Decision-making

The cities of Espoo, Helsinki, Kauniainen and Vantaa agreed on the establishment of the Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority (HSY) municipal federation by charter on 17 June 2009. HSY performs duties in accordance with the charter on behalf of its member municipalities.

At HSY, the highest decision-making power is exercised by the General Meeting, which generally convenes twice a year. Each member municipality has one representative at the General Meeting. The voting rights of the representative are determined on the basis of their city’s population. The other decision-making bodies of the municipal federation are the Board of Directors and the Audit Committee.

Duties of the General Meeting

The duties of the General Meeting include the approval of HSY’s action plan, budget and financial statements, as well as the discharging from liability of the accountable parties.

The General Meeting elects the members of HSY’s Board of Directors and Audit Committee for one municipal election term in accordance with political dominance. The duties of the General Meeting are laid down in the charter.

Administrative rules

HSY’s operations comply with the administrative rules, unless otherwise provided by law or the charter. The administrative rules contain provisions concerning, for example, the organisation of administration and operations, powers, decision-making procedure, administrative and financial auditing as well as internal control and risk management. The contents of and amendments to HSY’s administrative rules are decided by the General Meeting.

Corporate governance principles

The corporate governance principles apply to the ownership policy for HSY’s subsidiaries and, as applicable, any associated entities. The corporate governance principles contain operating principles for managing, guiding and supervising the municipal federation group in order to achieve the objectives set by the General Meeting.

Agendas, records and decisions by local government officers

The agenda of the Board of Directors and its annexes are published on HSY’s website approximately three days before the meeting, and the agenda of the General Meeting approximately 30 days before the meeting. The agendas will remain on the website until the minutes of the meeting are published. 

HSY’s local government officers decide on matters falling within their respective fields of operation. The decisions by local government officers will be available on the website for six months. Meeting minutes are kept on the website for 2 years. Minutes older than that can be requested from the registry office.

The decision documents may also mention annexes that are not published on the Internet. Annexes containing confidential information, or information the disclosure of which may jeopardise the protection of privacy or the business or professional secrecy of a person involved in business, or information which has not been made available electronically for technical reasons, are excluded.

Meetings of the Board of Directors:  

2024: 2024: 26.1., 16.2., 22.3., 26.4., 31.5., 14.6., 30.8., 20.9., 11.10., 15.11., 20.12. at 9.00 a.m.
2025: 31.1., 28.2., 1.3., 11.4., 23.5., 13.6. (at 3 p.m.), 29.8., 19.9., 10.10., 14.11., 19.12. at 9.00 a.m.

General Meetings: 

2024: 31.5., 29.11. and 20.12. at 10.30 a.m.
2025:  23.5., 27.6., 15.8.* 14.11. at 10.30 a.m.  *) meeting will be held if necessary

Instructions for appeal

A decision taken by HSY’s Board of Directors or a local government officer may be appealed by means of a claim for a revised decision by the party to whom the decision applies or whose rights, obligations or interests are directly affected by the decision (interested party). Claims for a revised decision may also be submitted by HSY’s member cities, Helsinki, Espoo, Kauniainen and Vantaa, as well as persons, corporate entities, institutions and foundations domiciled in these cities.

The decision may change as a result of a claim for a revised decision.

The decisions of HSY’s General Meeting may be appealed by means of an appeal against the decision of a municipal authority addressed to the Administrative Court.

Special instructions for appeal when the decision being appealed is:

A procurement decision for special sectors or a decision pursuant to the Procurement Act, appealed against by means of a rectification of procurement or an appeal to the Market Court:

A decision concerning a claim for a revised decision, appealed against by submitting an appeal against the decision of a municipal authority to the Administrative Court:

A decision taken pursuant to the Waste Act, appealed against by means of an administrative appeal to the Administrative Court:

Declarations of private interests 

The Audit Committee oversees the declarations of private interest referred to in Section 84 of the Local Government Act and publishes them on HSY’s website. In addition, the Audit Committee notifies the Board of Directors and the General Meeting of the declarations of private interests at least twice a year.

Register of declarations of private interests