LähiTapiola donates €900,000 to Tampere University to advance risk management in Finnish companies

Keijo Hämäläinen, President of Tampere University, expresses his gratitude for the generous contribution and notes that the theme of the donation addresses a pressing need:

“Growth stems from the ability to make sound decisions in times of uncertainty. This is why we are looking to strengthen our research and teaching that bring together risk management, strategy and renewal.”

The donation is geared towards promoting comprehensive, anticipatory risk management in Finnish companies and strengthening its role in supporting strategic planning and business development.

“Organisations should view risk management as an enabler of growth and a driver of competitive advantage, not only as a precautionary function,” says Marko Seppänen, Dean of the Faculty of Management and Business (MAB) at Tampere University.

LähiTapiola’s President Sari Heinonen emphasises that renewal requires the ability to take calculated risks:

“While innovations are built on knowledge and research, their creation also calls for creativity and the courage to take risks. Finnish society has always been capable of renewing itself and discovering new opportunities. We want to reinforce this mindset in uncertain times.”

The greatest untapped potential of risk management lies in creating new value

Economic growth remains slow in Finland, and the prolonged period of stagnation has increased risk aversion in many organisations. As a result, corporate strategies tend to prioritise efforts to maintain existing competitive advantages, and growth companies are often sold too early. 

Tampere University has introduced several initiatives to foster sustainable growth in Finnish society. For example, the University has established endowed professorships in the experience economy and industrial sales. These initiatives provide a strong foundation for the new professorship created with LähiTapiola’s support, taking growth promotion to the next level.

“Risk-taking is an inherent part of running a business, and the ability to understand and manage risks is essential for driving sustainable growth. Value-creating risk management offers practical, research-based tools for making better choices in uncertain conditions, increasing an organisation’s capacity for renewal and building lasting competitive advantage,” says Seppänen.

Seppänen highlights the importance of risk management in value creation: 

“The greatest untapped potential of risk management lies in creating new value. When companies learn to manage risk-taking more effectively, they can take bolder steps towards growth.”

“The donation will be used to establish a new professorship at Tampere University. We will develop new concepts and research initiatives that support growth. We already have a strong foundation in research and teaching in business studies and in business and technology management. In addition, we are the only university in Finland to offer students a specialisation in insurance and risk management,” says Seppänen.

Long-term collaboration

The donation marks a further step in a long-term partnership. Over the past few years, the LähiTapiola Group has donated €150,000 to support business education at Tampere University. LähiTapiola’s substantial donation will generate added value for both research and business practice.

“As a mutual insurance company, we have the opportunity to work together with our customers to support initiatives that enhance well-being and vitality within our society. By directing donations to universities, we aim to advance research, strengthen expertise and create opportunities for sustainable growth in Finland. Our contributions to business education are intended to support the development of key research areas and the cultivation of skilled professionals in fields that are important to us,” says Minna Metsälä, CEO of LähiTapiola Pirkanmaa.

Enquiries:

Tampere University 
Head of Fundraising and Alumni Relations Minna Åkerholm 
minna.akerholm [at] tuni.fi, tel. +358 29 453 2545

LähiTapiola
Senior Specialist, Public Affairs & Sustainability Maija Keskinen-Ghezaïel
maija.keskinen-ghezaiel [at] lahitapiola.fi, tel. +358 40 675 8931