Transparency Register shows SY most active lobbyists

The Transparency Register shows that Suomen Yrittäjät, the Finnish SME association, has been the association working most actively on its members’ behalf.

The first reporting period of the Transparency Register concerned advocacy work from the start of April to the end of June. The reporting period ended on 31 August. The Transparency Register records lobbying work and contacts to ministers, their assistants, MPs and civil servants.

In the first reporting period, Suomen Yrittäjät was the most active lobbying association. Suomen Yrittäjät contacted the reportable persons on 144 topics. The second most active lobbyist was the Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK), with 87 topics, followed by the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities, with 66 topics.

The advocacy work of the regional associations of Suomen Yrittäjät is not seen in the figures for the nationwide association. Of the regional associations, the most active was Pirkanmaan Yrittäjät, with 19 advocacy topics.

The Transparency Register shows that Suomen Yrittäjät has by far been the most actively advocating association on a range of issues.

“It’s a joy to see that the Transparency Register shows the industry and activity of a broad swath of Suomen Yrittäjät people on issues that matter to our members,” says Mikael Pentikäinen, CEO of Suomen Yrittäjät.

“At the same time, much of advocacy work still remains in the dark, partly because the Register only records certain kinds of advocacy. For example, we sit on numerous working groups, which the Register does not record,” Pentikäinen says.

Number of advocacy work topics 1 April–30 June 2024

1. Suomen Yrittäjät 144
2. MTK 87
3. Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities 66
4. Blic Oy 65
5. Pohjoisranta BCW 47
6. Rud Pedersen 46
7. Finnish Energy 38
8. Finnish Olympic Committee 34
9. Finnish Commerce Federation 34
10. Tekir Oy 33 and Amnesty International 33

Source: avoimuusrekisteri.fi