Swedish Chambers Internationals Digital Event: The Changing Global Business Landscape

The world is changing at a rapid pace. Balances are shifting, and equilibriums are drifting. This unique webinar combines geopolitics and business, to investigate how Swedish actors in international trade are navigating this new global business landscape, with business insights from Brazil, China, and India. How do these new political tensions affect international trade?

The dynamics of international trade are profoundly influenced by changing geopolitical landscapes. Protectionism, friendshoring, and securitization are terminologies that have been used diligently by experts and politicians. But what are the actual implications on international trade? Has free trade and interdependence taken a permanent, unrecoverable, hit? Are larger companies in Sweden and the EU already re-structuring their supply chains? Has Sweden stopped trading with China? There are many questions to answer during this hour.

This unique webinar examined the current changing world order from two different perspectives. We were honoured to have Mikael Wigell, Research Director at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs and Professor in International Political Economy. His work on great-power politics and geoeconomics has been published in International Affairs, the European Commission and World Development, and he is a part of the leading World Economic Forum Expert Network. His expertise is combined with observations from three key markets in the changing business landscape: Brazil, China and India, represented by Jonas Lindström, Daniela Ling and Sara Larsson.

This webinar is offered in collaboration between Stockholms Handelskammare and the Swedish Chambers International (SCI).

 

Watch the full webinar here. 

On the 23 of November 2023, the Swedish Chamber of Commerce was pleased to organize the breakfast event Into the minds of Young Talents with Academic Work at Edge Olympic. The highlight of the event was the unveiling of Academic Work’s Dutch YPAI 2023 report, offering valuable insights into what attracts young professionals to employers.

 

Following the breakfast and mingling session, Anders Lindgren, Head of Early Markets, welcomed all guests to the event and Michael Broms, Vice CEO and Group Sales Director, provided an overview of Academic Work’s European operations. Thereafter, the keynote speaker Markus Åberg, Head of Talent Advisory, revealed the latest survey results from the Dutch YPAI. The presentation included the top 25 employers with the best reputation according to young professionals in the Netherlands, recommendations for companies aiming to build a strong reputation among these and what attributes are most important for this group when choosing an employer or workplace.

 

The top 5 of attributes:

• Salary and benefits
• Good colleagues and work environment
• Flexibility and Work-life balance
• Career and development opportunities
• Good manager/ Leadership

 

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce would like to thank Anders Lindgren, Michael Broms and Markus Åberg from Academic Work for the collaboration on this intriguing subject. Special thanks also go to all participants who contributed to the event, sharing their thoughts and posing insightful and challenging questions.

Access the full YPAI report here.

 

Speaker:

 

The event was freeof charge thanks to generous hosting by Academic Work.

About Academic Work

Academic Work is a staffing and recruitment company founded in Sweden in 1998. Today, Academic Work is an international organization present in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands. They are experts in hiring university graduates in the beginning of their careers – Young Professionals. Since the start, they have hired to over 170 000 positions and provided the same number of colleagues to their clients.

 

About Kantar

Young Professional Attraction Index has been conducted since 2015 in close collaboration with Kantar. Kantar is one of the worlds leading companies in surveys, insights, and analysis, with over 30’000 employees in close to 100 countries. Among a wide range of fields Kantar has many years of experience in perception studies within different target audiences, both for public awareness and for specific companies.

On November 16th, the Swedish Chamber of Commerce organised its most exclusive event, the annual Patron Dinner, at the Swedish Residence in The Hague. The Patron Dinner was hosted by H.E. Ambassador of Sweden, Mr. Johannes Oljelund and brought together the Swedish Chambers esteemed Patron Members for an exquisite five-course dinner. The evening served not only as a culinary experience but also as a platform to delve into societal trends, fostering the creation of new connections and synergies.

 

Johan Uhlin, Chairperson of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce and CEO of Scania Production Zwolle in the Netherlands, warmly greeted all Patron Dinner guests and thanked the Ambassador for hosting the Annual Patron Dinner. Later during dinner, the Ambassador held a personal and entertaining speech where he shared take-aways from his time in the Netherlands. For this Patron Dinner the journalist and author Charlotte Boström was invited to give a keynote speech, drawing from her recent publication, ‘Waarom Zweedse vrouwen niet gratis werken’ (‘Why Swedish Women Don’t Work for Free’), to provide valuable insights into gender equality and the labor market, comparing the Netherlands and Sweden.

