Vera Hjelt (1857—1947) was a Finnish social reformer, politician and a pioneer of occupational safety and health who strove to improve workplace conditions and treatment of workers.

[5][4] In 1881, Hjelt graduated from the Ekenäs seminary, qualifying as a teacher, as well as in the same year completing her art studies at the Turku drawing school (Taideyhdistyksen piirustuskoulu).

[1] Alongside her teaching duties, she set up a steam saw and carpentry factory in Oulunkylä (now part of Helsinki), serving as its director for many years.

[4] She is known to have got on well with workers, especially women, and also enjoyed cordial relations with management who were usually happy to implement her pragmatic and carefully-considered recommendations to improve working conditions.

[6] Hjelt wrote for a seasonal (Christmas) publication in 1888–1902, and for a children's magazine in 1905–1906, in both cases for their Finnish and Swedish language versions.