Dear Subscriber,
Four years after the idea was born, SwedCham launched its Green Innovation Centre on Thursday 8 June together with its partners Cosy Garden, South West CDC and Bukit Batok's Grassroots Organisations and a number of prominent guests. This initiative was sponsored by 13 SwedCham member companies and proves that perseverance does pay off and that innovative partnership building to advance the SG Green Plan does take both time and effort to develop, but is worth the journey every step of the way.
The GIC team is extremely proud to have created this "green print", together with our partners, on how a business community, a local authority and a local community can work together to forge ahead on sustainability. We are looking forward to using this platform to advance the conversation around this important topic in the local community in Singapore over the coming months. The activity program kick-started two days after the launch, on 10 June, with a community workshop on recycling of packaging material, hosted by Tetra Pak, which attracted over 80 people.
Check out Bukit Batok's great Facebook coverage of both events here. You can also read more about the Green Innovation Centre further down in this newsletter.
July is a holiday month in Sweden - and at SwedCham Singapore. We are looking forward to interacting with you all again in August. Until then, for those who do take a break over the coming weeks, enjoy your holiday.
Please find below the latest news from our business community.
Your dedicated SwedCham team,
Lisa & Anna |
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We are delighted to announce that Polestar is joining SwedCham as a new Partner Member! Headquartered in Gothenburg, Polestar is the Swedish electric performance car brand determined to improve society by using design and technology to accelerate the shift to sustainable mobility. The company plans to create a truly climate-neutral production car, without offsetting, by 2030.
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SwedCham welcomes the following new members to its business community:
Access World Technic (AWT): Founded in Stockholm in 1993, AWT is a high-quality security company focusing on centralised premium security solutions, using access control, video surveillance and intrusion detection to secure, protect and monitor facilities such as offices, data centers, warehouses and other large production sites.
Already Tomorrow: Already Tomorrow is an innovative product, research, and identity design consultancy providing creative processes and design services in a variety of future tech projects within health & wellness, IoT, smart home and smart cities. The company was founded in 2009 and has offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Stockholm.
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| The GIC in Bukit Batok is launched! |
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On Thursday 8 June, in the presence of Low Yen Ling, Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry & Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and Mayor of South West District; Member of Parliament Murali Pillai, Adviser to Bukit Batok Grassroots Organisations; Chargé d'Affaires Jenny Egermark, Embassy of Sweden, and Emil Akander, Sweden's Trade Commissioner to Singapore, SwedCham's local outreach initiative the Green Innovation Centre was launched. This project was initiated in 2019 by Magnus Gustavsson, Regional Manager at SwedCham's Main Partner Nöjdh's Underwater Technologies and a member of SwedCham's Board of Directors.
The initiative is all about partnership building to advance the SG Green Plan on grassroot level. During these four years, the initiative has not only grown into a grassroot movement in Bukit Batok, it has also become a "green print" in Singapore for how a business community, a local authority and a local community can work together to advance sustainability in the society.
We are grateful to the SwedCham company sponsors who have been a solid backbone of this journey from day 1, to all the SME partners who have brought so much energy and cool solutions into the different work streams and to the friends and partners we now have at the local authorities and schools in Bukit Batok. Last but not least, thank you to May & Richard and all the amazing volunteers at Cosy Garden for joining us on this adventure.
We would like to encourage SwedCham's extended business community to make your way down to Blk 106, Bukit Batok Central in Singapore to visit Cosy Garden and the Green Innovation Centre and learn more about how a solar energy loop works, how smart rodent traps can help keep your outdoors pest-free without hurting the environment, what benefits a therapeutic garden can have on mental health, what Smart City means in the heartlands of Singapore, how to harvest rainwater, how to compost, how to build a hydroponic farm, what low-carbon concrete is all about, how beverage cartons can turn into new cool things such as roofs and planter boxes, how to grow fruit and veg in a city... Or just come and hang out, relax, and connect with nature in our very comfortable outdoor living room.
Want to know more? - Watch the GIC launch video here
- Watch Cosy Garden's founders Richard & May take over 8World's news reporting during the GIC launch here
- Take a virtual tour of the Green Innovation Centre together with students from Bukit Batok Secondary School and Queenstown Secondary School on susGain - an engagement app to drive sustainability in the community. Download the app via the QR code below - steps to follow here.
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SwedCham GIC SME Partners: |
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Apart from the Green Innovation Centre, which provides a show case for sustainable solutions in the middle of Cosy Garden, an award-winning HDB garden which has been lovingly built by local volunteers over the past decade, we are also kicking off a number of community workshops in Bukit Batok to advance the conversation around sustainability in the local community. The first one was held on Saturday 10 June, two days after the launch, on the topic of RECYCLING OF PACKAGING MATERIAL. The workshop was hosted by SwedCham Partner Tetra Pak and attracted over 80 people. From 9-12 pm, we engaged in children's paper making recycling and basket upcycling activities as well as interesting talks on why and how to recycle packing material in Singapore. Partners that joined SwedCham and Tetra Pak to share their knowledge on recycling in Singapore during this workshop included the National Environment Agency (NEA) as well as local SMEs GreenSproutz Singapore, Semula, Magorium, susGain and Pre-school Market Place.
The following GIC community workshops in Bukit Batok are also in the pipeline: - 19 AUGUST: Introduction to gardening for the Cancer Can Give community – an initiative by AstraZeneca Singapore which seeks to empower cancer survivors to give back to society
- 9 SEPTEMBER: Come and learn how to recycle, upcycle, swap and thrift your clothes and textiles in this circular fashion workshop. Hosted by H&M; partners include Singapore Fashion Council and local SMEs
- 21 OCTOBER: A Food Hero workshop for children and their parents to encourage sustainable, healthy habits around food. We will also talk about food waste and composting in this workshop hosted by Electrolux.
