Governance structure

Governance structure: EHYTs 115 member associations are the highest decision-making body. EHYTs governance structure consists of the General Meeting of member organisations (assembles every three years), a council elected at the general meeting, and an executive board appointed by the council.

Photo: Irmeli Koskenoja

General Meeting

The general meeting is held once every three years by the end of March. The regular members have the right to vote in the general meeting. Each regular member has one representative in the meeting. The regular members of the Council, the members of the Board of Directors and the senior officers of the association have the right to be present and to speak in the general meeting.

The general meeting covers assessing the association’s operations and finances over the previous three-year period, approving the guidelines for the association’s operations and finances in the coming years, selecting the members of the council.

Council

The council consist of 22 members and 22 deputy members representing EHYT’s member associations. Members are elected at the General Meeting and serve a three-year term.

Composition: 22 members and 22 deputy members representing EHYT’s member associations. Members are elected at the General Meeting and serve a three-year term.

The spring meeting of the Governing Council is held by the end of May. The spring meeting will cover processing the financial statements and annual report of the previous operating year and the auditors’ opinion, deciding on the approval of the financial statements and release from liability, electing new members and their personal alternate members to replace outgoing members of the Board and updating the guidelines for operations and finances in the coming years approved in the general meeting.

The Governing Council’s autumn meeting is held by the end of November. The autumn meeting will cover deciding on the plan of activities and finances, deciding on membership fees and processing other topics referred to in the summons.

Executive Board

The Executive Board consist of 12 member and 12 deputy members. Members are appointed by the Council and serve a two-year term. The term of a member of the Board starts at the end of the Council meeting where the member was elected.

The Board of Directors is the executive body of the association. The duties of the Board of Directors are to convene the general meeting and the meeting of the Governing Council, prepare the topics to be processed in said meetings and implement their decisions, direct and assume responsibility for the association’s operations and decide on matters concerning the association that are not under the authority of the general meeting or the Governing Council.

Executive Board (2020-2023)

Chair of EHYT’s Board of Directors

Hanna Tainio, M.D, Deputy Managing Director at the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities

Dr. Hanna Tainio holds the position of Deputy Managing Director at the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities. Among her responsibilities are education, culture, and social and health affairs. Tainio holds a doctoral degree from Tampere University. She has had the position of medical adviser at the hospital district of Pirkanmaa, and the position of assistant teacher of surgical education at Tampere University. Additionally, Tainio has been Member of Parliament (2011-2015) and member of the City Council of Tampere (1988-2015). In 2005-2006 she acted as chair of Tampere City Council. In the field of social affairs and health, Tainio has held positions of trust in several NGO’s. She has also held the position of vice chair of the board Finland’s Slot Machine Association (RAY).

Council (2020-2023)

Chair of EHYT’s Council

Pekka Puska, professor, M.D., M.Pol.Sc., Ph.D., former MP

Dr. Pekka Puska held the position of Director General of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) in 2009-2013, and the position of Director General of the National Public Health institute of Finland (KTL). Puska has published more than 500 scientific publications in the field of public health, epidemiology, health promotion and prevention. Additionally, Puska has published more than 10 books on public health matters. Puska has been president of the World Heart Federation (WHF). He has also worked as director for the department of chronic disease prevention and health promotion at WHO in Geneva. In Finland, Pekka Puska is first and foremost known as the director of the North-Karelia project, which begun in the 1970s.