Review of events in 2025

The implementation of the strategy mainly progressed well. The joint procurement growth target of one billion euros set by the owners from 2023 by 2028 is challenging as savings in the public sector reduce procurement. In 2025, the joint procurement budget was EUR 1,947 million, but the outcome was EUR 1,788 million. However, the use of joint procurement increased by EUR 70 million from the previous year. Despite the challenging operating environment, the company believes that the growth target can be achieved.

The strategy is based on added value to customers. Hansel’s vision is to be the preferred procurement partner for our customers, and our purpose is to generate savings in Finnish public administration through efficient procurement operations. Hansel is ethical and efficient, while offering its customers an excellent service experience. Sustainability will be our strength also in the future, and related efforts by Hansel will be continuously improved. Our employees are top public procurement specialists who value their work and each other. Hansel’s corporate culture encourages continuous learning, community spirit and good team spirit.

The changing geopolitical situation and the pandemic before this emphasised the importance of preparedness. Hansel ensures the continuity of its own operations in the event of disruptions and preparedness in joint procurement in collaboration with its customers and contractual suppliers.

2025 was a busy year for events, both live and on the web. In total, 5,700 customers and suppliers attended 57 events. In addition, Hansel participated in eight trade fair events with a stand of its own. Four of our own events were customer webinars. Their topics included preparedness, a presentation of the Kisa-apuri tool, ICT procurement and procurement development in the City of Seinäjoki from the point of view of the customer. In the spring, nearly 200 professionals and 50 contractual suppliers attended the Travel Day in the spring. Procurement Tour events were held in 16 locations around Finland, from Rovaniemi to Helsinki, in the autumn. 550 customers and a large group of Hansel experts took part in the tour. The customer forum convened twice, covering topics such as legislation, savings calculations in joint procurement, preparedness in ICT procurement and operating models for joint procurement.

Hansel regularly monitors customer and supplier satisfaction. The surveys for 2025 were realised in January 2026. The average customer satisfaction score on a scale of 1 to 5 was 4.29 (4.24 in the previous year), and the average supplier satisfaction score was 4.20 (4.12 in the previous year). The joint procurement support unit provides services related to Hansel’s 63 joint procurement procedures, in which the customers choose their suppliers through minicompetitions. The customer satisfaction score for this unit in terms of assignments was 4.52 on a scale of 1 to 5 (4.66 in 2024).

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment published the report of the procurement law working group in January 2025. A significant part of the legislative proposals was related to the entries in the Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Government. Hansel was involved in the procurement working group as a permanent specialist. The working group’s report was circulated for comments in spring 2025, and more than 600 opinions were submitted. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment has continued to prepare the government proposal after the circulation for comments, and the government proposal was submitted to Parliament in February 2026. Numerous amendments are proposed to the Act on Public Procurement and Concession Contracts, which will affect practical procurement measures. Examples of these include the obligation to divide procurement exceeding the EU threshold and the obligation to suspend the procurement procedure if only one bid is received in the competition. New obligations relating to market survey, such as the obligation to conduct a market survey in procurement exceeding EUR 10 million, are also proposed to the Act on Public Procurement and Concession Contracts. Also, restrictions on procurement from the contracting entity’s in-house entities are proposed to the Act on Public Procurement and Concession Contracts. The proposals would have a significant impact on joint procurement competitions and Hansel’s customer base. The proposed provisions increase the obligations and rights of appeal related to procurement procedures.

In 2025, the European Commission organised a public consultation related to the reform of the Procurement Directive, and the Commission published an evaluation on the reform of public procurement regulation in October. The evaluation states, among other things, that there are difficulties in interpreting the procurement directives, that procurement procedures are complex, that procurement information is inadequate and that the directives do not best support the promotion of societal strategic themes. Hansel, together with the Danish central purchasing body SKI and the Swedish municipal central purchasing body Adda, has submitted a position paper to the Commission and some representatives of Parliament on the reform of the procurement directives. Hansel has also presented its views on the development of procurement regulation to the Finnish ministries responsible for it. A joint position of the European central purchasing bodies is also being prepared.

