Region: Europe
Disability Definition
According to the updated Act on Services and Support Measures Organised on the Basis of Disability, a person with disability is defined as “a person who, due to a disability or illness, has long-term special difficulties in carrying out normal life activities.
Reference: The Act on Disability… 380/1987 – Up-to-date legislation – FINLEX ®
Legislation
Finland has the following disability legislation:
Disability Services and Support Act: “The purpose of this law is to promote the conditions of a person with a disability to live and work as an equal member of society and to prevent and eliminate the disadvantages and obstacles caused by the disability.”
Act on Special Care for the Mentally Handicapped: “This Act provides for the provision of special care to a person whose development or mental function is impeded or disturbed as a result of a congenital or developmentally acquired illness or disability and who, under other legislation, cannot receive the services he or she needs.”
Employer Legal Requirements
Finland’s Non-discrimination Act (2014) requires that reasonable accommodations be set in place to support employees with disabilities.
Although there is not yet an employment quota in place, there are proposals being put in place to support the implementation of one.
Reference: Sarkkinen: Employers should be required to hire people with disabilities | Yle
Accessibility Requirements
The European Accessibility Act requires that both public and private sector actors guarantee the accessibility of certain products and services. The Act was to be transposed into national law by each EU Member State by 28 June 2022.
The Act on the Provision of Digital Services (2019) requires that websites and mobile applications be designed to be more accessible to users, especially persons with disabilities.
Cultural Norms
“Disability in Finland is generally viewed in a positive light, with a focus on equality and inclusion. The Finnish government has made significant efforts to ensure that persons with disabilities are fully included in society. Finland is widely considered one of the most inclusive countries for persons with disabilities, with a strong commitment to social welfare and human rights.
In Finland, there is a growing awareness of disabilities, and many people are open to learning more about the challenges faced by persons with disabilities. Negative attitudes towards persons with disabilities are rare, and there is a strong emphasis on respect and equality.”
Reference: Finland – Disability – Expat Focus
Business Practices/Examples
Additional content coming soon.Insights
Although statistics on the overall presence of disability in Finland were hard to find, there are around 40,000 people with intellectual disabilities in Finland, amounting to 0.8 % of the population.
Reference: People with Intellectual Disabilities in Finland (finlandabroad.fi)
Supplier Diversity
Additional content coming soon.Talent Sourcing Resources
Work Ability Programme: “The aim of the work ability programme was to eliminate obstacles to the employment of people with partial work ability and develop services to support the work ability of people with partial work ability.”
Additional Resources
Finlex – A database for all up-to-date legislation in Finland.
Finnish Institute for Health and Wellness – A database that collects data every three years about the people in Finland. Users are able to filter which topics they would like to see statistics on. For example, choosing “Sheltered work for disabled people” will show you data in the form of a graph, chart, etc.