 

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce would like to thank all the Patrons for their attendance and for contributing to the open discussions around their tables. A special thanks to Ambassador Oljelund for graciously hosting the Patron Dinner and to Charlotte Broström for her stimulating and thought-provoking keynote speech.

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Photo Credits: Hanne Hansen

The board of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce in Sweden has the pleasure to invite you to this year’s Annual Dinner 2023 on November 10th to wine and dine with other members and network of the Dutch Chamber.

This year our Annual Dinner will be held at the very special venue of Winterviken, at only 15 minutes from Stockholm City center. Once Alfred Nobel’s dynamite factory, built in 1891, now a cultural heritage site owned and run by famous Swedish MasterChef Markus Aujalay and his partner Erika Michael. Markus once hosted the Nobel Prize Dinner and on the 10^th of November he will be cooking for us!

We look forward to welcoming you with a sparkling drink from 18:00 h. After some mingling and entertainment, we will have the opportunity to learn some interesting historical facts about the building from our guide. Then we will go the banquet hall where a delicious seasonal three-course dinner with accompanying wines will be served. We have the place to ourselves so after dinner, the cozy bar will be opened until 01.00 h, where whoever wants to stay and mingle some more, may do so at their own expense. We are looking forward to seeing you there!

Registration:

Excitingly, the Dutch Chamber open its doors to members of the Swedish Chamber, offering them the same ticket price as Dutch Chamber members. Simply choose ‘Guest / Members Swedish Chamber’, and thereafter apply the discount code ‘swedishchamber’ when registering. Register here before October 15, 2023. For questions, please contact frank.cleeren@dutchchamber.se.

 

Program:

18:00 Doors open

18:30 Welcome and tour
19:00 Start dinner
23:00 Bar opens

01:00 End

Dress code: Black Tie

Earlier this week, the Swedish Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with Ericsson, organized an inspiring and interactive Tech Table event, Tech for Good by Ericsson at the 5G Hub, at High Tech Campus Eindhoven.

 

The participants were all very warmly welcomed by Everth Flores, Managing Director of Ericsson NL, followed by a short word by H.E Ambassador of Sweden Mr. Johannes Oljelund. The event delved into the important role of 5G in digital transformation, showcasing how technical solutions can help improve sustainability and promote the green transition. Other highlights included insights into Ericsson’s award-winning 5G smart factories by Iris Hertsenberg, Program Board Manager at the 5G Hub, and Dassault Systèmes’ groundbreaking work on virtual twins by Robert Sjölund, Sales Representative at DELMIA. Last but not least, we explored Social XR through an exciting presentation by Hans Stokking, Senior Science Integrator at TNO, which also showed how it provides new possibilities to bring people closer together.

 

Following the insightful presentations, participants had the opportunity to engage in hands-on demos at the 5G hub with support from Iris Hertsenberg and Edwin Dijkstra, Solution Architect at the 5G Hub, including driving a remote-controlled surveillance car and trying out full-scale XR communication.

 

We would like to thank all the speakers who provided valuable insights into this important and topical field and Ericsson for hosting such an engaging and eventful event. Special thanks to Patrick Blankers, Policy Director Sustainability at Ericsson, for organizing the event and to all participants for their contribution to making a very successful event.

 

The 5G Hub 

The digital transformation is an important enabler for companies to become more sustainable: when business processes become more efficient, companies will be able to save energy and/or reduce CO2 emissions. 5G plays a key role in the digital transformation. This is demonstrated at the 5G-Hub in Eindhoven, a joint initiative of Ericsson, Vodafone-Ziggo, Brainport Eindhoven, and High Tech Campus. The 5G hub was established to promote innovation and stimulate solutions that help improve sustainability. You can read more about the 5G Hub here on its website.

