Business organisations rarely give companies guidance on political contributions
Chamber of Commerce recommends openness
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Contributions by businesses to politicians is a hot topic of conversation, but business organisations give few actual instructions on what kind of a view companies should take toward donating money to politicians.
“This matter has not been discussed among us to any degree”, says director Jukka Ahtela of the Confederation of Finnish Industry (EK). He adds that drafting guidelines is “not on the agenda” of the confederation.
“This is purely a matter for individual companies. Companies follow general guidelines concerning campaign financing. Otherwise each one operates as it sees fit”, Ahtela says.
The Central Chamber of Commerce also has no recommendations on how politicians should be supported, says Deputy Managing director Pentti Mäkinen.
“It is specifically a matter for a company itself. We do not have any general recommendations or methods of action”, he said.
On a general level, Mäkinen recommends openness in election financing.
“It is a starting point in all other societal activity as well.”
In Mäkinen’s view there is no problem in principle in that companies support “the democratic system” - that is, politicians.
“It is acceptable activity, that can even be recommended. It is a way to maintain the basic structures of society.”
A round of telephone calls shows that large companies seem to shun giving direct monetary support to politicians.
Paavo Moilanen, head of communications at the wholesale and retail concern Kesko, says that the company does not pay out direct political support to individual candidates or parties. However, he adds that parties and politicians get more indirect support, without regard to ideology.
“Last year we took out advertisements amounting to support of sorts worth EUR 12,800", Moilanen says. He is not saying which parties’ newspapers were involved, but they did cover the whole political field, as this is the principle of the company.
Kesko does not contact the papers to buy advertising space, but when salespeople make contact, they often get a positive response. Other types of support are dealt with in the same way.
“Candidates often contact us and ask if they can organise an election event in the car park of a store. We have responded positively to such requests”.
In addition, representatives of Kesko have sometimes attended seminars held by Members of Parliament, which serve as fund-raising events.
The competing retail chain, SOK, which is organised as a cooperative, also does not directly support individual politicians.
“When we have been approached in connection with elections, we have supported the parties by taking part in seminars that they have organised, or by buying advertising space, for instance”, says Suso Kolesnik, SOK’s head of communications.
“In election years, the maximum amount that we have spent on support activities has been ten thousand euros.”
Kolesnik says that it is a matter of social responsibility to finance parties and politicians in this manner.
“Parties are significant players in our democratic system.”
Company executives responsible for communications will often take part in seminars, and the events are also good opportunities for networking. The seminars are not attended merely for the sake of being a paying guest. The aim is to choose an event that is beneficial for the participant as well.
“They are of a very high standard, both with respect to their content and their participants.”
At the IT company TietoEnator, the head of communications Reeta Kaukiainen says that the company has not been supporting politicians directly. What about seminars?
“I have understood that we have not taken part in them”, she says.
What about the energy company Fortum?
“We have very clear rules. He do not give support to politics”, says brand director Susanna Serlachius.
More on this subject:
 Brax wants monitoring of election campaign funding away from Ministry of Justice
Prime Minister regards election campaign funding mess as serious
Helsingin Sanomat
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