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The Alfred Kordelin Prize is awarded every year in Finland to key future actors, who, through their activities in the field of science, culture, and civil society, have created the conditions for s stronger, diverse, and sustainable society, and for a better future.

This year the Alfred Kordelin Foundation Prize is awarded to Minna Halme, Professor of Sustainability Management, Conductor Dalia Stasevska and to Ilari Sääksjärvi, Professor in Biodiversity Research. Each prize amounts to 50 000 euros.

‘I very grateful to the Alfred Kordelin Foundation for this significant recognition. This award gives visibility to the importance of sustainable development in business, which is delightful. For me, this recognition is particularly significant positive feedback from decades of work with research topics that were often ahead of their time, and thus sometimes considered odd or disconcerting,’ says Professor Minna Halme.

Minna Halme – a respected scientist, teacher, and societal contributor

The Prize Committee’s award criteria for Professor Halme were as follows:

In her research, Halme has demonstrated how business can be conducted in a way that it is ecologically and socially more sustainable and economically more sensible in the long term. She has shown how to make use of innovative and novel business models to solve broad issues in the field of sustainable development, such as loss of biodiversity, climate change or global poverty.

Minna Halme has made an impact both on a national and international scale and her knowledge has spread further through her students and has shaped companies to become more responsible. Her work has directly contributed towards a more sustainable society – both in Finland and globally.

Since 2009, Minna Halme has worked as Professor of Management Studies at the Aalto University School of Business (Helsinki School of Economics until the end of 2009), where she is the co-founder of the cross-disciplinary Creative Sustainability Master Programme, the Aalto Global Impact and the Aalto Sustainability Hub.

Proposal of prizes, the Prize Committee, selection

Juha Laaksonen, the Chairman of the Prize Committee, states that the objective of the Kordelin Foundation is to provide extensive support to Finnish science and arts.

‘This broad scope and multidisciplinary approach is visible in the 48 prize candidacies received by the Foundation. This year’s prizewinners are the best representatives of key future actors, as, in addition to their outstanding merits, they have also been able to touch many with their actions. For Alfred Kordelin, it was always important that as many as possible could have access to the achievements of science and culture’.

In May 2022, the Foundation requested proposals for prize candidates from Finnish universities, artists’ and cultural associations and from previous prizewinners. The prizewinners were chosen by the Committee composed of journalist Tuija Siltamäki, author Tiina Raevaara, Professor Marja Makarow, entrepreneur Mika Anttonen, Juha Laaksonen and Vice-Chairman Jukka Seppälä. Alfred Kordelin prizes are awarded yearly on Alfred Kordelin ́s birthday 6th of November.

For further information:

Erik Båsk, General Manager, The Alfred Kordelin Foundation
+358 40 825 8071
erik.bask@kordelin.fi

Minna Halme, Professor, Department of Management Studies
+358 40 3538251
minna.halme@aalto.fi