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Nobel Week 2020

December 9, 2020

Nobel Week 2020 takes place on 5–13 December in Stockholm and Oslo. Many of the events will this year be streamed and possible to follow online. Traditionally the Nobel Laureates travel to Stockholm and Oslo to receive their Nobel Prizes. This year the Nobel organization has taking the medals to them and inviting you to join in all the festivities as they stream the Nobel Lectures, 2020 award ceremonies and much more online at Photo Credits: Werner Nystrand/Folio/imagebank.sweden.se

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Klarna named the most sustainable brand in banking and finance.

December 9, 2020

In a new survey, Klarna is ranked as the most sustainable brand in banking and finance by Swedish Millennials and Gen Z consumers.

Sustainability is at the core of any brand that aspires to be relevant in the future. Not only from an environmental point of view, but also when it comes to values, business practices, and social responsibility. In a recent , 1500 Millenial and Gen Z consumers have been asked about their views on sustainability, and which brands that best live up to their expectations in this area. 273 companies in 20 different sectors are ranked in order of how sustainable they are in the eyes of the consumers. We are happy to see that Klarna, for the second year in a row, is number one in the banking and finance category, ahead of all the traditional banks and financial institutions. This is a testament to the fact that the younger generations see Klarna as the most sustainable brand in an industry that for a long time has been dominated by the incumbent players. The survey shows that transparency, and having products and services that are priced according to consumers’ different financial needs, are highly valued aspects of a sustainable brand. At Klarna, we are working actively to provide a service that is transparent and adapted to consumers’ needs. Here are just a few examples of how we help our customers:

With the , consumers can manage all their purchases and get push notifications when a payment is due. In the app, shoppers can also keep track of deliveries and manage returns. By paying with our free 14-day invoice, consumers can be assured that they get the products they order before any money is drawn from their bank account.
We are doing everything in our power to make consumers pay on time. Our recently launched “” is an additional way of educating consumers on how to avoid reminder fees. By completing the test, Klarna will waive the reminder fee to consumers who have missed the due date on a payment, to ensure that it won’t happen again.
Our with some of the highest interest rates in Sweden.
The “Mission Zero” () which is a long-term commitment to reduce the number of customer complaints on our services to zero. Since the launch, we have managed to reduce them from 40 complaints per 1 million purchases in 2018, to less than 20 on average in 2020. We have taken a lot of actions to achieve this, but we are not happy until we have reached our final goal.

Apart from our services, we are also working hard to reduce our environmental impact as a company. Last year, the “Breakit Impact Challenge” for our initiatives in this area. The hard work to become even more sustainable continues, but the ranking shows that we are on the right track.

Read more at

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Welcome new Member!

December 9, 2020

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce is very pleased to give a warm welcome to our new Member Britta Wyss Bisang, Personal Member.

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Podcast #NordicTalks – Nordic Sustainable Fashion Days 2020 Now available

December 9, 2020

Podcast #NordicTalks - Nordic Sustainable Fashion Days 2020 Now available Will it soon be cooler to rent, swap or buy secondhand clothes than to fanatically follow ever-changing fast fashion trends? More and more consumers are becoming aware of the fashion industry's substantial climate footprint. Some are trying to reduce their impact on the planet by buying clothes that last longer, while others are choosing to cut back on their fashion consumption. In this episode, we examine new Nordic initiatives for responsible clothes production and get insider tips on how to create a more sustainable wardrobe. This podcast is a product of a Nordic Talk held in the Netherlands during Sustainable Fashion Days 2020. The event was arranged by the Nordic embassies and the Nordic Chambers of Commerce in the Netherlands.

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CEO Ylva Berg has decided to leave Business Sweden

December 8, 2020

08.12.2020

"During Ylva Berg’s tenure as CEO of Business Sweden, the Swedish Trade and Invest Council has gone through a major transformation. She will leave an efficient and business-oriented operation that provides tangible value for Sweden. I regret that Ylva has decided to resign after seven successful years as CEO," says Ulrika Messing, Chairman of Business Sweden. "This year, Business Sweden was recognised as the World’s Best Trade and Investment Promotion Organization by WTPO. This is just one of several milestones that Business Sweden has achieved under the leadership of Ylva Berg. On behalf of the entire Board I would like to express our thanks for the commitment, visionary leadership and strong bottom line focus that Ylva Berg has contributed. Today, Business Sweden attracts global top talent while the organisation’s work is rewarded with high and stable customer satisfaction from customers," explains Ulrica Messing. Ylva Berg started her position as CEO on April 1^st, 2014. She will remain in her position until March 15^th, 2021. "I joined as CEO during a turbulent period for Business Sweden. The ambitious 2020 targets I was given have now been met by the organisation. I am proud of our global business development capability on more than 40 markets, delivering real impact day after day for Sweden. Today we have a solid platform for taking the next great leap forward towards our Vision 2025. This is a suitable time to pass over my responsibilities as CEO to a successor as I move on to new challenges in my professional life," says Ylva Berg, CEO, Business Sweden. The small and mid-sized companies in Business Sweden’s list of clients are, according to external studies, performing better in terms of longevity, export growth and number of employees than companies who have not received such support. By identifying large, international businesses globally and matching them with Swedish solutions, Business Sweden has in the last years contributed to close deals at a value of approximately 17 Billion Swedish Krona.