The European Union prepared several EU provisions with impacts on procurement. Examples include the adoption of the regulation ((EU) 2025/1197) implementing the reciprocity regulation on Chinese medical devices, the consultation on the Regulation ((EU) 2022/2560) on foreign subsidies distorting the internal market and the Commission’s related guidelines. The government proposal on the national enforcement of the Energy Efficiency Directive was issued in autumn 2025. It also includes new obligations related to procurement.

The legislative proposal concerning the procurement data repository was circulated for comments in autumn 2025. The purpose of the procurement data repository to be set up at the State Treasury is to collect information on procurement procedures and purchase invoices. Hansel has participated in the working group of the Ministry of Finance and has also commented on the proposal.

Hansel participates in the joint procurement coordination group set up by the Ministry of Finance as a member and in the secretariat. The term of office of the working group is 1 September 2025-31 August 2027. In addition, Hansel participated in other projects during the year, such as Hankinta-Suomi (Procurement Finland), an operational programme of the Ministry of Finance and the Association of Finnish Cities and Municipalities. The Lyhty network, coordinated by Valtori, was launched in 2025 with the aim of reducing the costs of software licences and mitigating cost development, as well as enabling savings for the entire public administration. Hansel is actively involved in the network’s operations.

Ownership of the public procurement notice channel (Hilma) was transferred from the Ministry of Finance to the State Treasury at the beginning of 2025, and Hansel continued to develop the service under a separate assignment. After the change, the State Treasury will be responsible for financing the service, and related invoicing under other operating expenses amounted to EUR 1,174 thousand in 2025 (EUR 1,211 thousand in 2024). The company also conducted several other development projects aimed at the ease of use of joint procurement, the best digital service experience in the sector and internal efficiency in line with Hansel’s strategy. The most important internal development projects were the development of the Hansel.fi service, specifying the digital service experience vision further and strengthening AI capabilities. In the Hansel.fi service, investments were made in particular in facilitating the use of joint procurement and minicompetitions as well as clarifying the joining function.

At the end of 2025, Hansel had one pending appeal in the Market Court. The company had no pending appeals in the Supreme Administrative Court at the end of 2025. Hansel had two pending disputes in a district court at the end of 2025. In 2025, Hansel received five decisions of the Market Court, three rejecting the claims, one in which the proceedings lapsed due to the withdrawal of the appeal and one in which the proceedings lapsed with regard to the main case due to the suspension of the procurement procedure. In 2025, the company received four decisions from the Supreme Administrative Court, each of which rejected the applications for leave to appeal submitted by the appellants. Hansel and Valtori have been addressed with a complaint about a breach of obligations related to the joint procurement agreement for data centre and capacity services. The complainant has estimated the amount of damage to be tens of millions of euros. Hansel considers the complaint unfounded.

Hansel follows the processing of public procurement matters in the European Union. Hansel is a member of a cooperation group for key central purchasing bodies in the EU. In addition to Hansel, the group includes several European central purchasing bodies such as SKI (Denmark), Adda (Sweden), BBG (Austria), Consip (Italy) and ANCP (Portugal).

The company regularly takes part in Nordic cooperation in ICT categories. Each Nordic country in turn invites the other countries to cooperation meetings on topics such as the pricing of software licences in the Nordic countries, procurement procedures for cloud services and possible Nordic cooperation through some joint procurements. Hansel Oy is responsible for arranging the 2026 meeting.

At Hansel, the compliance function is responsible for keeping the business principles and ethical guidelines up to date, supports the personnel in ethical matters, organises training and handles any whistleblowing reports. The function reports annually to the Board of Directors.

Sustainable development, environmental matters and the shadow economy

Themes related to sustainability, preparedness and combating the shadow economy are playing an increasingly important role in public procurement. In its operations, Hansel adheres to the sustainability principles laid down by the Government. Sustainability reporting has become an integrated part of the company’s annual reporting practices and provides detailed coverage of all sustainability-related measures. As part of the sustainability work, the company pays special attention to the impact of its operations on competition and the functionality of the market.

In 2025, the company carried out a double materiality assessment (DMA) in accordance with the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). The process was verified by an auditing firm. This work will form the basis of the company’s sustainability programme.

Key events since the closing of the financial year

The business operations have remained essentially unchanged since the closing of the financial year.

Outlook and goals for 2026

The company will continue the implementation of its strategy in line with the action plan. The target for the strategy period is to achieve significant growth in joint procurement.