”Finland Shows the Way”- #Mimmitkoodaa Program congratulated by Commissioner Urpilainen as one of the Winners of the Equality Prize

Press Release 12.12.2019

Equality was celebrated in Brussels on Thursday: The five most relevant European equality projects were rewarded, chosen among almost 200 fine applicants. The #mimmitkoodaa program was among the winners, having broken prejucidial gender images and most of all, brought 5000 women to the world of coding.

The Finnish EU Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen congratulated the winners personally on the spot for the magnificent success.

“The EU needs equality just as much as Finland, and the #mimmitkoodaa program shows example how to achieve concrete results. Women wanting change and the companies offering opportunities have chosen to cooperate in manner that has proven to be most attractive. I’m glad that Finland shows the way how equality and prosperity advance hand in hand.”

#mimmitkoodaa coordinator Milja Köpsi rejoices being rewarded for all the hard work, especially from the point of view of all the 5000 participating women.

”We really didn’t dare expect anything when we started. Now, thanks to all the wonderful women and the open-minded companies, we’re really here. Fourth place in this great contest is just as great as the first, today there have been only winners, all women are winners now”, Köpsi sends her thanks to everyone who has made the success of #mimmitkoodaa come true.

The CEO of the Finnish Software and E-business Association Rasmus Roiha is happy because of the EU-wide visibility and appreciation for #mimmitkoodaa.

”All winners today are in pioneers in their own way. We’re really grateful for the congratulations by Commissioner Urpilainen, it’s been especially important for us to achieve concrete results. We were also otherwise congratulated today especially for that: Out of all the winners, particularly we have been able to bring about real change. Now these results are known by the whole of Europe, it was great to speak today to an audience of hundreds of important European influencers.”

#mimmitkoodaa, combating the serious lack of digital experts and diversity in Finnish technology companies, now offers an example for the entire Europe.

“5000 women in our program is a remarkable achievement. However, it’s just a start. We will broaden our activities to nation-wide, thanks to the grant by the Technology Industries of Finland Centennial Foundation. Now that we’ll be able to better influence in Finland, we’ll also have our new results noted by the whole EU, thanks to the reward today”, predicts Roiha, most satisfied.

Roiha and Köpsi want to warmly thank the companies now active in the #mimmitkoodaa program.

“I have to list them all to thank them properly, so here goes: The warmest of thanks to Accenture, Columbia Road, Digia, Ericsson, Finago, Futurice, Gofore, HiQ, IBM, Innofactor, Knowit, Microsoft, OP, Oracle, Parkman, Reaktor, Siili, Solita, Sympa, Vincit, Wunderdog, Zure. And all the companies that have helped before”, Roiha completes the list of contributing companies.

More information:

Rasmus Roiha, Finnish Software and E-business Association, CEO, +358 400 180 434, rasmus@ohjelmistoyrittajat.fi

Milja Köpsi, #mimmitkoodaa coordinator, +358 40 152 5154, milja@mimmitkoodaa.fi 

https://mimmitkoodaa.ohjelmistoebusiness.fi/ 

#mimmitkoodaa