Sustainability & Innovation Summit
Thank you for joining the Swedish Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Sustainability & Innovation Summit 2025, held on December 4 at the Barbizon Palace in Amsterdam.
We were delighted to welcome such an engaged and forward-thinking group of members and guests to this high-level forum. Bringing together executives, policymakers, academics, and innovators from Sweden and the Netherlands, the Summit offered rich perspectives on how we can collectively tackle today’s sustainability challenges while shaping tomorrow’s innovative solutions.
With distinguished speakers from Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), Vattenfall, SSAB, SAAB, the Netherlands Innovation Center Sweden, RISE Research Institute of Sweden, Ericsson Netherlands, Vattenfall, , the sessions explored Sweden’s global leadership in fossil-free innovation as well as the evolving landscape of AI and tech autonomy.
“Tackling today’s challenges, shaping tomorrow’s solutions.”
Your participation and contributions helped make the Summit a success, and we hope the discussions inspired new ideas for driving sustainable transformation within your organisation.
A special thank you to our speakers for sharing their expertise, to our moderators Britta Wyss Bisang and Alexander Ljungström, and to our Honorary Guest, H.E. Mr Liljeström, Ambassador of Sweden to the Netherlands, for their valued presence and insights.
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News from Swedish Chamber Patron Member Scania
News from Swedish Chamber Patron Member Scania - Kusters Transport & Logistics has expanded its fleet with two new Scania 420R tractor units featuring the fuel-efficient Super driveline.
The Eindhoven-based transport company Kusters Transport & Logistics chose Scania for its proven reliability, positive driver experiences, and the service-oriented approach of its local dealer.
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Dutch Chamber Seminar and Annual Dinner 2025
The Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the Netherlands was hounured to take part of the Dutch Chamber in Stockholm's Seminar and Annual Dinner on November 14, 2025.
A heartfelt thank-you for a truly memorable day and evening. It was a pleasure to take part in the insightful seminar on Leading Through Uncertainty at the Royal Netherlands Embassy, featuring inspiring contributions from Anko van der Werff (CEO SAS) and Dennis van Schie (VP Supply Northvolt).
The celebration continued with an unforgettable annual dinner at the Vasa Museum—an extraordinary setting that beautifully highlighted the historic ties between Sweden and the Netherlands.
Grateful to have been part of such a remarkable occasion!
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Swedish Chamber Patron Member Nefab Group acquires Jase Packaging B.V. and Heuman Verpakkingen B.V.
Sweden and the Netherlands, November 12th, 2025
Swedish Chamber Patron Member Nefab Group, through its subsidiary Nefab Packaging Netherlands B.V., has acquired Jase and Heuman, two Dutch companies renowned for their premium wood-based packaging and HD corrugated combination solutions and packing services. This strategic move strengthens Nefab’s global and local presence while reaffirming its commitment to saving resources in supply chains.
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Yonium – recognised as one of Sweden’s Top 100’s fastest growing Tech companies
Proud to see Swedish Chamber Member Yonium being recognised by Breakit as one of Sweden's Top 100 fastest-growing tech companies!
PartInc announces how proud they are to share that their portfolio company, Younium, got this recognition "The prestigious Scaleup list, now in its 5th year, highlights tech companies that have successfully scaled. In 2024, Younium achieved 54% growth, so it’s a truly well-deserved recognition. A big thank you to Breakit for this honor!"
Yonium also won the Swedish Chamber Business Awards Entrepreneurship 2024.
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Sweco’s President and CEO, Åsa Bergman, has been honoured with the title Leader of the Year 2025
Swedish Chamber Patron Member Sweco’s President and CEO, Åsa Bergman, has been honoured with the title Leader of the Year 2025 by the Swedish business publication Affärsvärlden.
This distinction is regarded as one of the nation’s most esteemed acknowledgements of outstanding leadership. Since its inauguration in 1984, the award has been presented annually to an exceptional leader in Swedish business or public administration.
Quote from Affärsvärlden Magasin
“Under Åsa Bergman’s leadership, Sweco has grown to become the largest architecture and engineering consultancy in Europe. The share price has more than doubled over the past three years, and analysts say the company is 'playing in a league of its own' in terms of performance. The key lies in a decentralised organisation and an environment where she can be herself.”
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Company Visit at Saint-Gobain Ecophon
A sincere thank you for joining us at Saint-Gobain Ecophon’s Exclusive Company Visit in Etten-Leur on November 6, 2025.
We started the day at Isover, exploring the world’s first hybrid glass wool furnace, cutting CO₂ emissions by 55% through its 50% electric design.
At Ecophon, we discovered how acoustics create healthier, more sustainable spaces — from our CarbonLow ceiling systems (43% lower CO₂ footprint) and SoundCircularity recycling program to an immersive VR experience on how sound impacts well-being.
A special thank you to Johanna Westera, Business Unit Manager, and Cees van Wezel, Concept Developer, for sharing valuable insights on sustainability and acoustic design.
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Navigating Uncertainty: Key Findings on the Dutch Business Climate
The latest insights from PwC Netherlands’ Business Climate Heatmap 2025 and the Swedish Business Climate Survey 2025 both paint a picture of a Dutch business environment marked by resilience amid caution.
PwC’s analysis, which tracks 65 indicators from 2013 to 2024, confirms a gradual deterioration in the overall Dutch business climate since 2018, with a further slight decline from 2023 to 2024. While the Netherlands still ranks among the top five economies in PwC’s comparison group, it has lost ground to peers such as Denmark, Luxembourg and Switzerland. The study points to persistent structural challenges, including stagnating labour productivity, tight labour markets, and rising unit labour costs. Fiscal health has weakened slightly, and policy uncertainty has increased. These findings echo sentiments captured in the Swedish Business Climate Survey 2025, which describes a mood of cautious optimism among Swedish companies operating in the Netherlands. While GDP growth is projected to strengthen modestly in 2025, persistent inflation and political complexity continue to temper short-term expectations. Companies cite regulatory unpredictability, complex licensing processes, and talent shortages as key obstacles, even as they maintain plans for future investment.
Both reports highlight that the Dutch economy retains strong fundamentals. Which includes solid infrastructure, a skilled workforce, and an international trade orientation, but that these
advantages are increasingly constrained by demographic pressures and limited policy clarity. The overall tone is one of “steady but subdued” confidence: businesses remain profitable yet increasingly focused on stability over growth.
In sum, the data from PwC and the perspectives from the Business Climate Survey converge on a consistent message: the Dutch business climate, while still competitive by international
standards, is experiencing headwinds. Continued attention to labour productivity, policy coherence, and sustainable infrastructure will be essential to restore momentum and reinforce the Netherlands position as a leading business hub in Europe.
Disclaimer: Both PwC Netherlands’ Business Climate Heatmap 2025 and Swedish Business Climate Survey 2025 have not captured the recent rise in economic policy uncertainty coming from US tariffs.
Sources:
PwC Netherlands’ Business Climate Heatmap 2025, https://www.pwc.nl/en/insights-and-publications/themes/economics/heatmap-shows-deterioration-but-offers-opportunities-for-improvement.html
Business Climate Survey for Swedish Companies in The Netherlands 2025, https://swedishchamber.nl/publications/business-climate-surveys/
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