Elected members of the Representative Assembly of OP Uusimaa oversee the interests of owner-customers. The Representative Assembly, which is elected every four years, convenes to confirm the bank's financial statements and decide on the composition of the Supervisory Council, among other topics.

The Representative Assembly is an important link between customers and the bank. The wishes of owner-customers pass to the bank through the Representative Assembly, while the Representative Assembly in turn has the latest information about services offered by the bank, for example.

The Representative Assembly can also be a gateway to greater influence in the bank's governing bodies: Nina Degerman, Jüri Linros and Sini Suomalainen are all currently members of the Supervisory Council of OP Uusimaa, having started out in the Representative Assembly.

Nina Degerman: owner-customers' views in the spotlight

Nina Degerman from Kirkkonummi ensures that customers are considered in the bank's decision.

"I've been OP's customer all my life. My mother worked her entire career at an OP cooperative bank, so the bank and financial matters have been a part of my life since childhood. I've visited the bank to take care of my finances since I was a little girl.

In the last election, my mother, who herself has been a member of OP Uusimaa's Representative Assembly, encouraged me to run as a candidate. In the Representative Assembly, I took my first steps into the bank's governing bodies and decided I wanted to continue to the Supervisory Council, to which I was appointed in April 2023.

I am a Senior Adviser at the Tax Administration, with an MSc in Economics and Business Administration. In my degree, I focused on accounting and corporate law, which is reflected in how I approach my duties as a governing body member: mostly, I view things in terms of numbers or legal questions. Still, the most important thing for me are the bank's customers, and how decisions affect their daily lives.

A good example of an area where the Representative Assembly has real influence is decisions on donations to charitable causes. While was I serving in the Representative Assembly, after a financially strong year, we resolved to raise the donation sum from the original proposal. This shows that the Representative Assembly has real influence on issues that matter.

Although I was familiar with the cooperative model in theory, experiencing it firsthand has provided an entirely new perspective. I understand now how the cooperative business model is reflected in the bank's operations in practice.

One of the most positive things has been the opportunity to get to know different people. Informal interactions have offered me valuable experience and insights. There's plenty of time for networking and informal conversations in addition to the official agenda."

Jüri Linros: "productivity and fairness come together in a cooperative bank"

Jüri Linros from Kerava considers it important that a bank based on a cooperative business model can be profitable while promoting the wellbeing of the local community.

"I became OP's customer because we received excellent service and a home loan with better terms than other banks." Little by little, I became interested in the workings of cooperative banks – how profitable business could be compatible with democratic and sustainable values.

I work as an MD specialising in internal medicine at the Vantaa and Kerava wellbeing services county. I'm also a city councillor of Kerava and a member of the wellbeing services county council. Because I want to make a difference, I ran as a candidate and was elected for OP Uusimaa's Representative Assembly in 2017.

I spent my childhood in Tallinn during the Soviet era, where the banking business was practically nonexistent back then. My interest in civic activism comes from my childhood and youth in Soviet Estonia, which taught me to appreciate democracy.

Because of my background, I am an advocate of fiscal conservatism, but I've also learned through my profession as a doctor that profits need to be shared with those who have less in society. The Representative Assembly makes decisions on charitable causes, among other matters. After the Ukraine war broke out, I proposed a donation of 200,000 euros to support Ukrainian refugees, which the assembly approved unanimously.

Through the Representative Assembly, I've had the opportunity to learn about the bank from up close and provide an insight into the views and needs of customers. People share their thoughts on services offered by the bank, and it's essential that they are brought to the bank's attention. The most important thing is to read through the materials carefully, ask questions and challenge views if necessary.

From the Representative Assembly, I was appointed to the Supervisory Council of OP Uusimaa. The Supervisory Council also makes decisions that benefit customers." 

Sini Suomalainen: interested in the sustainability of the cooperative model

Sini Suomalainen from Helsinki is especially interested in how sustainability is connected to the cooperative model.

"I was elected to the Representative Assembly of OP Uusimaa in the most recent election. I decided to run as a candidate after my brother-in-law signed up as my supporter. I had previously been a member of the parish council for many years, and wanted to make a difference in other ways.

I brought up the circular economy as my election theme, which may have attracted voters and helped me in the election by having a clear stance. I work in science communication and the circular economy and provide consulting and assess the impact of research projects, particularly in the textile and forestry sectors.

Because of my involvement with so many different research projects, as a Representative Assembly member, my interest was drawn to how sustainability was visible in cooperative activities. At the moment, sustainability at OP is visible mostly as individual forms of support, but it could be taken further in services offered for personal customers in the bank's core competency areas, similar to what has been done in corporate banking.

I've always been OP's customer, but did not put much thought into what it means to be an owner-customer before becoming a representative. Having access to smooth and convenient online services was enough to keep me a satisfied customer.

From the Representative Assembly, I was appointed to the Supervisory Council last year. During my time on the bank's governing bodies, I've begun to better understand how the bank is managed, and what it really means to be an owner-customer. It's a positive that the cooperative business model also benefits customers and not primarily the shareholders, as in a limited liability company."