5.7.2021

Back to the Future

We are coming out of the pandemic, but the world is not the same. These exceptional months have permanently altered business. They have accelerated digitalisation and the green transition. They have irreversibly changed human behaviour and the way we work. They have polarised the business world into winners and losers. Global economic stimulus has reached a scale that has never been seen before, and no-one knows where this will ultimately lead.

These are not the only big changes in the air. The crisis of the pandemic highlighted the role of business owners and boards of directors, but that role has been changing for other reasons, too. The way that companies create value is changing rapidly. Steering the value of a company can no longer be successfully done using short-term financial metrics, but requires owners to have more extensive expertise, vision and an understanding of the times. Companies are expected to act sustainably, and success is more and more linked to how well a company pays attention to its stakeholders.

Stakeholder thinking is nothing new, but combined with sustainability, it forms a new kind of attitude to the basic purpose of a company: if society as a whole is considered a stakeholder, this can lead to a sustainable and responsible business. Good profits alone are no longer enough, as investors, customers, legislators and even courts demand that business owners act sustainably. If a company does not act itself in time, it might be forced to act in a way dictated by outside forces.

The market economy is once again shedding its skin and guiding companies towards change. It is important for companies to better understand their internal and external stakeholders and seek to meet their needs. As things stand, few companies are able to identify and anticipate the impacts of sustainability requirements and create added value for new stakeholder groups.

One thing remains unchanged, however. The most important task of business owners is to secure the positive development of company value. When it comes to how that value is created, however, there is no turning back. The future will call for more dialogue, new skills, vision, and above all, courage.

Latest references

We advised Prisma Properties in a real estate transaction in which the company acquired a retail property in Helsinki from Hartela.  The acquired property was built specifically for the discount retailer Jula. Completed in October 2025, the property is modern and very energy-efficient, and it is fully leased to Jula under a 10-year lease agreement. The property located in the Konala district, adjacent to the busy Ristikko shopping centre, spans 2,600 square metres. Prisma Properties is a fast-growing developer and long-term owner of modern properties for discount retail, grocery retail, and quick-service restaurants. The company operates across the Nordics and manages a property portfolio valued at approximately EUR 650 million, primarily consisting of newly developed properties with long lease agreements.
Case published 29.10.2025
We advised SRV Group Plc in its sale of SRV Infra Ltd to Kreate Ltd. The completion of the transaction is subject to regulatory approvals. The parties expect the transaction to be closed by the end of 2025. SRV, established in 1987, is a Finnish developer and innovator in the construction industry. The company is listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange. In 2024, SRV’s revenue totalled EUR 745.8 million.
Case published 27.10.2025
Castrén & Snellman acted as legal advisor to Suomen Aurinkovoima Oy and its owners in a financing tender process and a financing arrangement implemented with Danske Bank to secure financing for the company’s future solar park projects. Suomen Aurinkovoima, established by Oulun Seudun Sähkö, Oulun Energia, Vantaan Energia and Savon Voima, is a company focused on increasing domestic solar power. The company manages solar park projects from planning to implementation and maintenance, and its goal is to build dozens of new solar parks across Finland by 2030.
Case published 22.10.2025
We advised DNB Bank ASA in its agreement with Fennia Mutual Insurance Company on the development and lease of the premises at Fabianinkatu 8, Helsinki. With the lease agreement, DNB Bank ASA will focus all its Finnish operations at the Fabian 8 office. The other tenants at the renewed premises will be DNB Carnegie Investment Bank AB’s Finnish operations and DNB Auto Finance Oy. In connection with the long-term lease agreement, the parties also agreed on a major renovation project to completely refurbish the premises. The object of lease will be completed in the second half of 2027.
Case published 10.10.2025