City of Espoo to be awarded as the 2020 procurement organisation

LOGY states in the award statement that the City of Espoo has done important work both in Finland and on an international scale to develop the procurement activities. The development programme of the City of Espoo has focused, among other things, on developing operating models, processes, procurement tools and methods. The development of human resources and know-how has played a key role.

“The development of Espoo’s procurement activities is an excellent example of how the effectiveness of procurement can be promoted both inside and outside the organisation. We hope that the example of Espoo will also inspire other cities and municipalities to develop their procurement activities and recognise the procurement activities as strategic activities and a tool in the development of the city,” says Anna Aminoff, Chairman of the LOGY Award Committee.

Strategic activities to be developed together across administrative boundaries

Procurement is a strategic activity of the whole City of Espoo and an important part of the organisation of the city’s services.

“We have been systematically and purposefully developing the strategic management of procurement, processes and knowledge-based management together with the Procurement Centre and different fields. Our staff are highly skilled and motivated and we continuously develop our expertise. Our goal is to implement procurement with overall economic efficiency, affordability and sustainability. We value the recognition awarded to us and it motivates us to continue developing Espoo’s procurement activities further,” says Ari Erkinharju, Director of Procurement Centre, City of Espoo.

The prize awarded by the Finnish Association of Purchasing and Logistics (LOGY) was presented at the annual LOGY Conference of the logistics and procurement field held at Finlandia Hall on Thursday, 6 February 2020. The recognition was received by Ari Erkinharju, Director of Procurement Centre, and Veera Lavikkala, Development Manager, of the City of Espoo.

The purpose of the annual prize presented to a procurement or logistics company or project is to promote the development of purchasing, logistics and logistics networks that support Finland’s competitiveness by rewarding professionals of the field. The prize awarded since 1994 is awarded for high-quality and long-term development of purchasing or logistics or for a concrete and innovative purchasing or logistics development project and/or research that generates operational and financial benefits.

View the previous prize winners here (in Finnish).