The commerce sector is building a new sense of community – young people at the forefront of the programme

The framework for the programme is the Operational Commitment to Sustainable Development, which will be prepared for 2026–2035. In Finnish Commerce Federation, measures are linked to the UN Global Compact initiative and, strategically, to the central Societal Significance of Commerce project. The measures are developed and updated annually.

Commerce is the largest employer in the corporate sector in Finland, the most significant employer of young people and an environment for everyday encounters. This is why the sector has an exceptional opportunity to influence how Finnish working life and communality are built.

“The goal of the Commerce in Everyday Life programme is to strengthen working life readiness, work ability, participation and communality. We want to communicate that in the commerce sector, everyone can belong and succeed. Healthy work communities support the growth of companies and the resilience of society as a whole,” says Pia Pere–Vanhanen, Communications and Sustainability Director at the Finnish Commerce Federation.

Young People as the main theme of the programme

Several reports show that young people’s confidence in the future has declined rapidly. According to the 2025 Youth Barometer, 50% of the respondents were pessimistic about the future of the world, compared to 28% in 2021. Sitra’s Futures Barometer and the Finnish Government’s Citizens’ Pulse have communicated similar developments.

Commerce can offer young people concrete paths to working life and strengthen their attachment to work communities. For many young people, commerce offers their first job and experience of working life. This also brings a special responsibility to the sector: commerce wants to offer a good start to the career, strengthen attachment to work communities and offer a perspective on what the sector can offer.

The commerce sector is also a community where different people can find their place and grow as experts. The sector offers diverse opportunities and a wide range of positions, from entry-level positions to positions of international top experts and specialists.

The Commerce in Everyday Life programme starts with the main theme Young People. In the future, the focus areas may be expanded to include immigrants and people with partial work ability, for example.

New partnerships and research cooperation

One of the goals of the programme is to strengthen stakeholder dialogue and create new partnerships and models for joint development. Research, experience and practical knowledge are utilised so that development and influencing are based on a data-based view. It is also important to provide companies with concrete tools and operating models that enable them to strengthen the well-being of their work communities and the attachment of young people to working life.

The Finnish Commerce Federation is starting cooperation with HelsinkiMission to strengthen the social well-being, coping at work and attachment to working life of young people. The cooperation is carried out in HelsinkiMission’s Work to Belong programme, which is aimed at young people under the age of 29 but its impact extends to the entire work community. Together with work communities and young people, the partners develop tools, training and support structures for attachment.

The cooperation will start on 11 May with the Who Believes in You? campaign, which aims to strengthen young people’s confidence in the future.

Companies as builders of a community

“Many companies in the commerce sector have been working for a long time to promote a sustainable and good working life. With the Commerce in Everyday Life programme, the sector strengthens cooperation, learning together and the sharing of knowledge and provides a direction for developing not only one’s own operations but also the future of the entire sector,” says Kari Luoto, Managing Director of the Finnish Commerce Federation.

The Work to Belong cooperation offers companies the opportunity to influence tools and content that support young people’s attachment to the work community. They can participate in the Who Believes in You? campaign in May-June, as well as share case studies and successful experiments with the partners of the programme. In the Osaava kauppa academy launched by the Finnish Commerce Federation, operators in the sector and educational institutions deepen cooperation, particularly in the themes of competence and education. Companies can use Kauppa.fi’s materials related to providing employment to young people.

Companies in the commerce sector are by far the largest providers of summer jobs in the economy. The sector continues to encourage everyone to offer summer jobs and internships to young people. The employment voucher for young people, for example, can be used in recruitment. The Earn as You Learn summer internship programme in the commerce sector also offers an easy entry to working life.

For further information, please contact:

Pia Pere-Vanhanen, Communications and Responsibility Director, Finnish Commerce Federation, tel. +358 (0) 40 867 1708, pia.pere-vanhanen(at)kauppa.fi

Kari Luoto, Managing Director, Finnish Commerce Federation, tel. +358 (0) 400 688 708, kari.luoto(at)kauppa.fi