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Student and school cooperative review: Cooperatives are good platforms for fostering entrepreneurship

Student and school cooperative review: Cooperatives are good platforms for fostering entrepreneurship

29.8.2024

Pellervo Coop Center conducted in the spring of 2024 a review of student and school cooperatives in Finland, examining the operations, management, governance, development, and associated challenges of these cooperatives. Student and school cooperatives are an important and unique form of entrepreneurship education that deserves more attention and up-to-date information. Student and school cooperatives offer

Dissertation: Finnish agricultural co-operatives are critical in appointing external members to their boards 

Dissertation: Finnish agricultural co-operatives are critical in appointing external members to their boards 

6.6.2024

Pellervo Coop Center’s Director of Cooperation Kari Huhtala’s dissertation on the governance of Finnish agricultural co-operatives shows that agricultural cooperatives are critical in appointing external experts to their boards. The number of women on these boards is also quite low and has not increased over the past ten years. The governance culture of cooperatives favors board selections from within the cooperative. 

Cooperative education and research in Finland are still limited

Cooperative education and research in Finland are still limited

23.5.2024

Despite their success, cooperatives remain an invisible giant in the education offered by higher education institutions in Finland. Finland has some professors focusing on cooperative studies and also professors of practice funded by cooperatives and mutual companies.

Pellervo’s EU Manifesto – Cooperatives are builders of a sustainable future

Pellervo’s EU Manifesto – Cooperatives are builders of a sustainable future

2.4.2024

1. Cooperatives to be taken into account in business regulation.
2. A cooperative provides a fair foundation for social and platform economies.
3. The cooperative model facilitates the reconstruction of Ukraine.
4. Cooperatives strengthen the private sector in EU external development projects.
5. Cooperative awareness must be strengthened in the EU Parliament.

In Finland sustainability reporting to become mandatory for cooperatives as well – except those related to primary production

In Finland sustainability reporting to become mandatory for cooperatives as well – except those related to primary production

29.9.2023

The Finnish government submitted a proposal to the parliament on 28th of September to amend accounting and auditing acts as well as some other acts to implement European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) at the national level. Until now, reporting has been mandatory only for large publicly traded companies, although many large companies, including

First cooperative in Finland to list on a stock exchange

First cooperative in Finland to list on a stock exchange

1.9.2023

The investment cooperative Arvo from Ostrobothnia has been listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange’s First North growth market. Arvo is the first cooperative whose shares are listed on Nasdaq’s stock exchange lists in the Nordic markets.

Finnish energy sector and cooperatives

Finnish energy sector and cooperatives

23.1.2023

Finland is a geographically large country with cold winters and a sizeable industrial sector. This effects in our need for energy. About 80 per cent of Finland’s electricity consumption is covered by own production and the remainder is imported from other countries. Mostly from Sweden. Finland is part of the pan-Nordic electricity market. The physical

Metsä Group – cooperatively owned Finnish forest company

Metsä Group – cooperatively owned Finnish forest company

23.1.2023

Finland is the most forested country in Europe and forests account for three quarters of Finland’s surface. The forest industry is a major contributor to wellbeing in Finland. The sector accounts for over 20 per cent of Finland’s export revenue and it is a major employer, especially in regional areas. In addition to traditional products

SME cooperatives 2021: A record few cooperatives were established

SME cooperatives 2021: A record few cooperatives were established

18.1.2023

The number of new cooperatives is falling for the eighth year in a row. Only 78 cooperatives were founded in 2021, compared to 92 the previous year. In 2019 the number of new cooperatives was 142 cooperatives, and a total of 235 we established in 2014. There is still a lot of work to be

<strong>Cooperative banks in 2021: Reflation worked wonders</strong>

Cooperative banks in 2021: Reflation worked wonders

18.1.2023

The reflation measures of governments and central banks offered banks the keys to success on a silver platter last year.  For example, OP Financial Group and Savings Bank Group characterized their results as record high. In 2022, their own skills will also be weighed. Banks’ money transactions with consumers went well last year. More loans

Coop survey in Finland: awareness of cooperatives has improved

Coop survey in Finland: awareness of cooperatives has improved

19.5.2022

Understanding of what cooperation is and what cooperatives are has clearly become more widespread in recent years. It is primarily due to the improved communication of cooperative businesses themselves, not school education. Still, the vast majority (64%) of the Finnish population say they are fairly poorly or not at all familiar with cooperation.

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