Hanna Salmijärvi

Project director, Financial Service, City of Espoo, Finland

Espoo is the most economically, socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable city in Europe. The multicultural city of Espoo itself employs about 11,700 people. Good customer service stems from personnel who know the needs of Espoo Residents and customers. In Espoo, every working day matters – as a city employee, you get to build society from the front lines and influence the everyday lives of city residents. Together we create a good everyday life for the people of Espoo, every day – without forgetting ourselves.

Supernova Award Category: 
Tech Optimization and Modernization
The Problem: 

Before the transformation, Espoo relied on fragmented legacy systems that created operational silos, delayed service delivery, and limited the city's ability to make timely, data-driven decisions. Key functions like procurement, finance, and HR were disconnected, making cross-department collaboration inefficient and reducing transparency in public services. The outdated infrastructure also hindered hybrid work capabilities and posed growing challenges for cybersecurity and compliance.

The Solution: 

Espoo’s digital transformation strategy aimed to provide a secure, agile work environment and update the city’s network architecture to enhance engagement with employees, customers, and citizens.  Espoo implemented Oracle’s low-code/no-code APEX tools to enable the development of robust cloud applications that support remote work.  Rolled out Oracle Fusion Data Intelligence to create an analytics platform to surface insights from Fusion and act as a front-end to legacy systems by offering native access to external data sources. 

 

The Results: 
  • Finance and Procurement: Automation of vendor invoices and purchase orders, and streamlined financial processes.  
  • Data Management and Analytics: Integration of real-time data dashboards enhanced decision-making.  
  • Human Resources: Enabled hybrid working models, supporting flexible and efficient work environments.  
  • IT Operations: Implemented advanced security measures and automated compliance checks.  
  • Public Services: Improved service delivery and operational transparency. 
Metrics: 
  • Operational Efficiency: Automation of key processes such as vendor invoicing and purchase orders has led to significant time and cost savings - roughly 81% improvement.
  • Scalability and Flexibility: The cloud-based infrastructure allows for dynamic scaling of resources, ensuring the city can efficiently manage varying demands  - between a 61-80% improvement.
  • Improved Service Delivery: The integration of advanced digital tools has improved the quality and speed of public services, enhancing citizen satisfaction -  between a 61-80% improvement.
  • Enhanced Decision-Making: Real-time data dashboards provide management with immediate insights into key performance indicators, facilitating informed decision-making. 
The Technology: 
  • Oracle Fusion Data Intelligence for ERP and EPM
  • Oracle Analytics Cloud
  • Oracle APEX
Disruptive Factor: 

Espoo disrupted the status quo in municipal governance by integrating multiple traditionally siloed systems into a cohesive cloud-based environment. The transition allowed Espoo to eliminate inefficiencies, streamline processes like procurement and financial management, and automate compliance and security tasks. Unlike other municipalities that rely on legacy systems, Espoo’s proactive modernization set a new benchmark for public sector digital transformation, demonstrating what is possible through a unified digital strategy.

Shining Moment: 

One of the most proud accomplishments of the initiative is Espoo's creation of a real-time, integrated analytics environment that empowers decision-makers with immediate insights. This not only elevated internal operations but also improved transparency and service delivery to citizens, reflecting Espoo’s commitment to innovation and continuous improvement in public governance.

About City of Espoo, Finland

Espoo is a centre of international company headquarters and high-technology businesses. The city is known as a hub of know-how, research and development, at the heart of which stands the Aalto University campus.