ABSTRACT
Finland has a relatively homogeneous population with Swedish speaking, Russian and Sami minorities. A majority of Finns belong to the Lutheran Church. While Finland has a large and diverse civil society and a strong tradition of volunteering, the practice of philanthropy is less well established. The Finnish welfare state model is facing a range of challenges related to the provision of public goods, inclusive and participatory decision-making and competitiveness. Currently, Finland is in a public discussion about the societal model it wants to follow. Finland does not have many think-tanks, but some have been active in discussing sustainable enterprises. The Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, a public fund reporting to the Finnish Parliament, promotes new business models that aim for sustainable wellbeing. Lumituuli is the first Finnish windmill company providing wind energy to its owners. Owners consist of private people and small businesses. The activity started in 1998 in order to increase the awareness and production of wind energy.
