Sitouttaa

Sitouttaa is a Finnish transitive verb meaning to bind, obligate, or commit someone to a duty, contract, or arrangement, or to pledge resources or involvement to a project. It denotes causation: the subject causes another party to take on a commitment.

Typical contexts include business, legal, and public administration language. For example: "Yritys sitoutti toimittajat noudattamaan laatuvaatimuksia" (The company obligated the suppliers to meet the quality standards). "Hallitus sitoutti varoja ohjelmaan" (The government earmarked funds for the program). The term can also describe engaging participants in a program or initiative.

Grammar and related terms: Sitouttaa is a causative form derived from sitoutua and is used with a direct object referring to a person or group and an object clause or noun indicating the obligation. Related nouns include sitoutuminen (commitment), sitouttaminen (the act of binding), and sitoutunut (committed). The contrasting concept is sitoutua, which means to commit oneself rather than binding others.

Notes: In Finnish, sitouttaa often appears in formal or bureaucratic registers, contract language, and policy discourse. It is not typically used for voluntary personal commitments, which is better expressed by sitoutua; use of sitouttaa emphasizes external binding and obligations.