Introduction to Demos Helsinki's thinking and some projects for the Korean delegation 26th November 2013.

1. Demos Helsinki
Future-oriented, people-centric think tank studying megatrends and systemic change and
transforming it into action of people, organisations and groups.
Our views, reports and experimentations are based on applied and applicable research,
future studies and co-creation.
We work with companies, start ups, ministries, the parliament, municipalities and other
actors of the public sector as well as NGOs that are willing to look for new perspectives
and renew themselves.
Founded in 2005 by enthusiastic people. Politically independent, project-funded, legal
form is NGO.

2. City 2.0 – Towards a Social Silicon Valley
(2007, Greater Helsinki Vision 2050 contest, 2nd price)
Politics of Happiness – A Manifesto (2009, WWF)
Our publications are
downloadable at
www.demoshelsinki.fi
/in-english/
Well-being of the Metropolis
(2010, University of Jyväskylä, City of Espoo)
Mission for Finland
(country brand for Finland, Ministry
of Foreign Affairs 2011)

3. “The role of a think
tank is to valuate
the future.”
Mokka & Neuvonen (2011)

4. think tanks
•
•
•
•
•
a group of people who apply research
strive to influence decision making
independent of institutions
usually non-profit
driven by an ideology, belief or a
perception of human beings or society

5. three types of think tanks
1. Politically
affiliated think
tanks
Fabian Society (UK),
E2 (FIN)
renew political
ideology, support
political decision
making
Emphasises the
importance of
representative
democracy and
political parties
2. Thematic
think tanks
Institute of Foreign
Policy (FIN), World
Watch Institute,
OECD, EVA (FIN)
gather and value
information and data,
enhance
understanding of a
theme
Emphasises expert
knowledge and
insight, make
research applicable
3. Ecosystems
for new ideas,
“think and do
tanks”
Demos Helsinki
(FIN), Young
Foundation (UK)
experiment new
solutions, establish
new institutions,
financing schemes
Emphasises
competing ways of
working and the need
for new institutions
(Mokka & Neuvonen 2011)

6. flickr/redcountess
(cc)
Why think tanks are emerging?
• disparity between people´s desire and
possibility for making a difference in politics
• rising freedom, education, consumerism
(self-expression)
• technological development
• western identity project

7. think tanks in finland
1967:
Sitra
1961:
Institute of
Foreign
Policy
1974:
EVA
2003:
government
support for
partyaffiliated
think tanks
Demos
Helsinki
Magma
Laitos
OK Do
Tänk
Commons
Avanto

8. Demos helsinki
• Wiki-democracy: politics where
people together create solutions and
not only select their leaders (demos)
• Future orientated research and action
• Key areas: Resource-smart economy
& sustainable lifestyles and
Democracy & Capacities of 21st
Century
• 8 researchers
• Democratic organisational culture

9. DEMOS HELSINKI
APPROACH TO
democracy 2.0 and the
role of groups

10. we need to
rethink
co2 emissions cut by 80 % by 2050
(from level in 1990).
finns have more free time and
more education than ever.
in 2030, population grows
mainly in big urban regions.
Population change 2003–2030

11. country brand of
finland:
finland has enormous
potential to solve
wicked problems on a
global scale.

12. freedom and democracy are
active states.
freedom to
IN ADDITION TO freedom from
“Political questions
are far too serious
to be left to politicians.”
(arendt)

13. society of
competent and
skillful groups

14. groups define what is considered normal
• Examples:
How we eat, live
and dress?
How we behave
in a student
building?
How much
energy we use
compared to our
neighbours?

