Työkanava’s newly appointed advisory board to ensure operations are market-based

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment has appointed an advisory board for Työkanava Oy, which may issue recommendations on how the company’s operations can be carried out in a market-based manner while maintaining competition neutrality.

Provisions on the advisory board are laid down in the Act on Työkanava. The Act will enter into force on 1 July 2022, and the company’s operations will begin in stages this year. The company employs people with impaired capacity to work who are in the most difficult position.

The advisory board includes members with a wide variety of expertise in Työkanava’s sector, different markets and competition issues, and the social tasks defined for the company specified in the Act have been taken into account in the selection of the members. 

The advisory board represents such competence in competition law and economic activities as is required in its work. Elise Pekkala, Senior Ministerial Adviser at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, chairs the board. The other members are Juhani Jokinen (LL.M. with court training), Kalle Määttä (Doctor of Laws), Aki Kangasharju (Managing Director of Research Institute of the Finnish Economy Etla), Anni Marttinen (Chief Economist of Finnish Federation for Social Affairs and Health SOSTE), and Carita Orlando (Managing Director of the Women Entrepreneurs of Finland). 

Työkanava can be used, for example, in cleaning services and other property and restaurant services. It can also offer services in various logistics-related tasks. In addition, the company may participate in public procurement when social obligations are set as a condition for the procurement, for example the employment of disabled or long-term unemployed people. Particular attention should be paid to safeguarding competition neutrality in these sectors and activities.

In addition to competition aspects, the advisory board assesses Työkanava’s market share in relation to the task assigned to the company and the market situation. On a general level, the board may evaluate whether Työkanava’s market share in a given sector or area distorts competition, when the activities of companies or organisations engaged in similar operations in the sector or area are considered. 

The board will report annually on its activities to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, which is responsible for the ownership steering of Työkanava. The term of the advisory board is three years.

The establishment of Työkanava is related to the aim of the Government of Prime Minister Sanna Marin to promote the employment of people with impaired capacity to work and to develop the intermediate job market in a new way. Työkanava is one of the measures of the Government’s working capacity programme in the administrative branch of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.

More information:

Antti Neimala, Director General, tel. +358 295 047 039
Kimmo Ruth, Senior Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 295 048 073