About

The KONE legal team is viewed within the industry as a top class department. Juhani Ristaniemi, senior vice president, general counsel EMEA and Asia Pacific, leads one of the largest in-house legal teams in Finland, who support the leading global elevator and escalator company that employs over 50,000 personnel worldwide. Sources deem the Kone legal team to be a ‘highly innovative function that adds value to the organisation through their intensive work rate and ability to complete a number of tasks concurrently’. The team is considered to be a key factor and internal driving force in regards to several recent developments at KONE; for example, playing an active role in recent reformations to the company’s supplier code of conduct, which highlights the ethical business practice standards Kone require from their suppliers. The supplier code of conduct encompasses a range of topics including legal compliance, anti-bribery, health and safety, business conduct, labour and human rights and environmental regulations. Kone’s legal function has additionally been responsible for the structuring of company’s own code of conduct, also handling all matters relating to reports, concerns and violations. A meticulous approach and effective protocols implemented by the legal department have ensured that the organisation is well prepared for the difficult economic climate and various regulatory reformations.