Marjaana Saarikoski, Director, Cooperative Affairs at SOK Corporation discusses her extensive experience with cooperatives, and how the country of Finland is impacted by having more than 90% of its households as members of cooperatives.
Marjanna Saarikoski has spent a major part of her career with consumer cooperative S Group. Since 1983 she has held various leadership positions in sales, marketing, chain/concept management and its membership & loyalty program of 2,5 million co-op members (80% of the Finnish households).
Since 2015 Ms Saarikoski has been representing S Group in the national and global cooperative movement. Since 2017 she has been a committed member at the Board of the ICA. In addition, since 2020 she has held the office of President of the Euro Coop, a European sectoral organization of the consumer cooperatives. Ms. Saarikoski has extensive education and training. She holds a Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration,from The University of Tampere; has participated in leadership and strategy studies in Templeton College, Oxford in Helsinki School of Economics and Business Administration where she acquired a Diplomas from the Leadership and Strategy Program AaltoJOKO, and Marketing for Professionals.
The Suomen Osuuskauppojen Keskuskunta (SOK) Corporation, also known as the S Group, is a Finnish network of companies in the retail and service trades. A grouping of 22 regional and local cooperatives, the S Group has over 1.9 million members and 1,697 outlets, including four supermarket chains, service stations, hotels, restaurants and car dealerships, with an international reach.