Source: https://www.business-sweden.com

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After 70 successful years, IKEA is turning the page

December 7, 2020

The IKEA Catalogue has a phenomenal 70-year legacy. Over the years it has become an iconic and beloved publication, and it has been an important success factor for IKEA to reach and inspire the many people across the world with home furnishing solutions and products. But times are changing. IKEA has become more digital and accessible while embracing new ways to connect with more people. Customer behavior and media consumption have changed, and fewer people read the IKEA Catalogue today than in years past. Inter IKEA Systems B.V., the worldwide IKEA franchisor, has therefore taken the emotional but rational decision to respectfully end the successful career of the IKEA Catalogue - and look to the future with excitement. “For both customers and co-workers, the IKEA Catalogue is a publication that brings a lot of emotions, memories and joy. For 70 years it has been one of our most unique and iconic products, which has inspired billions of people across the world. Turning the page with our beloved catalogue is emotional but rational. Media consumption and customer behaviors have changed, and IKEA is already increasing digital investments while volumes and interest in the catalogue have decreased,” says Konrad Grüss, Managing Director, Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Life at home has never been more important. During the last few years IKEA has tested new formats and ways to distribute the content of the IKEA Catalogue. A wealth of knowledge and insights, from both customers and the IKEA retailers, have been collected and considered in the decision to say goodbye to the IKEA Catalogue. It is also clear that the inspirational home furnishing content is where the magic happens, and IKEA will continue to inspire and help people to plan their needs and dreams at home with existing and new exciting tools. “Over the past few years, IKEA has been transforming many aspects of how to reach and interact with our customers, to meet customers wherever they are. Now the work will now continue to amplify the unique IKEA home furnishing knowledge, products and solutions in the best possible way - to inspire the many people through existing and new ways, channels and formats,” says Konrad Grüss. The decision to say goodbye to the IKEA Catalogue goes hand-in-hand with the ongoing IKEA transformation to become more digital and accessible. Last year IKEA online retail sales increased by 45% worldwide, IKEA.com welcomed more than four billion visits - and at the same time IKEA has improved digital services, and launched new apps for a better IKEA experience – wherever customers meet the IKEA Brand. IKEA will honor and celebrate the fantastic history of the IKEA Catalogue. As a tribute, during the autumn of 2021, IKEA will make a book available for the customers in the stores, filled with great home furnishing inspiration and knowledge. With that said, the beloved IKEA Catalogue as we know it today will not continue. 5 facts about the IKEA catalogue:

1951: Ingvar Kamprad himself put together the first IKEA Catalogue, and the very first catalogue cover featured the MK wing chair in brown upholstery. Printed and distributed in 285,000 copies in the southern part of Sweden, 68 pages. In Swedish.
1998: First catalogue "IKEA at office" available on the internet, which was a special edition only showing furniture for business/offices. The ambition this year was to present the whole catalogue online, but due to the complexity with IT-systems the launch was postponed.
2000: Launch of both a printed and digital version of the IKEA Catalogue.
2001: E-commerce is launched for the first time in IKEA history, in Sweden and Denmark.
2016: At its peak year, the IKEA Catalogue was distributed in 200 million copies, in 69 different versions, 32 languages and to more than 50 markets.

Source:

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Klarna’s Wilko Klaassen over (achteraf) betalen, betrouwbaarheid en bescheidenheid

December 7, 2020

Welcome to meet Swedish Chamber of Commerce Board Member Wilko Klaassen, GM/VP Commercial Belgium / Netherlands / France at Klarna in an interview for Webhelden ealier this month. (Interview in Dutch).