 

“5G will bring a lot of benefits to our society; seeing is believing”

– Everth Flores, Country Manager of Ericsson NL

 

Speakers: 

 

 

How 5G links to sustainability
In the Netherlands, 5G has been launched by the 3 mobile network operators, but the promise of high bitrates has not yet materialized. The sector is eagerly waiting for new spectrum to become available, that will provide a much higher network capacity than today. 5G is a very energy efficient technology. Ericsson has reached its target to make 5G 10x more energy efficient than 4G. Furthermore, 5G is a key enabler for the digital transition, which in its turn will be essential for the green transition.

 

Ericsson and Dassault Systèmes collaboration: 5G Smart Factory
Ericsson’s USA 5G Smart Factory in Lewisville, Texas, has been awarded for a second time by the World Economic Forum (WEF) for global leadership in next-generation Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) manufacturing. WEF’s Global Lighthouse Network’s (GLN) has designated the facility as a Sustainability Lighthouse in recognition of successful on-site sustainability measures.

DELMIA manufacturing and scheduling solutions of Dassault Systèmes are the “heartbeat” of the Ericsson smart factory, producing the advanced 5G systems that will unlock the potential of Industry 4.0 for other manufacturers.

 

Social XR: Bringing people closer together
Social eXtended Reality, or Social XR, and the metaverse are about to break through in the market. It makes the distances between people disappear forever and opens the floodgates for a flood of unprecedented new possibilities in, for example, IT, media, healthcare and mobility. The pandemic has also given Social XR development a huge boost.

We increase the inclusiveness of our society: everyone can participate more easily, even if you have a disability. We also reduce our carbon footprint because there is less need for travelling. The 5G Hub, MeanderGroep, Connec2 and TNO Media teamed up together to test XR technology in an elderly home during and after the pandemic and were happy to share the results with the participants of this event.
Demo’s:

• Connected ambulance / city model
• Remote controlled surveillance car
• Virtual Twin Experience (Dassault)
• Wheed Whacko (Odd.Bot)
• Social XR (TNO)
• Latest 5G radios and test infrastructure

 

ERICSSON, WINNER OF THE SWEDISH CHAMBER TECH FOR GOOD BUSINESS AWARD 2022

In 2022, Ericsson received the prestigious Swedish Chamber of Commerce Tech for Good Award for their remarkable efforts in enhancing the quality of life through innovative and eco-friendly technological solutions. “In our collective journey towards a sustainable and interconnected future, collaboration between industries and society is imperative, and Ericsson is at the forefront of these endeavors,” emphasized the award presentation.

 

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce Tech for Good was organized in collaboration with:

 

 

 

ABOUT THE SWEDISH CHAMBER TECH TABLES

 

Tech Tables is a platform for Swedish-Dutch tech leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors to meet, learn, and discuss the latest trends in technology. The Swedish Chamber of Commerce’s Tech Tables invite Swedish Chamber Members and leading experts, exciting entrepreneurs, and challengers alongside passionate changemakers from Sweden and the Netherlands to participate in the exciting discussions on how technology will shape the future and what can we learn from each other.

 

 

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An active outdoor lifestyle promotes health, reduces stress, and improves team performance!

Last weekend, experts, scientists, and business leaders from the Nordic countries presented a series of presentations showing that ‘Friluftsliv’—outdoor recreation—brings countless benefits. It increases the learning capacity of young people, promotes inclusion and social equality, and contributes to personal health.

 

“By activating 1,000 adults, we will prevent 10 premature deaths, 20 cases of type 2 diabetes, 50 cases of heart attacks, and 150 cases of high blood pressure” stated Johan Faskunger of the Swedish Association of Outdoor Organizations. The positive effects on work were also emphasized. “Allow your staff to exercise during working hours and meet outside—this reduces stress and anxiety levels and leads to less absenteeism” said Dane Henrik Olssen from 80/20 Toolbox coach. After his company introduced a daily half-hour collective training outdoors, profits have increased by 80% in recent years.

 

It does not have to be complicated. Walking, cycling, or running for at least 30 minutes a day is feasible almost everywhere, including in the Netherlands, according to experts from the five Nordic countries. Even in densely populated areas, you can find a park, meadow, or beach next to the office because the closer, the better. The advice to Dutch municipalities is, therefore, to plan green areas within a radius of 5 km.