15. groups support us when engaging in
something new
• Examples:
North Karelia
Project
Restaurant Day

16. groups improve our wellbeing: we
feel useful, competent and needed
• Examples:
Time Banks
Volunteering
Elderly Care

17. Traditional ways of
thinking groups

18. Residents of Helsinki

19. Men
Women

20. Children and young people
Working age
Retired

21. Residents of
Suburbs
Downtown
People

22. Rich
Middle Class
Poor

23. cities of
competent groups

24. Dog
owners

25. Dog
owners
Crosscountry
skiers

26. Dog
owners
Residents
of
Paloheinä
Crosscountry
skiers

27. Dog
owners
Residents
of
Paloheinä
Crosscountry
skiers
SOK co-op
members

28. Dog
owners
Residents
of
Paloheinä
Cyclists
Crosscountry
skiers
SOK co-op
members

29. Community of
Geography
Community of
Interest
Residents of Helsinki
City Council
City Administration

30. combining deliberative
democracy and design thinking
identifying
communities
connecting
communities
to wicked
problems
prototyping
SOLUTIONS

31. Examples of communities of interest at work in Helsinki
Fillarikanava
Cyclists and the city improving
cycling in Helsinki.
Vetoa ja Voimaa
Improving the neighbourhood
in a coalition of city officials,
politicians, NGOs, church and
business.

32. A PUBLICATION BY DEMOS
HELSINKI:
(Demos Helsinki and NOW office) www.greaterhelsinkivision.fi

33. A PROJECT BY DEMOS HELSINKI:
Testing ground summer 2012:
World Design Capital PavilLion,
PROGRAMME PRODUCED BY CITIZEN
GROUPS AND CURATED BY DEMOS HELSINKI

34. theory of change

35. Multilevel model of social innovation
pe level
Landsca
Societal values, overall paradigms, megatrends
ime leve
Reg
l
Markets, Science,
Policie
Markets, Science,
Policies
Markets, Science,
Policies
Embedding
es level
Nich
Multiplying
Up scaling
Promising
practice III
Promising
practice V
Promising
practice IV
Promising
practice VI
Promising
practice VII
Promising
practice II
Promising
practice I

36. L
IONA
NAT
)
NTER S
(I
IC
OLIT
P
Climate
Challenge
emission limits, price for carbon, subsidies,...
acceptance for
new regulation
participation, social innovations, lifestyle changes,...
CITIE
S
GRO , PEER
U
COM PS,
PANI
ES
Low-Carbon
Society

37. A PROJECT BY DEMOS HELSINKI:
PELOTON
A programme by Demos Helsinki nudging Finland
towards energy smart economy & lifestyles

38. Peloton
THEORY OF
CHANGE

39. PRAGMATIST APPROACH
TO THE FUTURE
L
ONA
TI
R)NA S
(INTE OLITIC
P
emission limits, price for carbon, subsidies,...
Climate
Challenge
acceptance for
new regulation
participation, social innovations, lifestyle changes,...
CITIE
S, PE
ER
GRO
UPS,
COM
PANI
ES
Low-Carbon
Society

40. hypothesis 1: focus on choices
1) 90 % Finns think that climate change is a fact / 85% consider it a serious threat / 80 %
ready to take action
Predisposing factors (knowledge, attitudes, norms) are – at least partially – conducive to
a change towards low-energy lifestyle.
2) Finland #7 in per capita energy usage amongst OECD countries.
Positive attitudes have not significantly changed behavior. Energy consumption is rising,
meat consumption is rising etc.
3) Pro-environmental actions are more important than values. Most campaigns manage
to raise awareness but do not translate into action. The focus of policies targeting
behavioral change has shifted towards deliberative and participatory measures.
conclusion: influence the choice
environment consumers/citizens make their
decisions in.
(Demos Helsinki 2009, Eva Heiskanen 2011, Finnish Environment Institute 2009, WWF Living Planet Index 2010, IEA 2011)

41. IS THIS THE ROLE FOR PEOPLE IN SOLVING
THE CLIMATE & ENERGY QUESTION?

42. hypothesis 2: focus on lifestyles
1) Both the interventions and research on consumers' energy-related behavior have
traditionally concentrated on direct energy use (heating, electricity, transport). Needed
reduction in energy consumption requires adoption of completely new habits, new
behaviour.
2) The outstanding research by Finnish Environment Institute (ENVIMAT) highlights
the key consumer questions: housing, transport, food.
3) Energy & resource scarcity is less contested than debate on emissions. Energy use is
indicative of emissions.
(Demos Helsinki 2009: Gatekeepers changing consumers' behaviour in energy consumption)

