The Most Functional City In The World: Helsinki City Strategy 2017–2021 Photo: Jussi Hellsten Foreword My City Is Your City Live Well And Realize Your Dreams – Welcome To Helsinki According to the Greek philosopher Aristotle, issues. Cities are exceedingly the trailblazers cities exist for the sake of good life. Helsinki in putting solutions into action and finding pursues this vision by seeking to create the practical answers to global questions like best possible conditions for urban life; to be climate change, digitalization, and community the most functional city in the world. empowerment. Our functionality is based on the Nordic We are convinced that the best way a city can model of high-quality city services, serve its residents, companies and visitors is transparent governance, and almost non- by providing the most progressive everyday existent corruption. But good life requires life as a framework. We also believe that by more. Liveability stems from the clean offering a functional city infrastructure as and safe urban environment of Helsinki, a a platform for companies, we are not only unique cultural scene, empowerment of the improving our own operations but also attract communities and, perhaps most importantly, the freshest new ideas and greatest talents a feeling of trust between the citizens. to Helsinki. All major cities in the world tend to generate At times when global challenges overpower both prosperity and social challenges. A companies and experts increasingly successful city manages to cultivate many appreciate a well-organized, reliable and strengths but only a few weaknesses. Cities predictable operational environment. The are responsible for ensuring social cohesion best competitiveness policy is therefore to and creating favourable conditions for be a functional city that people, companies, citizens to pursue their dreams. The city is for communities and visitors live true in their everyone. The city is built together. everyday lives. I firmly believe that cities are increasingly Jan Vapaavuori important in solving the most pressing global Mayor Of Helsinki 3 HELSINKI CITY STRATEGY 2017–2021 Photo: Jussi Hellsten 5. HELSINKI STRENGTHENS AND DIVERSIFIES ITS PROMOTION OF INTERESTS 4 This Is Helsinki. Accessibility Population Of Helsinki of Helsinki Total Population By Gender, % Languages, % 31 December 2017 English, Somali 47 53 1 st The World’s 645,000 Estonian Other Finnish (Estimate) 2 7 80 1 Best Airport Russian Helsinki Airport By age 3 Travellink 2017 90– million 75–89 Swedish 6 17+ passengers per year direct flights 60–74 135 globally 45–59 minutes by train from the city centre airlines 30–44 30 60 to helsinki 15–29 direct flights 0–14 80+ to asia per week 100 000 100 000 Median age: 28 years of Helsinki population The People of Helsinki according to Helsinki–Tallinn Ferry Services 40% has higher education occupational group and gender in 2014 → Twin cities → Stockholm → Travel time with ferry 2 h → Tallinn 1 Managers speak → Up to 18 departures per day → St. Petersburg 80% English → Travemünde 3,5 h 2 Professionals by train th In English st Port of Helsinki 3 Technicians and 1 6 Proficiency associate Busiest sea passenger port Helsinki professionals Out Of 80 Countries in Europe with 12,3 million 4 Clerks EF English Proficiency passengers in 2017 Index 2017 St. Petersburg Stockholm Tallinn 5 Service, shop and th Most Liveable City market sales workers 9 in the World 6 Cra and related The Economist trades workers Intelligence Unit 2017 7 Plant and machine operators and BALTIC SEA assemblers Men 8 Elementary Women occupations Travemünde 0 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 5 6 1. The Most Functional City In The World 7 HELSINKI CITY STRATEGY 2017–2021 1. THE MOST FUNCTIONAL CITY IN THE WORLD 8 1. The Most Functional City In The World Helsinki is Functionality is A functional for a good life. based on equality, non-discrimination, Helsinki’s vision is to be the world’s most strong social cohesion city is based functional city. In pursuing this vision, it seeks and open, inclusive to create the best conditions possible for ways of operating. urban life for its residents and for visitors. The on trust. city’s strategic intent is to do things a little bit A functional city has many strengths and few better every time, in order to make the life of weaknesses. Everyone feels safe in Helsinki. Helsinki’s residents easier and more pleasant. A functional city is based on trust. Safety and Helsinki wants to improve things every day. a sense of mutual trust and togetherness are a competitive edge for the city. The city is for The basic task of the city is to provide quality everyone. The city is built together. public services and create conditions for a stimulating and enjoyable life. Helsinki is a Being a functional city is a path for Helsinki good home and, in the capacity of Finland’s to create advanced everyday life. Helsinki is