Ilmarinen, the Finnish earnings-related pension provider, has formalised a partnership with the Finnish Association of Micro and Sole Entrepreneurs (MYRY) to deliver targeted pension advice and support services tailored to the micro business sector.

The collaboration aims to improve the financial resilience of Finland’s smallest employers and self-employed professionals by combining Ilmarinen’s pension and insurance expertise with MYRY’s grassroots understanding of the sector.

Together, the two organisations will roll out targeted initiatives focused on pension awareness, social security, and long-term income sustainability for micro-enterprises.

The agreement includes joint educational outreach through webinars and shared communication channels, integration of pension-related guidance into MYRY’s digital platforms, and coordinated research to better inform service development.

It will also deliver up-to-date information to entrepreneurs on key issues such as YEL pension reform, work capacity, and the fundamentals of building adequate retirement provision.

Ilmarinen and MYRY have joined a growing number of firms calling for reform of the Finnish YEL system - covering self-employed workers - to become more transparent and income-based, with a sustainable funding model that ensures long-term pension financing.

Ilmarinen department manager, Minna Hakkarainen, said the partnership reflected a "growing focus" on underserved labour segments.

She noted that collaborating with MYRY would help Ilmarinen develop a deeper understanding of the realities facing micro-entrepreneurs, while expanding its reach as a trusted provider of pension solutions for the self-employed.

“We see this partnership as an opportunity to grow and to deliver more tailored services for micro and sole proprietors. MYRY has done impressive work advocating for small entrepreneurs, and we look forward to achieving tangible improvements together that make their day-to-day lives easier,” she added.

Meanwhile, MYRY executive director, Liisa Hanén, highlighted the economic significance and vulnerability of Finland’s micro-enterprise sector, stating that entrepreneurs often face the most precarious financial security and are least equipped to navigate the complexities of pension provision.

“Our members need a partner who understands their world and is committed to improving both services and perceptions around entrepreneurship and pension security,” Hanén said.

“Through this collaboration, we can offer more direct support and work to improve trust in the system for those operating at the margins of traditional employment structures.”

Indeed, the partnership reflects a broader trend across Europe, where policymakers and pension providers are being urged to adapt their models to reach a growing cohort of non-traditional workers—including freelancers, solo traders and platform workers—who often fall through the cracks of conventional pension systems.

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