Get to know the Berner employees and their career paths better. Below you will find the career stories of Eila Saari, Anssi Hautabacka, Katriina Lehtonen and Miikka Salli!
Eila Saari, Product Manager / Brand Manager
What is your role at Berner?
I serve as the Product Manager / Brand Manager for Ainu, our baby-care brand that will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2025, and for our other baby-care brand, MAM. In practice I handle everything for the brands from A to Z, from curating the product range to marketing and driving brand growth.
When did you start at Berner?
I began at Bergenheim in January 1997 and moved to Berner through an acquisition in 1998. I have therefore worked at Berner for 28 years.
What do you enjoy most about your work?
Ainu users are, in my view, the best audience imaginable; working with baby products is genuinely fascinating. Marketing, for example, has to be planned differently when the products are aimed at new mothers. Another key factor is the variety of my work – no two days are the same, and that constant challenge is motivating. I also value the chance to collaborate with our own production site in Heinävesi, our principals and multiple stakeholders. Developing new, high-quality products with skilled colleagues – guided by consumer surveys and studies, is something I truly enjoy. Berner also makes it easy to grow professionally while keeping a positive spirit.
What is the best thing about working at Berner, in your opinion?
Definitely the amazing, enthusiastic, professional and highly motivated colleagues. Berner is refreshingly free of unnecessary bureaucracy; we have a great atmosphere and a shared goal. The many long careers here say a lot about Berner as an employer. There is a strong entrepreneurial spirit, and as a family-owned company we can stay agile when needed.
How does sustainability show in your work?
Product safety and overall responsibility are integral to this category, after all, our users represent everyone’s future, so I take sustainability very seriously. Ainu and MAM are committed to responsible operating principles. Our products must be genuinely useful and make everyday family life easier.
When we design Ainu skin-care products with our R&D team, raw materials, packaging materials and their recyclability, as well as manufacturing itself, are crucial focus areas. We highlight this commitment in Ainu marketing too, explaining openly how we operate and giving consumers practical tips, such as energy- and water-saving microwave sterilisation.
What does our purpose “Protecting tomorrow” mean to you, and how is it reflected in your work?
Advancing sustainability is, in itself, defending tomorrow. We have to act so that we leave future generations the best possible conditions to live and enjoy life. Decisions we make today can have far-reaching effects, and I want to help ensure those decisions are good ones. “Protecting tomorrow” is a value that obliges every one of us at Berner each day, and one we can all be proud of.
How do you spend your free time?
Interior decorating, renovating and wallpapering have always appealed to me, at home, at the cottage or for friends. I also enjoy gardening, walking, films, travel and spending time with family and friends.
Anssi Hautabacka, ICT Infrastructure and Information Security Manager
What is your role at Berner?
I work as the ICT Infrastructure and Information Security Manager at Berner.
When did you start at Berner?
I joined Berner in November 2018.
What do you enjoy most about your work?
We have the freedom to work the way we prefer, which means we can often shape our own schedules. The working environment and methods are familiar to me – even though I previously spent most of my career in large international companies such as IBM, HCL and Nokia in both Finland and Ireland. I have been fascinated by the ICT field since I was young.
What is the best thing about working at Berner, in your opinion?
The people are the best part. In large corporations you might never see the CEO except through a webcam, but at Berner the management is present and approachable. Because our people are so fantastic, coming to the office is always enjoyable. Our own team also shares its own brand of humour. Herttoniemi is a wonderful area, especially in spring and summer.
How does sustainability show in your work?
Practically speaking, we can influence the supply chain through the components and computers we buy. The fewer middlemen in the procurement chain, the less the goods travel and the lower the transport emissions. Old laptops and desktops are wiped, cleaned and serviced by our hardware-recycling partner and then resold for further use. We also actively consider shifting the capacity we use to the cloud.
What does our purpose “Protecting tomorrow” mean to you, and how is it reflected in your work?
In information systems and cybersecurity this purpose is crystal clear. We must defend against external threats such as hackers and state-sponsored actors. Safeguarding against these dangers is essential for business continuity, both now and in the future. Cybersecurity is a concern for society as a whole and for the EU. The EU’s NIS2 directive, for example, obliges everyone to act for the common good.
How do you spend your free time?
