02 | 2023 Sanna Valkeejärvi & Niina Ahtiainen, Beach Volleyball Professional
"Wonderfully genuine people. Fun and warm-hearted people, and they're a joy to work with. I appreciate them very much."
Kipinä's athlete, beach volley professional, Niina Ahtiainen is currently preparing for the upcoming season with her partner Taru Lahti-Liukkonen. Before the first tournament in Mexico, the trip will take her to Tenerife for a camp and before that to conduct a bici school for Kipinä's stakeholders. Kipinä has supported Niina's trip to the Paris Olympics in spring 2022.
What does a genuine partnership between an athlete and a company look like? Niina and Kipinä's partnership is a prime example of this.
An athlete's profession takes them around the world, and from a sustainability perspective, this always raises many questions. Niina finds Kipinä's support invaluable here as well: "It was wonderful to hear right from the start how closely our values align with Kipinä's. I deeply appreciate their collaborative approach, the fact that everyone is treated as an equal, and that everyone's contribution is valued."
Sustainable development is evident in their operations, and we share this core value. For instance, they offset the carbon emissions from my tournament flights through the Compensate service."
Niina's sport takes her across the globe, and offsetting flight emissions, among other initiatives, is part of her partnership with Kipinä.
At Kipinä, the community is at the heart of everything. The athletes supported by Kipinä are placed in the same mindset. Because Kipinä has a genuine desire to help and to put good things into circulation. For an athlete, the support of a partner is precious.
"A partner provides significant financial enablement for things like tournament trips, training camps, flights, and more. No one reaches the top of the world alone without help, so the importance of a partner is immense. To me, a partner represents long-term collaboration and someone who stands by the athlete through the difficult moments that inevitably arise during any career," Niina describes the significance of partners to her.
In a modern partnership with an athlete, cooperation and mutual benefit are genuinely two-way. In such a relationship, shared values and common goals play a significant role.
Kipinä's own team has already enjoyed Nina's birch school and soon customers and stakeholders will have the same honour. The athlete himself finds such things with a partner refreshing and fun:
Niina taught the Kipinä team the finer points of her sport during a beach volleyball session.
"It was great to be able to train together and practice new things with the Kipinä people. They have such a brave sense of adventure. Throwing yourself in the water was the best. I also really liked the fact that we stayed for a chat and a meal after the birch school. It's nice to really get to know each other and know the kind of people you're going on this trip with."
Our journey continues smoothly, with meetings scheduled around competition and training schedules. Further opportunities for getting to know each other and collaborating are on the horizon.
"Last time we were in my working environment and next time it would be great to see what Kipinä working environment and community at the office looks like 😉"
From the point of view of Kipinä, it is the athlete's values and way of thinking that is essential. The community and the essence of Kipinä is based on values and actions, and all partners should support this approach. Nina's values and desire to succeed are in line with Kipinä's ideas. From both perspectives, cooperation is fruitful and rewarding.
Olli, Niina, and Kari share a profound love for sports.
Kipinä wishes Niina all the best for her season!