Stakeholder engagement

 

The establishment of the nature conservation area of the Kvarken archipelago is moving towards decision-making — A recent case study examines the stages and practices of the mediation process

The decree establishing the nature conservation area of the Kvarken archipelago was drafted at the local level between 2023 and 2025 as part of Finland’s most extensive nature conservation dispute resolution process assisted by an external, independent party. In the process supported by Akordi,…
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Sustainable herring fishing in the Gulf of Bothnia is strengthened through better knowledge, long-term and ecosystem-based fisheries management, and protection of herring spawning areas

Baltic Sea herring stocks and the herring fisheries have in recent years become a central point of contention in Baltic Sea fisheries policy. Member States’ approaches to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) recommendations for herring quotas have varied, and the public debate…
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Collaborative problem-solving and effective interaction with the support of an independent party

On Tuesday, May 19, we organized our first Environmental Mediation Afternoon. The event, open to anyone interested, was structured around a topical case study—the resolution of disputes related to the establishment of the nature conservation area of the Kvarken archipelago. The topic was explored…
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Better engagement to foster trust and acceptable solutions in the green transition

Akordi’s new publication focuses on how to build acceptance for green investments and the transition as a whole, particularly through high-quality engagement timed for the early stages of project development. The publication provides answers to frequently asked questions: What do the challenges…
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Starting points for implementing an acceptable and just green transition – Akordi’s proposal for an engagement strategy for the City of Oulu

We have been sparring with the City of Oulu (Urban Environment Services & BusinessOulu) during the fall of 2025 and spring of 2026 as part of the Scaling up the work in anticipating and resolving conflicts in the green transition initiative, supported by the TAH and RELEX Foundations. As a result…
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Wind power operators and reindeer herding district working with maps – Uusiutuvat magazine highlights the more targeted collaboration

Since 2019, stakeholders in the reindeer herding and wind power sectors have been learning from one another, building collaboration, and defining best practices for coordinating reindeer herding and wind power projects hosted by Akordi, the Reindeer Herders’ Association, and Renewables Finland. Over…
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Finnish forest reindeer and wind power development on a collision course: Situation overview and paths to resolving tensions in Central Ostrobothnia

Akordi's new publication examines the rapidly developing situation in Central Ostrobothnia in the context of wind power and Finnish forest reindeer from different perspectives and proposes initial steps to resolve tensions. The case is important because it reflects the broader friction associated with…
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Experts from Akordi and WesselinkVanZijst presented systematic and proven practices for engaging the general public and key stakeholders in large-scale energy projects

In yesterday’s webinar, DENSE & TENSE: Large Scale Energy Projects in Oulu and The Hague – Systematic Approach to Engaging the General Public and Key Stakeholders, experts from Akordi and WesselinkVanZijst presented systematic and proven practices for engaging the general public and key stakeholders…
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DENSE & TENSE: Large Scale Energy Projects in Oulu and The Hague – Systematic Approach to Engaging the General Public and Key Stakeholders

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Interim review of the natural resources plan for the Sámi homeland for 2022–2027

An interim review of the 2022–2027 natural resources plan for the Sámi homeland was held in Inari at the beginning of the week. The working group involved in drawing up the plan and representatives of Metsähallitus met to evaluate the plan and the implementation of the measures included in it. On…
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The role of independent facilitation in tense discussions

Last Thursday, a multifaceted discussion took place at the Oodi Central Library during a public event organized by the City of Helsinki and Helen, where the possibility of building a nuclear power plant in Helsinki was considered. The event presented the city's views, Helen's nuclear power project, zoning,…
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The training session and webinar in Sodankylä explored critical minerals in the sustainability transition – watch the recording!

Akordi's three-day training course Strategic stakeholder engagement in mining projects – critical minerals was held this week at Kommatin maja in Sodankylä on November 5–7, 2025. The training was attended by a diverse group of professionals from the municipality of Sodankylä, the Regional Council…
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FinEst Twins Final Event: Answers to the challenges faced by key players in the clean energy transition, and translations of the Playbook into three languages

On October 27, at the FinEst Twins project's final seminar, we published answers to the challenges faced by key players in the clean energy transition, as well as English, Swedish, and Norwegian translations of Akordi's Playbook. We promote a fair and clean energy transition by developing strategic…
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Blog: The social acceptance of the green transition requires negotiated problem solving alongside the nature value market

The nature value market and biodiversity offsetting are currently widely discussed topics. Also in Akordi we have been working to find mutually acceptable and sustainable solutions to halt the nature loss. We have been helping various actors negotiate acceptable solutions to issues related to the sustainability…
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Blog: In Vaasa this week, the acceptability of hydrogen projects was discussed in our seminar and training

