Demos Helsinki
{{Short description|Finnish think tank}}
{{Distinguish|Demos (US think tank)|Demos (UK think tank)}}
{{Infobox organisation
| name = Demos Helsinki|
| image = Logo Demos.png
| type = Think tank
| headquarters = Mechelininkatu 3d, 00100
| location = Helsinki, Finland
| formation = {{start date and age|2005}}
| leader_title = Chief Executive
| leader_name = Juha Leppänen|
| leader_title2 = Founders|
| leader_name2 = Aleksi Neuvonen, Roope Mokka
| website = [https://demoshelsinki.fi/ Demoshelsinki.fi]|}}
Demos Helsinki is a Finnish think tank. Their main research focus is on governance and societal innovation for the development of a democratic and environmentally sustainable society.{{cite web |title=Demos Helsinki |url=https://onthinktanks.org/think-tank/demos-helsinki/ |website=onthinktanks.org |publisher=On Think Tanks |access-date=4 September 2021}} The organisation receives a mix of public and private funding.{{cite journal |last1=Lounasmeri |first1=Lotta |title=The Finnish Think Tank Landscape–A Mixture of Consensualism and Adversity? |journal=Scandinavian Political Studies |date=2020 |volume=43 |issue=3 |pages=187–206 |doi=10.1111/1467-9477.12182 |hdl=10138/319111 |s2cid=225383122 |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1467-9477.12182 |access-date=2 May 2021|hdl-access=free }} When it was founded in 2005, Demos Helsinki became Finland's first independent think tank, described as a "front-runner" amongst think tanks in the Nordic by the Scandinavian Political Studies journal.{{cite journal |last1=Lounasmeri |first1=Lotta |title=The Finnish Think Tank Landscape–A Mixture of Consensualism and Adversity? |journal=Scandinavian Political Studies |date=2020 |volume=43 |issue=3 |pages=190 |doi=10.1111/1467-9477.12182 |hdl=10138/319111 |s2cid=225383122 |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1467-9477.12182 |access-date=2 May 2021|hdl-access=free }} Internationally, Demos Helsinki remains one of Finland's most prominent advocates of social change, receiving regular coverage from notable English-language newspapers, including The Guardian, The New York Times, and The Economist.{{cite news |last1=Goodman |first1=Peter |title=Free Cash in Finland. Must be Jobless |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/17/business/economy/universal-basic-income-finland.html |access-date=2 May 2021 |agency=The New York Times |date=17 December 2016}}{{cite web |last1=Soila |first1=Amanda |title=Think Tanks See an Even Better Finland |url=https://finland.fi/business-innovation/think-tanks-see-an-even-better-finland/ |website=This is Finland |date=July 2014 |access-date=2 May 2021}}{{Citation| title=Roope Mokka | url=https://www.sitra.fi/en/people/roope-mokka/ | website=Sitra.fi }}{{cite news |last1=Kaarna |first1=Jasper |title=Demos Helsinki: Näin toimii ajatushautomo |url=https://suomenkuvalehti.fi/jutut/kotimaa/demos-helsinki-nain-toimii-ajatushautomo/ |access-date=21 August 2021 |agency=Suomen Kuvalehti |date=22 May 2009 |language=Finnish}}
History
Demos Helsinki was founded in 2005 to conduct research for the Finnish innovation fund Sitra about the future of public services and quality of life in Finland.{{cite web |last1=Päiväniemi |first1=Okko |title=Demos Helsinki ja taloushallinnon sähköistyminen: muutoskuvaus |url=https://www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/109600/oppari_okko_paivaniemi.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y |website=Theseus.fi |publisher=Haaga-Heli Ammattikorkeakoulu |access-date=21 August 2021 |language=Finnish |date=2016}} Demos's approach to research and policy-making combines the expertise from expertise from different fields of study, including urban planning, architecture, and social sciences. In 2007, the organisation launched the largest privately funded climate change campaign in Europe. At their annual conference in 2013, the World Resources Forum crowned Demos Helsinki's ideas for a resource-sustainable economy the best presentation in the Sustainable Business and Industry category.{{cite web |title=Peloton laboratorio palkittiin World Resources Forumissa |url=https://ym.fi/-/peloton-laboratorio-palkittiin-world-resources-forumissa |website=ym.fi |publisher=Ministry of the Environment (Finland) |access-date=8 June 2021 |language=Finnish |date=7 October 2013}} More recently, Demos has developed experimental policy-making approaches for the Finnish government.{{cite web |last1=Wachtmeister |first1=Will |title=FINLAND: The world's first country with truly experimental governance |url=https://basicincome.org/news/2015/12/finland-basic-income-experimental-governance/ |website=basicincome.org |publisher=Basic Income Earth Network |access-date=9 June 2021 |date=18 December 2015}}{{cite book |editor1-last=Szaniecki |editor1-first=Barbara |editor2-last=Cocco |editor2-first=Giuseppe |title=Creative Capitalism, Multitudinous Creativity: Radicalities and Alterities |date=20 August 2015 |publisher=Lexington Books |isbn=9781498503990 |page=169 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wEhOCgAAQBAJ |access-date=21 August 2021}} The universal basic income experiment in Finland in 2016 was part of this experimental policy-making, and Demos received worldwide media attention for their development of the experiment in collaboration with the prime minister's office.