capital, a shared living room for everyone safe and pleasant, smooth, easy and caring. in Finland. As an internationally oriented Helsinki is a resident- and user-oriented metropolis, Helsinki also serves those coming city. Each resident – whether young, old or Did You Know? from elsewhere. functionally impaired – has the opportunities to lead a quality and eventful life and to receive A functional city means concrete actions and the support and services needed for all st Best public transport choices that make everyday life smoother for stages in life. A functional city is an advantage 1 BEST, Benchmarking in European Service of residents. A functional city means that child especially for ageing people and those in need Public Transport, 2015 day care is close at hand, children feel safe of help and support. walking to school, services for the elderly are easily accessible, and road work is carried When global problems come to a head, nd Helsinki is the world’s out so as to cause minimum disturbance companies and experts increasingly 2 2nd safest city Mercer, 2017 to residents. appreciate a well-organized, reliable and predictable operational environment. The The best economic and best economic and business policy is to be a rd Finland ranks 3rd in terms of business policy is to be functional city. gender parity worldwide a functional city. 3 World Economic Forum 2017 9 HELSINKI CITY STRATEGY 2017–2021 1. THE MOST FUNCTIONAL CITY IN THE WORLD 10 A Living And Captivatingly Original City Helsinki is a combination Helsinki’s objective is to of rational functionality be one of Europe’s most Our open, inclusive and original roughness. captivating locations for innovative start-ups and the Helsinki is a modern, dynamic and vibrant most attractive knowledge and unique city providing world-class opportunities for hub for companies and self-fulfilment and an enjoyable life in a safe, individuals wanting to make reliable and functional setting. the world a better place to culture constantly live in. Helsinki is a city of very special contrasts. Our open, inclusive and unique culture constantly Helsinki is big enough to be a place where generates new and generates new and unexpected things. This you can develop and systemically test combined with the city’s functionality and significant innovations, and small enough for reliability, its world-class education and arts it to be feasible in practice. Helsinki is, at the unexpected things. and culture offerings, hi-tech skills, exemplary same time, both reliable and creative, both use of open data, and its comprehensive spontaneous and organized. The new models understanding of design, creates great of sharing economy that are being created by conditions for both a stimulating everyday life residents and companies make the city more as well as for finding solutions to significant diverse in an inclusive and economic way. global challenges. The long-term objective of the city’s business Helsinki furthers tolerance and pluralism, policy is for private-sector jobs to increase at becomes more international and provides least at the same rate as population growth. conditions for the creation of interesting Work continues on developing the Maria 0-1 destinations and events. True, vivid area into the largest growth business campus bilingualism is a great asset to Helsinki. The in northern Europe and on strengthening city boosts the advancement of viable big the position of the Meilahti campus as an events and invests in attracting and creating internationally significant innovation and th Global Ranking st Best Congress City major cultural and sports events, as well business environment in the health sector. 15 Of Congress Cities 1 In The Nordics as congresses and conferences. Helsinki The entire city is developed as a platform for Union of International Union of International is committed to promoting tourism, and experimenting and creative business activity. Associations (UIA) 2017 Associations (UIA) 2017 encourages everyone to come up with ideas to make the city even more attractive. 1. THE MOST FUNCTIONAL CITY IN THE WORLD 12 A Faster And More Agile Organizational Culture Through Controlled Change Of Rhythm Helsinki is stable and responsible, safe and are one of the most important indicators reliable, but also at the same time dynamic of the city’s successfulness. and highly in tune with today. Constant and agile developing of the city’s own functions Helsinki strives to make and practices is the best guarantee for better sense of global the city to deliver on its promises in public change. services, for keeping up a vibrant urban life and for strengthening the international appeal Helsinki increases its own staff’s of the city. understanding of artificial intelligence and other technologies currently changing our In all its activities, Helsinki is aware of its basic world, as well as of the opportunities that this role as a service provider.