The National Prize for Innovative Practices in Employment and Social Policy

The National Prize for Innovative Practices in Employment and Social Policy recognises the promotion of the well-being at work of older employees  

From 2008, the National Prize for Innovative Practices in Employment and Social Policy will be awarded to a work community or an individual who has successfully contributed to the well-being at work of ageing workforce. The prize can be awarded for activity or innovation which has greatly promoted the well-being at work of older employees, supported their coping with and staying on at work or improved their working conditions or employment opportunities. To receive the award, the activities awarded have to be practical and applicable on a wider scale.  

The award is presented by the fund for a national prize for innovative practices in employment and social policy. The prize can be awarded to one or more recipients at one time. The prize will be presented in the fund-organised seminar dealing with well-being at work. The prize will be presented for the first time in the latter part of 2008. The patron of the prize is President of the Republic of Finland, Tarja Halonen, who will also present the prize if possible. 

The fund for a national prize for innovative practices in employment and social policy has been jointly established by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and Sitra. The capital of the fund is €300,000. It consists of equal investments by Sitra and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, which has allocated the €150,000 prize presented to Finland by the Carl Bertelsmann Foundation for this purpose. The fund is managed by Sitra. The funds are to be used by 2015. 

The founders of the fund will make a decision on the recipient after hearing the Finnish Work Environment Fund. 

International recognition on the background 

Finland received the prize awarded from by the German Carl Bertelsmann Foundation as recognition of the country’s early detection of the problems pertaining to an ageing work population and for the wide-ranging cooperation with which the problem has been tackled.  The prize was awarded to the National Programme on Ageing Workers, which was coordinated by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health in 1998-2002, and to Veto, Finnish Workplace Development Programme TYKES and the Noste programmes which have continued its work.  

The National Programme on Ageing Workers promoted debate on the position of the ageing workforce and launched several research and education programmes. The Veto Programme promoted the pull of work among the ageing population, while the Noste programme promoted the completion of qualifications among the adult population with no vocational qualifications. The TYKES Programme aims to develop workplaces in ways that simultaneously promote productivity and well-being at work. 

For its part, the Prize for Innovative Practices in Employment and Social Policy encourages Finns to continue their internationally recognised activities promoting the well-being at work of older employees.  

Fund for a national prize for innovative practices in employment and social policy

The fund for a national prize for innovative practices in employment and social policy has been jointly established by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and Sitra. The Finnish Work Environment Fund will also participate in the awarding of the prize. All three organisations are represented in the Board of the Fund.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and Sitra coordinate the activities of the Fund on alternate years. 

2011-2012 arrangements:

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
P.O.Box 33 (Meritullinkatu 8)
00023 Valtioneuvosto
Telephone switchboard +358 9 160 01
www.stm.fi

Kari Välimäki, Permanent Secretary

2009-2010 arrangements:

Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund
P.O.Box 160 (Itämerentori 2)
00181 Helsinki
Telephone switchboard +358 294 618 991
www.sitra.fi

Tapio Anttila, Director