The fast-growing Sol group now has its fourth generation of sticks. Sibling couple Peppi Kaira and Juhapekka Joronen run the company, which is the first job for a significant number of young people and immigrants. In addition to cleaning, SOL operates in the security, business premises, laundry, property maintenance, and personnel leasing sectors. 

– Customers’ needs have been expanded, Joronen describes. He is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the SOL Group. Peppi Kaira holds the same position at the parent company SOLEMO and is responsible for laundry and personnel services. Joronen has grown into a company spirit since childhood. – I have not been paid by any other company. Ever since I was little, I have had the feeling and the idea that this is a nice company to work for. Kaira had to go outside the family business. She worked as a psychiatric nurse for ten years. 

At the same time as SOL has expanded, it has also become more international and multicultural. The company operates not only in Finland but also in Sweden, Denmark and the Baltic countries. Of the approximately 9,000 employees in Finland, 4,000 are immigrants. 30–40 different languages are spoken in the group. The diversity of the group brings challenges, which are met with training and flexibility, Juhapekka Joronen describes. 

Training material is available in different languages, and for example, the basic cleaning vocabulary has been turned into a fan with words in the most important languages spoken by employees. – We encourage employees to learn Finnish. After all, it is a small challenge if management and employees do not speak the same language. On the other hand, immigrants are seen more as a resource in SOL. – We have very good experiences with immigrants at work. They are genuinely proud to have an employment contract, work clothes and occupational health care. They are new things for many and a step forward in society. In addition, the employees have a good feeling about each other. 

Finland is already used to immigrants at work, Joronen says, Attitudes have changed and it is no longer asked that you send a Finn. It is no longer always required that the employee speaks Finnish either. – We don’t have a choice. Finns or Finnish speakers are not enough or cannot get all the jobs. SOL companies are the first contact with Finnish working life for a large number of employees with an immigrant background. Joronen says that the company feels its responsibility in integrating employees into the local work culture. – We have a big responsibility to these people. Joronen points out that the company is also the first workplace for many Finnish young people. 42% of employees are under the age of 30. 

It is typical that young people work alongside studies, experiment in different fields and think about what work really interests them. – They learn basic things here, i.e. contracts, working hours and going to work. For many, we are a passageway where they learn what working life is. 

Responsible owners behind solid growth 

The owners of SOL, which has operated as a family company from the beginning, have a key role and solid experience in the development of the company. Owners require the company to act responsibly in accordance with its values. SOL is an active member of the Association of Family Businesses in Finland, which promotes the operating prerequisites and responsible ownership of family businesses. 

SOL is an active influencer in the Confederation of Finnish Industries, where our CEO Juhapekka Joronen is a member of the board and chairman of the board in Kiinteistöpalvelut ry. We also work in other bodies and take on possible positions of trust and expertise 

The Group’s parent company is SOLEMO Oy. The Finnish subsidiaries are SOL Palvelut Oy, which provides cleaning and business premises services, SOL Kiinteistöpalvelut Oy, which provides property maintenance, security and technical building services, SOL Pesulapalvelut Oy, which provides laundry services to consumers and business customers, SOL Henkilöstöpalvelut Oy, which operates in the personnel rental and recruitment service sector, and SOL Logistiikkapalvelut Oy, which provides warehouse, terminal and packaging logistics services, as well as outdoor area logistics services. 

Our international subsidiaries operate in Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. We employ a total of over 12,000 people, of whom over 10,000 in Finland.