 

An additional advantage is that people who are often active outdoors naturally become more environmentally conscious. Taking this aspect into account when designing cities also contributes to a sustainable future. The initiators of this event, the Embassies of Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Norway, and Sweden and the Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish Chambers of Commerce in the Netherlands hope to inspire more Dutch people to discover ‘Friluftsliv’ with the evidence provided.

 

This weekend brought to light the far-reaching benefits of incorporating outdoor activities into our lives, underscoring the importance of a holistic approach to well-being. We would like to thank all the speakers, collaborators, Nordic Days, and attendees who participated in the inspiring #NordicTalks2023!

 

The #NordicTalks2023 Seminar was organized by the Nordic Chambers of Commerce and Nordic Embassies in the Netherlands, and we were very proud that the Nordic Ambassadors held the Opening Ceremony of Nordic Talks, and joined the presentation to share the latest insights from their countries:

• H.E. Ambassador of Denmark, Mr. Jarl Frijs-Madsen
• H.E. Ambassador of Finland Mr. Ilkka-Pekka Similä
• H.E. Ambassador of Sweden, Mr. Johannes Oljelund
• H.E. Ambassador of Norway, Mr Bård Ivar Svendsen
• H.E. Ambassador of Iceland, Mr. Kristján Andri Stefánsson

 

Moderator and Speakers: 

 

 

“Benefits of Outdoor Recreation and Access to Nature” by the Swedish Association for Outdoor Organizations

At the #NordicTalks2023, we heard about the latest research demonstrating the positive impact that the Nordic culture of active and healthy outdoor life has on individual health, public well-being, and wider societal benefits. These findings were addressed in the latest report by The Swedish Association for Outdoor Organisations (Svenskt Friluftsliv) Benefits of Outdoor Recreation and Access to Nature, which provided an overview of the societal effects of the Nordic connection to nature. As a main contributor to the report, event speaker Johan Faskunger shared his insights on the report and its findings.

Click here to download the report.

 

 

Thank you to our generous sponsors:  

 

Photo credits: Hanne Hansen

In collaboration with SKF, the Swedish Chamber of Commerce was proud to host the third Tech Table event, titled ‘Diversity in Tech,’ on September 14, 2023, at SKF Netherlands in Houten. This event represented a unique fusion of our popular Swedish Chamber Tech Table series and our Diversity & Inclusion Breakfast series. The overarching goal of the Diversity & Inclusion Breakfast series is to inspire and empower business leaders to foster inclusive and diverse work environments.

 

During the event, it was recognized that diverse and inclusive teams are not only instrumental in innovative problem-solving but also in attracting top talent and ensuring long-term profitability for tech companies. Hence, delving into these critical topics was imperative for the success, growth, and well-being of tech enterprises.

 

A special highlight of the event was the presence of the esteemed keynote speakers, Annika Ölme and Dr. Cara Antoine, who offered their invaluable perspectives on diversity, drawing from their personal experiences as two CTOs in leading international companies. They also highlighted interesting research about the positive impacts that proactive diversity initiatives bring to tech companies:

 

“You have 20 percent more innovation and 30 percent less risk in a diverse company.”
– Annika Ölme

“The need for role models, allyship, and visibility are key features in incorporating diversity in tech. Think about how you can shine a spotlight on the perhaps hidden figures in your organizations. Invite them, network with them, select them, mix.”

– Dr. Cara Antoine

 

SPEAKERS AND MODERATOR:

 

Photo credits event photos: Kwok-Keung Cheng / SKF Group

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce  Diversity in Tech is organized in collaboration with:

 

ABOUT THE SWEDISH CHAMBER THE TABLES SERIES

Tech Tables is a platform for Swedish-Dutch tech leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors to meet, learn, and discuss the latest trends in technology. The Swedish Chamber of Commerce’s Tech Tables invite Swedish Chamber Members and leading experts, exciting entrepreneurs, and challengers alongside passionate changemakers from Sweden and the Netherlands to participate in the exciting discussions on how technology will shape the future and what can we learn from each other.