Fintech hero Klarna is founding partner van het Webhelden Diner. In de afgelopen acht jaar veranderde zo’n beetje alles bij het Zweedse bedrijf. Tijd om de Nederlandse voorman Wilko Klaassen uitgebreid voor te stellen. Hij vertelt over zijn rol, de nieuwe generatie online achterafbetalers en de plannen voor 2021. Plus: drie Nederlandse Klarnauten op een missie.

Een man van de wereld. Wilko Klaassen, vicepresident commercial voor Nederland, België en Frankrijk bij Klarna, bracht een groot deel van zijn loopbaan buiten Nederland door. Hij zag de ontwikkeling van e-commerce (“toen noemden we dat nog internetsales”) in de Verenigde Staten en Europa. In Zweden, waar hij verantwoordelijk was voor de wereldwijde digitalisering van de marketing- en sales operatie van Husqvarna, leerde hij zijn vrouw kennen. Het groene online warenhuis Bakker.com wist hem in 2017 te verleiden om terug te komen naar Amsterdam. Een jaar later klopte Zweden opnieuw op zijn deur, in de vorm van Klarna. Standplaats Amsterdam, maar Klaassens verantwoordelijkheden blijvend grensoverschrijdend.

60-plussers In Nederland is Klarna op dit moment de grootste én snelst groeiende aanbieder van achteraf betalen. Een derde van de webshops en steeds meer fysieke winkels in ons land maken gebruik van de dienst. In totaal meer dan 15.000, waaronder grote spelers als H&M, About You, Rituals, G-Star en Body & Fit, maar ook kleinere webwinkels. De eindgebruikers van Klarna – het winkelend publiek – zijn in de 15 jaar dat het bedrijf bestaat wel wat veranderd. Waren het oorspronkelijk vooral jonge mensen die werden aangetrokken tot het idee om pas ruim na ontvangst van een artikel te gaan afrekenen, nu zijn de eindgebruikers meer divers. Met dank aan de coronacrisis, zegt Klaassen. “De 60-plussers vormen de snelst groeiende groep gebruikers. Zij gaan minder graag naar fysieke winkels dan voorheen. E-commerce is voor velen van hen relatief nieuw. Het logo van Klarna zien, geeft ze de zekerheid dat ze met een betrouwbare webshop van doen hebben. Dat ze niet hun geld kwijt zijn als er iets misgaat bij de bestelling, of als de winkel failliet gaat, geeft rust.” Vrouwen maken vaker gebruik van Klarna dan mannen, al weten steeds meer mannen de optie voor achteraf betalen te vinden. Gebruikers bevinden zich door heel Nederland, shoppen veel of slechts af en toe. “Het maakt niet uit of je veel koopt, of juist niet zoveel te besteden hebt. Het gaat om het principe: je kunt betalen als je het product ontvangen hebt en weet dat je het wil houden. Je hoeft niet dagen of weken te wachten tot een webshop jouw geld terugstort als je iets hebt geretourneerd.”

Read more at https://webhelden.nl/2020/11/klarnas-wilko-klaassen-over-achteraf-betalen-betrouwbaarheid-en-bescheidenheid/

Source: Webhelden.nl

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The challenges of transporting the Covid-19 vaccine – by Swe-Cham Member Your Special Delivery Service

December 7, 2020

As Pfizer and Biontech, amongst others, announce their promising Covid-19 vaccine candidate, the world sees a functioning vaccine on the horizon. Judging from current reportings, it could be as soon as January 2021. As trusted certified (GDP, ISO, and AEO) advisors in the world of logistics and innovative disruptors in a traditional industry, YSDS is already putting all our expert minds together to work out the best logistical solutions for this type of transport. The conclusion? We think there’ll be three main factors to take into consideration when it comes to the transportation of Pfizer's vaccine:

Temperature: The requirement that the vaccine has to be kept in an environment of -78 degrees Celsius is the largest risk factor. If temperatures deviate, the product may be destroyed.
Speed: It’s important that the vaccine will get to people on time, to ensure help reaches those who need it.
Backlog: The transport requires huge amounts of both packaging and dry ice – a demand most producers will find difficult to meet. Demand will be bigger than the production speed, and we’re already hearing stories about for example dry ice producers receiving large orders they can’t keep up with.

So why is YSDS the right logistics partner for the job? Ahead of each transport we always carry out a risk assessment and mitigation to judge the product we are to transport, its specific needs, and how we can meet the required specifications. Furthermore, we always take all foreseeable risks into account and plan for eventual obstacles to the best of our ability.

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Welcome to meet Swedish Chamber of Commerce Board Member Wilko Klaassen, GM/VP Commercial Belgium / Netherlands / France at Klarna in an interview for Webhelden ealier this month. (Interview in Dutch).

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