Small municipalities in Ostrobothnia have become the driving force behind hydrogen development in Finland. According to representatives of four business development companies, this can be explained by investing in the early stages of project development and learning from shared experiences. The discussion…
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Working together towards more meaningful activities of large carnivore observers

We participated in four regional workshops organized by the Natural Resources Institute Finland and the Finnish Wildlife Agency, which surveyed the opinions of large carnivore observers (LCOs) on how to develop their activities, increase its significance, and improve interaction between Luke and large…
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The autumn meeting of Akordi’s Community of Practice reinforced the learning and cooperation networks created during the training

A Community of Practice based on a common approach is being built through our Strategic Stakeholder Engagement in Clean Transition Projects training, in which more than 120 experts are participating this year. At the first joint meeting, students who had studied and were studying on different courses…
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In Luppio, solutions were sought together with reindeer herding cooperatives, wind power companies, one mining project, and the business area director of energy funds

On September 3–4, 2025, we gathered with reindeer herding cooperatives, wind power companies, one mining project representative, and the business area director of energy funds to discuss the cumulative impact of wind power projects on reindeer herding and to brainstorm solutions for mitigating and…
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Kristiinankaupunki councilors discussing the prospects for a green transition with Akordi experts 17.6.2025

Significant funding to Akordi for anticipating and resolving green transition conflicts on the local level

The TAH Foundation and the RELEX Foundation have joined forces to fund Akordi, a Helsinki based organization specialised in environmental collaboration and conflict resolution. The funding allows Akordi to get out on the ground, and help municipalities, enterprises and local communities in finding fair…
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We are creating a Community of Practice of Strategic Stakeholder Engagement in Finland

During the spring, more than 80 experts have graduated from our Strategic Stakeholder Engagement training courses, forming a Community of Practice based on the shared approach. Akordi's Strategic Stakeholder Engagement in Clean Transition Projects training program delves into the essentials of project…
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Strategic stakeholder engagement was discussed from the perspectives of wind power and reindeer herding in Pudasjärvi

Strategic stakeholder engagement in clean transition projects – wind power in reindeer husbandry areas training day focusing on this special topic was held on May 21, 2025, in Pudasjärvi. The training day explored topics such as Pudasjärvi's innovative wind power program, which enables the…
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Collaborative problem solving tooling the sustainability transition – applications of mutual gains approach from the Netherlands and Finland

The Akordi team supported by our steering group, network partners and some of our alumni gathered to discuss how conflicts related to the green transition can be anticipated and resolved applying the mutual gains approach to negotiation and collaborative problem solving – and how these practices can…
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Our Dutch colleagues visited Finland

We started the week on an inspiring note with training from our Dutch colleagues, where we got to dive deeper into their approach to strategic stakeholder engagement and got to hear some interesting examples from the Netherlands. Our international colleagues from the Consensus Building Institute Global…
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Metsäinen maisema, jossa niittyä ja puro

Preliminary study paves the way for new funding models to reduce diffuse pollution in agriculture and forestry

Akordi has conducted a preliminary study to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland on results-based funding models for reducing diffuse pollution in agriculture and forestry. The preliminary study published today provides guidelines for the preparation of possible pilot projects for results-based…
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Talvimaisemassa käppyräinen mänty

The Western Reindeer Herding District and wind energy companies met in cooperation on 27-28 January.

There is pressure in Finland to increase the minimum distances between wind power plants and settlements. This means a growing interest in finding sites for power plants in the sparsely populated reindeer husbandry area, which covers more than a third of Finland's territory. However, the areas that look…
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Juha Kotilainen

Dissertation: Local Community Benefit Agreements would bring multiple benefits to mineral management

Juha Kotilainen, an expert and associate in Akordi, was awarded a PhD from the University of Eastern Finland on 22 November 2024. The title of his dissertation is "Emerging forms of collaborative mineral governance – Analyzing preconditions for community benefit argeements in Finland". In his dissertation,…
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Akordi mapped disputes over the steel plant in Inkoo and paved the way for a constructive dialogue.

The planning of the steel factory has generated disagreements and concerns in the municipality of Inkoo. Akordi produced a situation report for the municipality. Next the municipality aims to strengthen the dialogue. For the mapping, Akordi interviewed Inkoo municipal decision-makers, municipal officials,…
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Wind Power Meets Reindeer Husbandry – Recognition as Basis for Just Energy Transition

On November 21st, 2023, Akordi released a new report examining the results of a collaborative process between wind power and reindeer herding. You can download the report here [In Finnish - English version to appear later] The transition to clean energy involves increasing usage of wind power and…
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