OP Pohjola is the largest provider of financial services in Finland, offering banking, non-life insurance and wealth management services.
OP Pohjola began its operations in its present form as the amalgamation of the Member Cooperative Banks as provided for in the Act on Cooperative Banks and Other Credit Institutions in the Form of a Cooperative (laki osuuspankeista ja muista osuuskuntamuotoisista luottolaitoksista 1504/2001)("Cooperative Bank Act") in 1997.
In accordance with the Act on Deposit Bank Amalgamations (Laki talletuspankkien yhteenliittymästä 599/2010) (the "Amalgamations Act"), OP Pohjola comprises: (a) OP Cooperative as OP Pohjola's central institution; (b) the companies belonging to the consolidation groups of OP Cooperative; and (c) the Member Credit Institutions of OP Cooperative, which consist of OP Corporate Bank plc as the central bank of OP Pohjola, OP Mortgage Bank (OP-Asuntoluottopankki Oyj in Finnish), OP Retail Customers Plc and member cooperative banks (together the "Member Credit Institutions"). OP Pohjola is supervised on a consolidated basis. The Member Credit Institutions and the Central Cooperative are liable for each other's debts and commitments.
The member cooperative banks are independent, local deposit banks that are engaged in retail banking. OP Cooperative is OP Pohjola's strategic owner institution, which is owned by the member cooperative banks. As a central institution, it is in charge of OP Pohjola's steering and control.