ABOUT THE SWEDISH CHAMBER DIVERSITY & INCLUSION BREAKFASTS

Our aim is to provide a series to discuss strategies with a focus on new perspectives, share real cases and research, and to support you with concrete tools to increase and develop D&I within your organization. We will discuss how to get started, which topics to prioritize, and the business case for diversity and inclusion. This will be an interactive event on one of the top priority topics, that we all know we ”should” address, but don´t know ”how”.

 

On September 7, 2023, the Business Climate Survey 2023 for the Netherlands was launched at the Swedish Embassy in The Hague, in collaboration with the Swedish Chamber of Commerce and Team Sweden. The survey measures the economic outlook, industry trends, success factors, local conditions, and opportunities for Swedish companies in the Netherlands and how they compare to global results.

 

“The Business Climate Survey deepens our understanding of the current business climate in the Netherlands and gives us a sound basis for the continued business dialogue. The Swedish–Dutch business relations run deep, which is reflected in the optimism felt by Swedish companies here”, said Ambassador Johannes Oljelund while opening the launch.

 

Håkan Jevrell, the State Secretary for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade underlined that the Swedish and Dutch markets share common features with a high level of innovation, technology, digitalization, and sustainability. “This presents further possibilities for deeper and broader business relations between Sweden and the Netherlands”.

 

State Secretary Jevrell also encouraged Swedish companies to continue promoting the benefits of doing business in the Netherlands: “This report shows that the Netherlands is a shining example of how things could and should be for Swedish companies abroad. I’m very confident that the Netherlands will remain an important trade partner for Sweden. The strategic location, and high level of innovation and digitalisation, also make it a stepping stone for entering new markets for many Swedish companies”.

 

Kerstin Gerlagh, managing director of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce presented the Business Climate Survey 2023 for the Netherlands and highlighted some of the key findings:

• Swedish companies in the Netherlands rate the business climate in the Netherlands 4.5 out of 5 which ranked the Netherlands first in Europe and third globally.
• In 2022, an impressive 83% of Swedish companies in the Netherlands reported profitability, surpassing the global average of 68%. This was the highest profitability rank globally, together with Brazil.
• The Netherlands has the highest environmental and sustainability interest from customers globally, together with the UK and Germany. In the Netherlands, the rate is at 87%.
• 34% of the responding Swedish companies report to have between 20-50% female staff in their management teams.

 

You can download the BCS the Netherlands 2023 report here, and the Global BCS 2023 report here.

 

The following panel of experts spoke at the event:

• Håkan Jevrell: State Secretary for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade (online)
• Johannes Oljelund: Ambassador of Sweden in the Netherlands
• Everth Flores: CEO at Ericsson Netherlands
• Bas Dubois: Managing Director at Benelux Volvo Buses
• Tomas Korseman: Trade & Invest, Commissioner of Sweden to Benelux at Business Sweden
• Patrick Blankers: Policy Director Sustainability at Ericsson Netherlands
• Kerstin Gerlagh: General Manager at the Swedish Chamber of Commerce

 

 

In the panel discussion that followed, Swedish companies based in the Netherlands elaborated on the following themes:

Sustainability

That sustainability means a lot to the Dutch customer is no surprise for Swedish companies, and many of them are confident that their Swedish roots help them to deliver on that promise. “Maybe not everyone realizes it, but Swedish companies here have a very significant presence in sectors such as energy, mobile traffic, and transportation. Our Swedish values and strive for sustainability do add to the success Swedish companies experience in the Dutch market”, on company representative underlined.

 

Finding talent

The survey showed that one of the few challenges Swedish companies in the Netherlands have is finding talent not least female talent in the tech sector. One suggestion was to involve school pupils to get to know tech from an early age and what it actually means to society today.

 

Housing

Companies recognized the difficulty in finding affordable housing in the Netherlands when having to attract talent from abroad. “Why should talents come to the Netherlands when the cost of living is so high?” one company representative said, adding one suggested solution: “We don’t move them any longer – we work online”.

 

Conclusion

The conditions in the Netherlands are very good for Swedish companies. Swedish values mean added value when attracting customers and talent. Sweden is leading witin equality, innovation, sustainability, and design. Sharing Swedish values more both internally and externally can help boost business even further.