At Forward Forever, we believe the most impactful results are not delivered in isolated projects but built over time – through partnerships that evolve together with the customer.
This has been the case with SOK.
What started in 2021 as a focused collaboration around data and analytics has, over the years, grown into something significantly broader. Today, the partnership spans data, AI, Copilot, and Power Platform – and supports multiple business units across one of Finland’s largest organizations.
Behind this growth is not just technology, but a shared way of working.
The collaboration has brought together a cross-functional Forward Forever team, including Service Advisors, Data Advisors, Power Platform Advisors, and a dedicated Service Manager. This combination has enabled both day-to-day operational reliability and continuous development aligned with SOK’s evolving needs.
At the same time, SOK has been on a journey of aligning its operating model – moving toward a more centralized approach, where shared practices, governance, and platforms support all business units, while still leaving room for flexibility and innovation.
“What has made this collaboration successful is not a single project or technology choice, but a shared commitment to building capabilities that scale across the organization. By combining a centralized governance model with continuous development, SOK has been able to grow analytics, Power Platform, AI, and Copilot adoption in a sustainable way across multiple business units.”
Henri Lähteenmäki, Head of Services, Forward Forever
From Fragmentation to a Shared Way of Working
Like many large organizations with multiple business units, SOK’s analytics and reporting capabilities had developed over time in different directions.
In practice, this meant that:
- Reporting solutions were built in parallel across units
- Development practices varied
- Governance models were not fully aligned
While this allowed local flexibility, it also created challenges. Data was not always comparable across units, development work could overlap, and maintaining quality and security consistently became increasingly difficult.
At the same time, the role of data in SOK’s business continued to grow. Reporting was no longer just about looking backward – it was becoming a core part of daily decision-making, operational efficiency, and future planning.
SOK needed a way to bring these elements together – without slowing down development.
Creating a Centralized Model That Works in Practice
Together, SOK and Forward Forever began building a model that would balance centralization and flexibility.
Instead of fully restricting development or keeping everything decentralized, the focus was on creating a shared foundation:
- Common governance practices
- Unified development guidelines
- Clear roles and responsibilities
- Centralized platform management
- Support and Maintenance for the platform and solutions built on top of it
At the same time, business units were not locked into rigid processes. They retained the ability to develop solutions tailored to their needs – but now within a framework that ensures consistency, quality, and security.
This shift was not just structural – it became visible in everyday work.
Making a Difference in Daily Operations
One of the clearest impacts of the collaboration has been how it supports SOK’s teams in their daily work.
Previously, similar reports might have been built multiple times in different units. Today, reporting is more unified and reusable, meaning that:
- The same logic is applied consistently across reports
- Data is easier to trust and compare
- Time is no longer spent rebuilding existing solutions
At the same time, automation has reduced manual work. Reporting processes that previously required hands-on effort are now handled automatically, freeing up time for analysis and decision-making.
Documentation and shared practices have also improved transparency. New team members can get up to speed faster, and collaboration between units has become smoother.
From a governance and security perspective, the centralized model has brought clarity:
- Data is handled in a more controlled way
- AI and Copilot capabilities can be utilized safely
- Risks related to maintenance and ownership have been reduced
In practice, this means that SOK’s employees can focus less on the technical tools – and more on addressing business needs and acting on data-driven insights.
Growing Beyond Analytics
As the foundation became stronger, the collaboration naturally expanded.
What initially focused on Power BI and reporting has grown into a broader platform approach, including:
- Power Platform solutions to support business processes
- AI and Copilot to enhance productivity and insight generation
- Microsoft Fabric to strengthen the data platform
This expansion has not been a separate initiative – it has been a continuation of the same model. New capabilities are introduced within the same governance framework, ensuring they integrate seamlessly into the broader environment.
Concrete Business Impact
Over the years, the collaboration has led to tangible benefits for SOK:
- Reduced costs through automation and elimination of duplicate work
- Higher quality and consistency in reporting and development
- Improved efficiency in both development and daily operations
- Stronger data governance and security
- Clearer roles and responsibilities between SOK and its partner
At the same time, the model has enabled something equally important:
the ability to scale new capabilities quickly across the organization.
When a new solution or approach is introduced, it no longer stays within one unit – it can be adopted more broadly, creating value faster.
“There is high demand in SOK for high-quality analytics services. Our current collaboration and service model relies on the strategic strengths of S-Group: scalable solutions, high-quality analytics that are consistent on a Group level and putting customer needs first. The solution works for all business units regardless of size or analytics current maturity – together with internal analysts or other external partners. Instead of re-solving the same problems in every unit, we build a solution once and share it – data is comparable, governance is consistent, and our teams can focus on business questions rather than technical details. Forward Forever has been a solid partner in making this real, with the kind of continuity and ownership that one-off projects could never deliver.”
Lari Köymäri, Data Analyst, Business Control, SOK
Looking Ahead
The collaboration between SOK and Forward Forever continues to evolve.
With a strong centralized foundation now in place, the focus is on:
- Expanding the use of AI and Copilot
- Further developing the Microsoft Fabric platform
- Increasing adoption of Power Platform solutions
- Strengthening the shared model across even more areas of the organization
The direction is clear: to continue building a more data-driven, efficient, and intelligent organization, step by step.
“Our vision is to solve real life problems together with business units with the help of analytics or business partners in Business Controlling. Forward Forever has helped us approach this with the discipline of a long-term partnership rather than a series of projects. Quality is the only way to succeed in partnership internally and in our collaboration.”
Birgitta Uutela, Senior Manager, Business Control, SOK
The story of SOK and Forward Forever is not about a single solution or project. It is about how a partnership can evolve – from supporting critical solutions and platforms to enabling broader organizational change.
By building a centralized model that works in practice, SOK has been able to improve quality, reduce costs, and create a foundation for continuous innovation.
And importantly, this work continues.
Technologies Used
- Microsoft Fabric
- Power BI
- Power Apps
- Power Automate
- Dataverse
- Microsoft Azure
- AI & Copilot