Suomessa toimivien kaivosyhtiöiden vastuustrategiat ja yhtiöihin kohdistuvat odotukset

Abstract

This article examines the social responsibility strategies of mining firms operating in Finland, on the one
hand, and the social legitimacy of the mining industry, on the other hand. Here, the theoretical concept
of legitimacy is understood as economic consequences, moral limits and political frames and it is used as
an analytical tool to examine these components. The empirical material consists of political reports and
discussions concerning governance of the mining industry and annual reports of mining companies. The
results illustrate how mining is usually understood as a tool for promoting the national economy and economic
development in rural areas. The legitimacy of the mining industry has recently become a question of
debate due to the growing influence of multinational corporations and the environmental consequences of
mining. Internationally, companies have responded to criticism by developing social responsibility strategies
but, in Finland, there are huge differences in how companies have interpreted the need to develop their
social responsibility policies.