Public-Private Partnership

Partnership between the public and private sectors has a long and honourable tradition in Finland. The 1920s and 1930s have already given us positive experiences. The National Board of Economic Defence (NBED) was established in 1955. It was an extensive organisation for co-operation on an expert level between public authorities and the business world and covered the most important social sectors. NBED and its different bodies planned and co-ordinated preparations for various kinds of disturbances and emergency situations. The Council of State appointed the Board for a period of four years. The last period covered the years 2004 – 2008.

A new structure for responding to today’s social challenges

The NBED was abolished in summer 2008, but it’s core functions (public-private patrnership) were transferred into a new National Emergency Supply Organization (NESO). The clusters and pools of NESO are working in connection with NESA forming the collaboration between government authorities and business life.

The new organization for security planning is particularly important in today’s interlinked and technological society. It was modified to be better adapted to new and changed conditions. Clusters have been established to focus on the areas of security of supply. These clusters constitute large, branch specific organisations for co-operation between authorities, federations, and important business actors in the branches concerned. Their main task is to manage, co-ordinate, and monitor preparations within their respective security of supply area.

The business world and administration in co-operation

The important clusters of NESO are IT Society, transport logistics, food supply, energy supply, and health care services. Representatives of ministries, government agencies, private economy, and various organisations are members of these sectors.

Pools for co-ordinating practical work

Partnership between the public and private sectors is most conspicuous in NESO’s pool organisation. The pools are bodies managed by the business world and responsible for operative preparedness. Their task is to monitor, study, plan and prepare measures for improving security of supply in their own branches, in co-operation with companies.