Refugee Friendly Employer

In 2026, Startup Refugees together with the the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) launched the first-ever Refugee-Friendly Employer award program in Finland. It is a recognition program for businesses of all sizes that go beyond traditional hiring practices to create meaningful opportunities for people with a refugee background.

The project is led by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and Startup Refugees, and it is a step forward in inclusive recruitment in Finland. Rather than focusing only on access to work, the initiative highlights employers who are committed to long-term inclusion, career development, and real structural changes within their organizations.

What Does It Mean to Be a Refugee-Friendly Employer?

The Refugee-Friendly Employer recognition is awarded to companies that value refugee talent as a strategic advantage, commit to inclusive and accessible recruitment practices, and actively support career growth and long-term employment of people with refugee background within their organizations.

It also recognizes organizations that have hired refugees and invest in training, language learning, and professional development while promoting inclusive and trauma-informed workplace cultures.

To receive the recognition, companies go through a thorough selection process and commit to measurable actions that support refugee employment and career mobility.

Recognized Companies in 2026

The first-ever group of companies awarded the Refugee-Friendly Employer logo includes organizations from different industries, each contributing to more inclusive employment in Finland.

These companies are IKEA Oy, StaffPoint Oy, Bolt.Works Oy, Ekovilla Oy, Learning Intelligence Group / Claned, and UBSolar Finland Oy.

They are setting an example by embedding inclusion into their everyday practices and committing to actions such as supporting career development through mentorship and training, offering language learning during working hours, implementing inclusive and anonymous recruitment processes, providing pathways for career growth beyond entry-level roles, and training staff in inclusive and trauma-informed leadership.Read more and see the awarded companies and their pledges here: https://www.unhcr.org/europe/refugee-friendly-employer

Why This Matters?

Across Europe and globally, refugees are significantly underemployed. Doctors drive taxis. Engineers work in warehouses. Teachers clean offices. This is not a lack of talent — it is a lack of access. Supporting career mobility allows businesses to unlock skills that already exist within their country. By recognising prior experience, offering up-skilling, mentoring, and internal progression pathways, companies transform untapped potential into real business value.

Refugees bring resilience, diverse perspectives, and valuable skills to the labor market. However, accessing meaningful employment often requires more than opportunity alone. Many refugees arrive with disrupted careers, unrecognised qualifications, or years of lost opportunity. When businesses support their development beyond entry-level roles, they help restore what displacement has taken away: agency over one’s future. Employment gives people dignity, purpose, and a sense of belonging. Career mobility signals a powerful message: “You are not just here to survive — you are here to grow.” 

This requires support, understanding, and systems that allow people to grow. These practices improve transparency, reduce bias, and create more equitable workplaces for all employees, not only refugees. Inclusion at the career level raises organisational standards across the board. 

Organizations like Startup Refugees and initiatives like Refugee-Friendly Employers help bridge this gap by encouraging companies to rethink how they recruit, support, and retain talent. When the right support systems are in place, refugees do not just find jobs. They build long-term careers and contribute to business innovation, economic growth, and stronger teams. When companies design systems that support refugees’ advancement — clearer role requirements, fair performance assessments, mentoring, language-aware leadership — everyone benefits.

Building a More Inclusive Future

Global displacement is not temporary. Diverse, mobile talent is a permanent reality of the modern workforce. Companies that learn today how to support refugee career mobility are better prepared for the future of work. 

Employers do more than fill vacancies — they set the rules of access. This initiative is not only about recognition. It is about creating a shift in how organizations view talent.

By highlighting and supporting employers who actively invest in inclusion, the program aims to inspire broader change across the labor market in Finland and beyond. Diversity strengthens workplaces, and inclusive practices help ensure that talent is not overlooked due to background or circumstance. 

Supporting refugee hiring and career mobility is a concrete way to challenge existing labour market inequalities and demonstrate leadership beyond compliance. Consumers increasingly prefer companies that demonstrate meaningful inclusion. A 2023 TENT study in Sweden found that 50% of consumers are more likely to buy from companies that hire refugees, rising to 59% among those under 25 years of age (TENT, 2023).

Career mobility also reduces dependency on social systems, increases tax contributions, and fosters mutual trust between newcomers and host societies. When refugees progress, they also become role models in their communities, mentors to others, and proof that inclusion works. This is how businesses move from symbolic action to systemic, lasting impact. Businesses play a critical role in turning integration into a shared success story.