Co-chair Taskforce

Finland

Member since

July 2021

Finland continues to demonstrate global leadership on school meals through advocacy, financing, technical cooperation and active engagement in the School Meals Coalition. Building on its long-standing experience with school meals, Finland is committed to school meals programmes nationally and globally, strengthening international partnerships, and sharing knowledge and good practices to advance sustainable, high-quality school meal systems.

1.06 Million

Total children receiving school meals

366.92K

Children enrolled in primary school

479.41 Million

Total investment in school meals (USD)

Figures reflect the latest available data from the State of School Feeding Worldwide report, national reporting and global sources. Governments may update data more frequently, so values may differ from most recent national statistics. Reference year, source and further details are available in the School Meals Coalition Global Database.

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National Commitments

Commitment submitted on
September 2021
Declaration signed by the Ministry for Foreign Trade and Development of Finland

Advance the Coalition’s objectives by co-leading the Coalition’s taskforce and coordinating strategic activities.* Finland’s Minister for Foreign Trade and Development will serve as a School Meals Coalition Champion and co-chair, advocating for school meals globally.*
Finland has increased its financial support to school meal programmes globally in the past years and is committed to strengthening these efforts.* It also contributes financially to the work of the School Meals Secretariat.
Adopt school meals procurement criteria that prioritize environmentally friendly cultivation, food safety, nutrition, animal welfare, and pupil involvement in planning and assessment.*
Continue to offer technical expertise for countries developing school meals programmes, facilitating support through a dedicated website.*

* UPDATED IN 2025

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National Progress Reports

Reporting year

Programme Design and Coverage

Finland continues to implement school meal procurement criteria that promote nutrition, food safety, environmentally sustainable food production and animal welfare.
School meals are complemented by food education and student participation in meal planning, implementation and evaluation, reinforcing their educational and nutritional value.

Financing

Finland remains a strong supporter of the global school meals agenda. In 2026, the Government contributed €4 million to World Food Programme school meals programmes, with a focus on fragile contexts, and €500,000 to the School Meals Coalition Secretariat.

Advocacy and Partnerships

Finland continues to provide global leadership for the School Meals Coalition through high-level advocacy and diplomatic engagement. As Coalition Champion and Co-Chair, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio has promoted school meals at major international events and across multilateral fora.
Finland co-leads the Coalition's Task Force, co-chairs its Working Group, and actively supports partnerships, knowledge exchange, research and country engagement initiatives.

Data and Evidence

Finland continues to share technical expertise and good practices with countries seeking to strengthen school meals programmes through study visits, peer learning and international exchanges. Drawing on decades of experience, Finland promotes knowledge sharing on nutrition, policy development, programme implementation and the educational role of school meals.

Next steps

Finland continues to actively update and implement its national nutrition recommendations for school meals, shifting towards a plant-forward, sustainable, and health-centric approach.
Finland provides continuous financial and strategic school meal programmes support globally through partnerships with the World Food Programme and its leadership role in the School Meals Coalition as well as bilaterally.

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