43. Mistä suomalaisen hiilijalanjälki koostuu?
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%%%3'4)0-5
Asuminen
%%%6+#-)/'+$
Liikkuminen
%%%1''&
Ruoka
Kuluttaminen
7'-)48/9'Vapaa-aika
%%%%%:(0)4+(
Matkustaminen
%%%%%%%%%%%%
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‹#›
Source: Envimat www.ympäristö.fi/syke/envimat

44. Human perspective: Energy and resource
consumption and emissions are decisions

45. Human perspective: Which decisions are
important?

46. Human perspective: Which decisions are
important?

47. hypothesis 3: gatekeepers are key to
behavior change
1) Gatekeepers define the choice environments as they transform people’s needs and
desires into choices and decisions. They enable, or deny, access to low-energy behavior.
Peers and professionals close to the consumer do this in terms of energy-related
practices.
2) Previous research has considered legislators and green businesses as gatekeepers for
energy consumption. This view tends to underestimate the complexity of the decision/
selling/purchasing process with its subtle factors leading to a decision. Therefore only a
small part of energy gatekeepers have understood that they have this role.
(Demos Helsinki 2009: Gatekeepers changing consumers' behaviour in energy consumption)

48. Who makes decisions with us?
Who are gatekeepers of our decisions?

49. Who are gatekeepers of our decisions?

50. Peloton
IN ACTION

51. [Peloton]
‣ Peloton is the main group in cycling race. In Peloton, competitors cycle close to each
other to save energy and to gather strength for break out.
‣ Peloton is a programme by Demos Helsinki to boost new, green economy. We have
partnered with Sitra, Ministry of Environment and tens of big companies and startups.
‣ In Peloton, companies create new markets by turning clean tech to consumer products
and services.

52. Peloton offers
1) Peloton workshops and
development processes for
companies to kick-start their
sustainable consumer service
development
2) open Peloton innovation
camps for teams and
enthusiasts to develop
budding ideas into concepts
3) Peloton club to incubate
startup teams and their ideas
and to find peer support
4) collaboration between big
organisations and startups

53. Peloton
workshops

54. INTENSIVE
PELOTON
WORKSHOPS
We use participatory future studies and design
thinking methods in two-day intensive
workshops. The aim is to kickstart energy-smart
innovation and commercialisation of green
thinking.
Companies and organisations select people
from every level of the organisation (altogether
20–25 participants). In the workshop awarness
of one’s own role as a gatekeeper is raised.
Awarness if immediately turned into action by
creating concepts for new products and services
enabling low-energy lifestyles – and creating
new business for the company.
In 2009–2013 we have done workshops for
parents of small children, hardware stores,
lifestyle media, HR, domestic travel and
hospitality, catering service providers, food
journalists, home economics teachers, social
housing and house managers, municipalities
and regions...

55. ”Peloton was like made to us. In
Peloton we and our staff realised how
big this climate question is and that
we have a role to play in it. It really
energized our staff.
– Ulla Hakulinen, quality manager,
Fazer Food Services
”We found a chance to be a
forerunner which has been a way to
differentiate.”
– Jaana Korhola, CEO , Fazer Food
Services

