Vuorineuvos

{{Lang|fi|Vuorineuvos}} ({{IPA|fi|ˈʋuo̯riˌneu̯ʋos|lang}}, 'mining councilor', literally Finnish for 'mountain councilor'; Swedish: {{Lang|sv|bergsråd}}) is both a Finnish honorary title and a historical Swedish role on the Swedish Board of Mines. The Finnish title is granted by the President of Finland to leading figures in industry and commerce. The title is honorary and has no responsibilities and no privileges. All Finnish titles are non-hereditary. The only title of equal rank is valtioneuvos.

Origin and history

The title originated in Sweden in 1713, a time when mining played a major role in the economy, and of which Finland was a part. Upon the reorganization of the Swedish Board of Mines that year, the role was created.{{Cite book |last=Almquist |first=Johan Axel |url=https://digital.ub.umu.se/resolve?urn=urn:19a_000292 |title=Bergskollegium och Bergslagsstaterna 1637–1857: administrativa och biografiska anteckningar |date=1909 |publisher=Norstedt |pages=22–23 |language=sv |oclc=185170542}} It referred to a position on the board below the vice president and above mining assessor ({{Lang|fi|vuoriasessori}} [Finnish], {{Lang|sv|bergsassessor}} [Swedish]).{{Cite web |title=Bergsråd |url=https://fho.sls.fi/uppslagsord/1063/bergsrad/ |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=Förvaltningshistorisk ordbok |language=sv}}{{Cite web |title=Bergsassessor |url=https://fho.sls.fi/uppslagsord/16032/bergsassessor/ |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=Förvaltningshistorisk ordbok |language=sv}} In reference to a member of the board, the title was no longer used after 1857 when the Board of Mines became part of the National Board of Trade.{{Cite web |title=Kommerskollegiums historia i årtal |url=https://www.kommerskollegium.se/om-oss/uppdrag/historia/kommerskollegiums-historia-i-artal/ |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=Kommerskollegium |language=sv}}

In the mid-18th century, five Finns were awarded the title.{{cite web | url=http://www.kansallisbiografia.fi/talousvaikuttajat/?p=5 | title=Ruotsin ajan neuvokset 1762-1808 |website=Kansallisbiografia.fi | access-date=September 3, 2013}} From 1809 to 1917 in the semi-autonomous, Russian-ruled Grand Duchy of Finland a further 19 titles were awarded.{{cite web | url=http://www.kansallisbiografia.fi/talousvaikuttajat/?p=6 | title=Autonomian ajan neuvokset 1809-1917 |website=Kansallisbiografia.fi | access-date=September 3, 2013}} The first recipient of the {{Lang|fi|vuorineuvos}} title in the modern Republic of Finland was Baron {{Ill|Fridolf Leopold Hisinger|fi|5=sv}}, on 17 July 1918. Awarding of the title has evolved to include not only giants of the mining industry but distinguished leaders in other industries and commerce. By 2010, the title had been granted to 295 people.{{cite web | url=http://www.talouselama.fi/uutiset/vuorineuvos+on+halutuin+arvonimi/a2055795 | title=Vuorineuvos on halutuin arvonimi | author=Riitta Korhonen | date=June 4, 2008 | access-date=September 3, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141208020224/http://www.talouselama.fi/uutiset/vuorineuvos+on+halutuin+arvonimi/a2055795 | archive-date=December 8, 2014 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}

Honorees are usually chief executive officers or chairmen of the board of major corporations.

As of 2008, the title had been held by only two women: Irja Ketonen (1980), the principal owner and CEO of Turun Sanomat; and Maarit Toivanen (2008), then the CEO and chair of {{ill|Onvest|fi}}.{{cite news |title=Presidentti myönsi 116 arvonimeä |url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-5839235 |access-date=9 January 2021 |publisher=Yle |date=12 June 2008 |language=fi}}

High taxation of the title

The persons proposing that the honorary {{Lang|fi|vuorineuvos}} title be conferred on someone are required to pay to the Finnish government a stamp duty.{{Cite web|url=https://www.finlex.fi/fi/lainsaadanto/saadoskokoelma/2001/1388|title=FINLEX ® - Säädökset alkuperäisinä: Laki arvonimistä suoritettavasta verosta 1388/2001|website=Finlex.fi}} (48,400 euros in 2007).

The {{Lang|fi|kauppaneuvos}} title dating back to the same era, by comparison, is taxed at the rate of 33,300 euros.

Rejection of the title by notable would-be honorees

Antti Ahlström, the founder of Ahlstrom; Jorma Ollila, the former CEO of Nokia; and Pekka Herlin of KONE have refused the title out of personal preference.{{cn|date=January 2021}}

Translation advisory from the translation service of the Finnish prime minister's office

According to the translation service of the Finnish prime minister's office, there is no official or established English translation for the {{Lang|fi|vuorineuvos}} title.

If it cannot be left out, the prime minister's office advises it best be used untranslated as "the Finnish honorary title of {{Lang|fi|vuorineuvos}}".{{Cite web |url=http://vnk.fi/toiminta/kielipalvelut/sanastot/pdf/arvonimet.pdf |title=Translation Service of the Prime Minister's Office |access-date=2014-08-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120226212425/http://www.vnk.fi/toiminta/kielipalvelut/sanastot/pdf/arvonimet.pdf |archive-date=2012-02-26 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web|url=http://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/handle/10024/79756|title=English Style Guide. A Handbook for Translators, Revisors and Authors of Government Texts|date=April 19, 2017|website=Julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi}}

In cases in which translators are not able to convince their customers that it is best left out or at least untranslated, the prime minister's office further directs, customers can usually be persuaded to accept the paraphrase "the highly respected industrialist X". Otherwise, a possible translation that does not ridicule the title holder would be "senior industrialist X", but this still conveys a very incorrect picture of Finnish society.{{Clarify|reason="Ridicule" should be explained as well as why this is a "very incorrect picture" of Finnish society|date=March 2023}} "X, senior industrialist" would be a bit better.{{Cn|date=March 2023}}

List of notable persons with the title

References

Category:Honorary titles

Category:Culture of Finland