Principal researcher Angelina values Finland’s sustainability expertise

1. I currently work as a…

principal researcher in a project which is about engaging Baltic Sea Region professionals to jointly innovate smart city, circular economy and climate change solutions for strengthening regional and inter-regional sustainable development.

2. The reason I ended up in Finland is…

Finnish expertise in sustainability. I dreamt of linking business studies with environmental issues, and back in 2002 the University of Jyväskylä was one of the few places in Europe where international students could study for a master’s degree in corporate environmental management in English.

3. What I find surprising about working in Finland is…

how informal and down-to-earth relationships at work are. In my experience, even high-standing officials are relaxed about who they are: they let others speak their mind and actually listen, and might even crack quirky Finnish jokes to relax the working atmosphere.

4. If I could change one thing about Finnish working life it would be…

creating a more open culture to talk about failures and the importance of a trial-and-error approach. This would create a more realistic picture of how professional growth happens, instead of focusing only on success stories.

5. My favouritething about Finland is…

Finnish people: smart, humble, genuine and trusting. I have a rather shy personality, and I feel like I’m allowed to be myself in Finland and still be appreciated as a member of the work community and society.