OP Financial Group’s mission is to promote the sustainable prosperity, security and wellbeing of its owner-customers and operating region. OP's operations are based on cooperative ideals, a strong capital base and capable risk management.
The Group with a cooperative foundation aims not to maximise profits for its owners but to provide, as efficiently as possible, the services which the cooperative's owner-customers need. In its business, OP must provide the services needed by its customers in a competitive manner. Its business role also involves safeguarding operational efficiency and a strong capital base that generates a competitive advantage.
The Group uses its earnings for the benefit of its customers and to further strengthen its balance sheet. The strong capital base enables OP Financial Group to successfully lead its mission. OP maintains its capital adequacy markedly above the regulated level to secure its role as a finance and insurance provider for businesses and even during a prolonged recession. Meanwhile, OP will keep risk-taking moderate vis-à-vis the risk-bearing capacity.
OP's business is primarily guided by the interests of customers
A long-term customer-driven approach is reflected in OP Financial Group's continuous renewal. The Group develops its services and products to meet customer needs. OP takes different customer groups as well as the regional coverage and availability of financial services effectively into consideration.
OP cooperative banks and their offices across Finland together with user-friendly and versatile digital services enable effective interaction with customers and the local community. In addition to financial benefits, customer-owners have a genuine opportunity to contribute to their own cooperative bank’s decisions and, thus, influence developments in their neighbourhood.
It follows naturally from OP Financial Group's cooperative basis that the benefit and added value of the business operations are channelled, via customer relationships, to owner-customers and customers.
OP cooperative banks use their profits for the benefit of their customers by providing loyalty benefits and other financial benefits and by developing their service capabilities. Furthermore, a cooperative as a type of business organisation and the cooperative ideology create continuity and community spirit in OP's operating region. OP cooperative banks are often among the largest taxpayers in their localities. A significant part of OP's economic impacts also involves indirect impacts on local and regional economic vitality.