From spring to autumn there is always plenty to do at home. The garden must be coaxed out of its winter sleep and I use GreenCare fertilizers for that. Our outdoor and indoor terraces need a massive spring-cleaning after winter, and I love to barbecue whenever the weather allows. I also go for walks, especially in the Laajalahti Nature Reserve, and I spend free time with tablets and computers.
Katriina Lehtonen, Marketing Manager
What is your role at Berner?
I work as a Marketing Manager, responsible for marketing and communications for our home-gardening, automotive and footwear brands (GreenCare, Korrek, Lasol, Hai & Nokian Jalkineet). My team includes specialists in communications, digital marketing, events and consumer service, and together we build brands and consumer experiences.
When did you start at Berner?
I joined Berner in 2019. Time has flown by because the work has been so inspiring and varied.
What do you enjoy most about your work?
I especially enjoy the chance to work with a wide range of Finnish classic brands, talented people and fresh ideas. As cliché as it sounds, no two days are the same. In a small yet agile team I can influence many areas: on a typical day that might mean planning campaigns, creating new concepts or collaborating with advertising and media-agency partners. The role strikes a perfect balance between creativity and hands-on execution. Marketing also demands that you stay constantly up to date with new trends and shifts in consumer behaviour, so continual learning and self-development are part of everyday life – that’s what makes the job so exciting and rewarding.
What is the best thing about working at Berner, in your opinion?
Berner trusts its people and gives them responsibility. You are encouraged to experiment and innovate, knowing that skilled colleagues are there to support you. The other great thing is that our work has real meaning: I get to promote sustainable consumption and Finnish values.
How does sustainability show in your work?
Sustainability is reflected in both day-to-day practice and long-term planning. In marketing communication we highlight concrete sustainability attributes such as recyclability, durability or being pesticide-free, transparently and based on facts. That requires ongoing cooperation with product development and subject-matter experts. In this way we build trust and always act responsibly from a marketing perspective. Collaboration with schools and young people is also one of our ways to help build a responsible future.
What does our purpose “Protecting tomorrow” mean to you, and how is it reflected in your work?
“Protecting tomorrow” means working with a long-term perspective, building brands and consumption habits that stand the test of time. In my role this shows, for example, in encouraging consumers to choose natural gardening over artificial alternatives and in communicating sustainability-driven choices in an appealing, concrete way. Protecting tomorrow is also visible in our digital choices: we think about how to create content that is not merely consumed but is accessible, relevant and resource-efficient. Promoting digital responsibility is part of the whole, it is marketing with tomorrow in mind.
How do you spend your free time?
My free time revolves around family, the outdoors and culture. I love travelling, enjoying good food, planning surprises and celebrations for loved ones, and getting excited about new things. Everyday joy also comes from simple time together and nature, as well as walking the dog.
Miikka Salli
What is your role at Berner?
I am the Segment Director for the chemical, battery chemical, mining, and metal refining industry segments within Berner Industries. In addition, I’m a member of the Berner Industries management team and responsible for our operations in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland.
When did you start at Berner?
Two years ago.
What do you enjoy most about your work?
I especially enjoy the versatility of my role. It includes everything from business responsibility and sales to strategic planning and even packing product samples. I particularly like meeting customers and principals – and brainstorming new business ideas with my colleagues.
What’s the best part of working at Berner?
The best things about Berner are the colleagues, personal and visible ownership, and the excellent coffee from the coffee machine at our office😊 At Berner, we’re encouraged to pursue new ideas with an open mind and trusted to carry out our work independently within our areas of responsibility.
How does sustainability show in your work?
Sustainability shows in many ways, such as helping our customers make more sustainable decisions by sharing the carbon footprint data of our chemicals and raw materials whenever available. Our customers are increasingly interested in industrial by-products, which are often both cost-effective and low in carbon footprint. We also actively support our customers in commercializing and distributing their by-products across the Nordics.
What does “Protecting tomorrow” mean to you, and how does it show in your work?
Protecting tomorrow is about working together with our customers to find the best solutions that help them reach their sustainability and business goals. It’s a meaningful concept to me, and I’m proud that it serves as Berner’s guiding principle. It’s my compass in day-to-day decisions and customer work.
How do you spend your free time?
I swim long distances, go to the dog forest with our Airedale terrier Koura, and enjoy watching history documentaries on the couch.