56. RESULTS: ENERGY
RENOVATION SERVICE
BY RAUTAKESKO
Initial concept was sketched in Peloton
workshop in 2009.
In autumn 2011, Finland’s biggest hardware
store chain Rautakesko launched a new service
concept offering a full-service energy efficiency
home renovation
Jesse Mether, Rautakesko: ”Peloton made us
understand the customer viewpoint we had
lacked.”
HUOLTO
KUSTANNUS-,
TARPEIDEN
KÄYTTÖIKÄ- JA
KARTOITUS
MAKSUARVIO
LAITTEET MÄÄRÄYKSET
WATIT
RAHOITUS
”McDONALDS”
YHTEISTYÖERISTEET
TAHOT
ASENNUS
ESCORAHOITUS
LVI
OMA
PROJEKTI
-PÄÄLLIKKÖ
LUVAT
ENERGIAMYYJÄT
PÄÄSTÖT
SÄÄSTÖT
UUSIN
TEKNIIKKA
LÄMMITYS
IKKUNAT
HUOLTOSOPIMUS
EUROT
HOMMA
TOIMII
-TAKUU
ULKOVERHOUS

57. MORE RESULTS
FAZER FOOD SERVICES (leading food service provider in
Scandinavia with 200 000 customer contacts per day) conducted
climate lunch experiment 2010, renewed all its vegetable-based lunch
recipes, developed climate-friendliness into an asset in b-2-b
negations and took environmental aspect to every job description in
the company. FFS has become active in developing food carbon
footprint calculation.
LAHDEN ATERIA (muncipality owned food service provider serving
4 million meals a year): renewal of recipes, development of supplier
and customer cooperation and biowaste reduction programme. In first
year, this work resulted in 13 % emission reduction and 100 000 €
worth of savings.
OLIVIA MAGAZINE Fastest-growing women´s magazine Olivia now
understands sustainability as helping readers make better choices.
They increased writing on domestic travel and vegetarian cuisine,
HOAS (Helsinki Area Student Housing Foundation with 9000
residents and 18 000 tenants): new, user-focused concepts for shared
living and customer communication. HOAS and Demos Helsinki were
awarded Finnish Innovation price of Housing market 2o12 for the
work.

58. CREATING SOMETHING NEW
MOTIVATES, NOT REDUCING, SAVING
Gatekeeper organisations are motivated by new
business, new service development, meeting customer
needs, being a forerunner, differentiating and
developing meaningful work.

60. Peloton
CLUB

61. PELOTON CLUB IS A
COMMUNITY AND
AN INCUBATOR FOR
ENERGY- AND
RESOURCE SMART
STARTUPS.

62. PELOTON CLUB
NIGHTS
Open for everybody, every second
Thursday of the month in Putte’s
bar & pizzeria in Helsinki
Inspiring themes and speakers,
mentoring, networking, peer
support – and Peloton pizza from
season’s best ingredients.
Our guests have included Bruce
Oreck, the US ambassador for
Finland; Catherina Fake, the
founder of Flickr; Air bnb and
Ouishare among others.

63. PELOTON
INNOVATION
CAMPS
Open, two-day startup camps to
develop budding ideas and teams of
into energy-smart business concepts.
Over 200 professionals from various
sectors have worked voluntarily in
tens of teams to develop better
services and products.
Some of the winning concepts:
Wasted Space: next generation real
estate firm utilising wasted and
underused spaces
Weegos: car-sharing service
Hyvikki: Rebranding food close to its
last date of purchase
Powerhouse: app helping energy
companies reduce consumption
peaks and consumers to follow their
usage

64. PELOTON SUMMER CAMP
A growth programme for the most promising startups. In the photo, Peloton Club
startups test their ideas with potential users at Flow festival in August 2013.

65. SOME
Peloton
startups
www.pelotonclub.me

66. Thank you. Now, let’s collaborate.
Outi Kuittinen & Juha Leppänen
Demos Helsinki
outi.kuittinen@demoshelsinki.fi
juha.leppanen@demoshelsinki.fi
www.demoshelsinki.fi
Presentations: slideshare.net/demoshelsinki
Facebook: facebook.com/groups/
8838070791/
Photos: flickr.com/photos/demoshelsinki
Peloton: www.peloton.me
www.pelotonclub.me
Koulu: 2012.kouluschool.org
Hoas lab: www.hoaslab.fi