Gasum continues effective societal contributions to support physical activity among children and young people and promote culture

The energy company Gasum continues its cooperation with the Finnish Olympic Committee and the Savonlinna Opera Festival. The purpose of these partnerships is to create broad societal wellbeing. The outcomes of multiple years of collaboration can be seen as increasingly high quality in sports club activities and more opportunities for high-class cultural experiences.

The partnership between Gasum and the Finnish Olympic Committee supports physical activity among children and young people and the activities of quality-certified clubs to promote junior sports. For the past two years, Gasum has enabled the awarding of 30 Seal Clubs, and now the Seal Club of the Year award is followed by the Star Club of the Year award. The winning club will receive €5,000 and 14 other clubs €1,000 as an incentive award. The awards aim to promote the opportunity of every child in Finland for diverse physical activity and draw attention to the nationally valuable work carried out by Finnish sports clubs.

The Seal Club activities preceding the Star Clubs began in 1992. The more than 600 Seal Clubs were quality-certified sports clubs for children and young people, with their activities based on criteria specified in cooperation with experts. Now called Star Clubs, the work of these clubs focuses on supporting children’s growth and development and developing holistic club activities.

Concrete results already achieved in a few years

The Olympic Committee regards Gasum’s support as important for its efforts to support the activities of sports clubs. Sports club activities are Finland’s largest volunteering sector but often remain rather hidden. With the help of Gasum, the Olympic Committee has been able to make this invisible work visible while at the same time providing children with more opportunities for fun and movement. A total of 45 sports clubs around Finland have already received a Gasum grant.

”A great concrete example of the results of our partnership is SB Vantaa, a club that received the €5,000 award in 2016 and used it to do a tour of daycare centers that enabled children to have a go at floorball and learn about local opportunities for leisure activities. In addition, the club launched a youth programmer allowing young people to take their first steps as coaches and instructors. Instructing also gives young people valuable experience for working life. Clubs appreciate the Gasum incentive awards very highly as receiving outside thanks for their altruistic work is very welcome. And every single euro of the award will also certainly be put into good use, ” says Mikko Selin, Business Director, Active Lifestyle and Sports, who is in charge of partnerships at the Finnish Olympic Committee.

”Sponsoring physical activity among children and young people through grants is close to everyone’s heart at Gasum. Support to diverse activity, grassroots-level clubs and children’s physically active lifestyles help create wellbeing for the entire society. We’re very proud of this cooperation,” says Gasum Vice President for Communications Olga Väisänen.

Culture as a common cause

Cooperation between Gasum and the Savonlinna Opera Festival also continues. The new partnership agreement signed in April follows on from the marketing cooperation launched in 2014. The core of the partnership model consists of the development of Finnish knowhow, skills and creativity along with modern intersections between culture and business. Both partners are pleased with the results achieved in their collaboration.

”Gasum was selected as our partner as it is a state-of-the-art company in its sector as regards promoting a cleaner environment. We’re very happy about our cooperation. Gasum’s support has enabled us to provide Finnish opera audiences with high-class experiences enjoying performances by Finland’s most promising young soloists. Together with our partners, we’ve been able to offer these young people work experience and new contacts on an internationally important stage,” says General Director of the Opera Festival Jan Strandholm.

Gasum also finds partnership in the cultural sector as something particularly logical as these organizations representing seemingly very different sectors share the same objectives.

”The Opera Festival takes place in the middle of the clean natural environment of Lake Saimaa, which is unique even by international comparison. We share the same green values and both seek to promote a cleaner tomorrow. In addition, we’re both striving for international growth. We at Gasum are proud of being able to promote the development and internationalization of young Finnish talents and help boost awareness of Finnish actors abroad, too,” says Väisänen, pleased with the partnership.