{{cite journal |last1=Catalan |first1=Daniel |title=What is a systems approach? |journal=The OECD Observer |date=22 June 2018 |pages=1–3 |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2400554144 |access-date=21 August 2021 |publisher=The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development |issn=0029-7054|id={{ProQuest|2400554144}} }}{{cite news |last1=Oltermann |first1=Philip |title=State handouts for all? Europe set to pilot universal basic incomes |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/02/state-handouts-for-all-europe-set-to-pilot-universal-basic-incomes |access-date=2 May 2021 |agency=The Guardian |date=2 June 2016}}
The organisation is also a partner to the city of Helsinki in its environmental and social sustainability programme, aiming to make the city carbon neutral by 2035.{{Citation| title= Think Sustainably | url=https://www.sustaineurope.com/think-sustainably-20191030.html | website=Sustaineurope.com }}{{Citation| title= Helsinki Launches Local Sustainability Programme | url=https://www.smartcitiesworld.net/news/news/helsinki-launches-local-sustainability-programme-4471 | website=Smartcitiesworld.net }} Part of this collaboration included the creation of the Think Sustainably app that highlights sustainable consumer options and helps reduce carbon emissions, for which Demos developed the sustainability criteria.{{cite web |last1=Douglas |first1=Lucy |title=Helsinki residents encouraged to reduce emissions with new 'Think Sustainably' app |url=https://www.positive.news/environment/helsinki-residents-encouraged-to-reduce-emissions-with-new-think-sustainably-app/ |publisher=Positive News |access-date=9 June 2021 |date=13 August 2019}}{{cite web |last1=EME outlook |title=City of Helsinki launches local sustainability programme |url=https://www.emeoutlookmag.com/industry-insights/article/500-city-of-helsinki-launches-local-sustainability-programme |website=EMEoutlookmag.com |publisher=EME Outlook |access-date=9 June 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Aouf |first1=Rima Sabina |title=Helsinki launches Think Sustainably digital service for residents and tourists |url=https://www.dezeen.com/2019/08/14/helsinki-think-sustainably-app/ |access-date=9 June 2021 |agency=Dezeen |date=14 August 2019}} Internationally, Demos Helsinki provides the French RATP Group, one of the world's major public transport providers, urban planning advice as a part of their strategy to use design and infrastructure innovation to increase sustainability.{{cite web|title=2019 RATP Group Highlights|date=2 October 2020|url=https://www.ratp.fr/sites/default/files/inline-files/2019_RATP_GROUP_HIGHLIGHTS.pdf|access-date=12 October 2020}}{{cite journal |first1=Eeva |last1=Berglund |title=Design as Activism in Helsinki:Notes from the World Design Capital 2012 |journal=Design and Culture |date=2013 |volume=2 |issue=5 |page=197 |doi=10.2752/175470813X13638640370779 |s2cid=142968921 |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.2752/175470813X13638640370779?needAccess=true |access-date=21 August 2021|url-access=subscription }} Their collaboration is aimed at improving the societal impacts of Paris's public transport infrastructure, whilst decreasing its environmental footprint.{{cite web |last1=Nuutinen |first1=Johannes |title=RATP, Paris – The world's fourth biggest public transport operator examines the year 2035 |url=https://demoshelsinki.fi/referenssit/ratp-paris-the-worlds-fourth-biggest-public-transport-operator-examines-the-year-2035/ |website=Demoshelsinki.fi |publisher=Demos Helsinki |access-date=2 May 2021}}
Notable people
This is a list of notable people presently or formerly associated with Demos Helsinki:
- Sari Baldauf - Chairman of Nokia.
- Olli-Pekka Heinonen - Former Finnish Cabinet member (Minister of Transport and Communications, Education){{cite web |title=Demos Helsinki - Board of Directors |url=https://demoshelsinki.fi/department/board-of-directors/ |website=Demoshelsinki.fi |publisher=Demos Helsinki |access-date=6 May 2021}}
- Geoff Mulgan - British political scientist and Professor at University College London.
- {{interlanguage link|Aleksi Neuvonen|fi}} - Finnish futurist and co-founder of Demos Helsinki.
- {{interlanguage link|Roope Mokka|fi}} - Finnish futures researcher and co-founder of Demos Helsinki.
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official site|http://www.demoshelsinki.fi/}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Demos Helsinki}}