of our audience outreach work.
The Ballet School teaches approximately 40 vocational students aged 16 to 18 and about 150 students aged 7 to 15 in basic arts education and ballet beginners’ classes.
