ISNI project of Finnish CMOs concludes: Strengthening creator data together
The four-year ISNI project of Finnish collective management organisations (CMOs) has been successfully concluded. During the project, permanent workflows and technical interfaces were developed, enabling ISNI identifiers to be automatically and reliably assigned to music creators. The project participants were the copyright management organisations Gramex, Kopiosto, Kuvasto, Sanasto and Teosto, and the project was coordinated by the National Library of Finland, which serves as the ISNI registration agency in Finland.
The International Standard Name Identifier (ISNI) is a globally used standard identifier that allows contributors to creative works to be unambiguously identified. The project implemented ISNI identifiers widely across Finland’s creative sector, improving metadata quality and facilitating the correct allocation of royalties, particularly in international contexts.
More accurate metadata and a more reliable royalty chain
Teosto integrated ISNI identifiers into its own processes during the project. This allows more precise identification of creators both domestically and in international data exchanges.
“Specifying data structures and careful testing were essential to integrate ISNIs into Teosto’s metadata processes. The work has proceeded according to plan,” says Senior Advisor Ano Sirppiniemi from Teosto.
ISNI is particularly useful in situations where data moves across multiple countries and systems. The more accurate the creator data, the more reliably royalties reach the correct creators and right holders.
Vision 2035: aiming for broader use and consolidation
Although the project has concluded, collaboration between CMOs and the National Library continues. The use of ISNI identifiers is expected to grow further, with future development focusing on embedding ISNIs into daily workflows, technical integrations, and stronger international interoperability.
The ISNI in Finland 2035 vision, published at the end of the project, outlines the objective for national ISNI operations and provides a roadmap for future development. According to the vision, by 2035:
- ISNI identifiers will be widely used in libraries, archives, museums, publishers and CMOs.
- ISNIs will serve as a reliable link connecting contributor data and improving the visibility of works.
- The national ISNI service will support a diverse range of fields and enable smooth data exchange.
- Collaboration networks will strengthen as sectors build a shared, unified identifier ecosystem.
For the music sector, this vision means smoother data flow throughout the creative chain—from composers and lyricists to international platforms and reporting systems.
More details on the future outlook of national ISNI operations and the ecosystem can be found in the ISNI in Finland 2035 vision.
Read more on the National Library website »
The ISNI project final report »
