City Board discusses starting corporate sponsorship activities

25.9.2025 News Participate and influence Town government Decision making Trying

Dozens of neatly dressed people standing in a group in the lobby, photo taken from an overhead angle. — Riihimäki City Council. Photo: Jenniina Nummela

The Riihimäki City Board will consider the start of corporate sponsorship activities at its meeting on Monday, September 29, 2025.

In the business sponsorship activity, city councilors who are interested would receive a randomly selected sponsor company from Riihimäki. In the operating model, the sponsor councilor would meet with the entrepreneur or company representative once or twice a year. The sponsor would provide the city with information about the entrepreneur's concerns and problems related to the city's industry. The topics that arise would be discussed together annually at meetings between Riihimäki entrepreneurs and the mayor.

"I see a lot of good in the business sponsorship activity. It would improve the councilors' knowledge of local business and its opportunities and challenges. The activity would also improve the flow of information between entrepreneurs and the city. In addition, we want to attract new companies to Riihimäki," says Mayor Jouni Eho.

The city's score in the municipal barometer is rising - however, the appreciation for entrepreneurs is disappointing.

Every two years, the Finnish Federation of Entrepreneurs conducts a measurement, the Municipal Barometer, of the business-friendly attitude of municipalities. Riihimäki has risen in the overall rating to the better side of the national average between 2022 and 2024. However, the assessments of the appreciation of entrepreneurship by municipal elected officials in Riihimäki are below the national average (Riihimäki 2,8, Finland as a whole 3,10). One goal for the activities is to improve the results of the city of Riihimäki in the barometer.

If the city government approves the proposal to launch corporate sponsorship activities, the matter will proceed to the decision-making process of the city council on Monday, October 6, 2025.

If the city council decides to start corporate sponsorship, the city will match the sponsor and the company by drawing lots. The term of office of the corporate sponsor would be the same as the city council term, i.e. until May 2029. The model is based on voluntary participation for both city councilors and companies.