Anu-Hannele Massinen, a software engineer working in Goforen's Lappeenranta office, likes the medium-sized city and doesn't miss the capital region.
- I'm from Savonlinna, which is also a Karelian and community-oriented city in eastern Finland, so I've found Lappeenranta easy to get along with, she says.
- I feel that there are many opportunities to develop and grow here.
There are several reasons why Lappeenranta was chosen as one of Gofore's locations. One of the most important, according to Massinen, is the location.
- Lappeenranta is only two hours from Helsinki, which makes commuting to the capital easy. The train takes you to the city centre at both ends.
- In addition, it is easy to get here because Lappeenranta has no parking problems in a big city and the office is easy to find.
Massinen sees Lappeenranta as a good place to work both remotely and locally.
- The university and the LAB University of Applied Sciences are assets in the area, he says.
- I really like the atmosphere of knowledge and high technology that the city has, surrounded by greenery and nature.
Sustainability and ethics are important criteria
Of course, the fact that his employer's values meet his own also plays a part in his enjoyment. Ethics and sustainability are Gofore's guiding principles.
Gofore, now a listed IT consultancy, is a relatively young but successful company. It all started 20 years ago as a small start-up with the business idea of developing payment software. The first attempt failed, but the idea lived on in the company's name "go for e". The company was put aside for a while until it came back with new ideas.
- These new ideas still carry the company forward, says Massinen.
- For 20 years, Gofore has sought success through its customers and strived to be the best possible place to work for its employees. This is reflected in everything we do.
In 2022, Gofore had the best reputation as a Finnish listed company. It has also been voted the best place to work in Finland and one of the best in Europe. Gofore strives to promote sustainable business practices in all its divisions, both ecologically and ethically.
- And this is also the focus in Lappeenranta, says Massinen.
- There is a strong green spirit here and we dare to make new openings, also ethically.
South Karelia has become known for its forestry cluster, which has developed into high-tech innovations around green electricity and hydrogen farming, for example. Massinen also dreams of establishing a strong ICT network in the region.
- Actually, it's not just a dream, he adds.
- The idea is to take concrete action and bring the players in the sector together around a common table. Together, we would be a formidable addition to an innovation environment based on the city's strong skills and sustainable thinking.
Digitalisation expert Gofore has 1 400 experts in 19 offices in Finland, Germany, Austria, Estonia, Spain and Italy. Lappeenranta is part of a large network.