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| 2023 Swedish Company of the Year |
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It is time to nominate exceptional companies and individuals for the 2023 Swedish Company of the Year and Swede of the Year Awards.
Take this opportunity to recognise a Swedish company and/or a Swedish individual who has made a remarkable footprint during the past year. Who do you think deserves extra credit for their work in Singapore and the region?
The winners will be announced and celebrated during the SwedCham Midwinter Ball at the Goodwood Park Hotel on 4 November this year.
The nomination criteria for the "Swedish Company of the Year" Award: This award has a broad scope - it highlights extraordinary accomplishments that can come in many forms. The winner can be a company with a great impact, social or financial, in the region. It can also be an innovative fast mover with huge growth potential and a great advocate for the Swedish brand or a mix of many factors.
The nomination criteria for the "Swede of the Year" Award: This is an important acknowledgement of an outstanding person from the Swedish community who has created a positive impact, either in Singapore or the region, through his or her work and dedication.
The deadline for nominations is Friday 18 August 2023.
Previous winners include: 2022 Swedish Company of the Year: Getinge 2019 Swedish Company of the Year: Scania 2019 Swede of the Year: Janek Schergen, Artistic Director, Singapore Ballet 2017 Swedish Company of the Year: IKEA |
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| SwedCham's Annual CEO luncheons |
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SwedCham's annual CEO Luncheons were held over three days in May. 30 senior leaders from 30 SwedCham companies met up for some serious cross-industry networking among peers in an informal setting at Spanish restaurant Binomio. |
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From left to right: Lisa Ferraton, SwedCham; Horst Wasel, Atlas Copco; Fredrik Lauritsen, Envac; Jakob Ragnwaldh, Mannheimer Swartling; Gerard Ogden, Saab; Shuo-yen Choo, Storskogen; Emil Akander, Business Sweden; Göran Edin, Data Ductus; Vikna Rajah, Rajah & Tann. Missing: Mats Nilsson, Volvo Bus and Fredrik Hähnel, SEB. |
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From left to right: Terence Yong; DBS, Petter Weiderholm, EQT; Thomas Vernersson, Alimak; Peter Rydberg, Bromma; Jenny Egermark, Embassy of Sweden; Arne Kloosterman, Westermo; Magnus Fredriksson, Stora Enso; Terry Seetoh, Adnavem; Axel Sundén, Securitas; Björn Stignor, Stena. |
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From left to right: Boon Choon Lim, Hexagon; Boudewijn Pesch, Axis; Martin Ståhlberg, Scania; Johan Strömsäter, Canadian International School; Per Magnusson, Jebsen & Jessen; Richard Flynn, Electrolux Professional; Hong Ming Lin, Tetra Pak; Jerrica Chooi, ABB; Emil Ahlgren, Web Manuals. Missing: Tristan Sjöberg, TCS John Huxley. |
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| SME of the Month: Pink Pineapple |
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Are you in search of a skilled brand strategist to propel your business towards success? Look no further. As passionate brand strategists with a deep fascination for all things branding, Pink Pineapple has the expertise to elevate your business to new heights. The company specialises in assisting lifestyle companies in establishing a distinctive and instantly recognisable brand.
At Pink Pineapple, we are dedicated to supporting small businesses in unlocking their true potential and maintaining consistency in their brand presence. We understand that building a strong brand is essential for success, extending beyond mere logos and catchy taglines. It involves creating a unique identity that resonates with your target audience and sets you apart from the competition. This lays the foundation for effective marketing activities, boosting visibility and driving sales.
Our approach involves working closely with you to develop tailored brand strategies aligned with your business goals and target audience. Additionally, we offer Branding Guardianship services for small businesses. By having a brand guardian, you can ensure consistency in your brand presence across all platforms, internally and externally, reinforcing your identity and message. For more information, reach out to us or visit our website at pinkpineapple.co.
We regularly collaborate with top industry professionals to ensure that you receive the highest quality services to effectively grow your business.
Connect with us on Instagram and Facebook @pinkpineapplebranding and on LinkedIn @pinkpineapple. Join us on this exciting journey of empowering small businesses through effective brand strategy and guardianship. Together, we will build a brand that resonates, connects, and drives growth.
SWEDCHAM EXCLUSIVE: Sign up for the Brand Guardian 3 months subscription and get an additional month on us. Contact Anna Seefeldt at anna@pinkpineapple.co. |
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| Find out what AI can do for you |
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The rise in the use of generative AI is the talk of the town right now, and it is quite clear that the technology and the tools that are developing in its wake will revolutionise the domain of knowledge management. But what impact will it really have on you and your work over the coming years?
On 28 August, SwedCham's members will have a rare opportunity to dig into AI in a very hands-on manner as digital creative business school Hyper Island invites us to their campus for an AI 30 Under 30 Masterclass, which means a whirlwind tour of 30 AI tools that without doubt will have an impact on your work environment going forward. The Hyper Island team has promised us a highly interactive morning where you can expect serious knowledge-building around AI in a fun and engaging environment.
For more information and to register for this event, click here. |
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SAVE THE DATE: INDO-PACIFIC BUSINESS SUMMIT 2023
Team Sweden will host an Indo-Pacific Business Summit on 5 December this year. This Summit will be a direct continuation of the Sweden-Southeast Asia Business Summit (SSEABS) that has been held in 2016, 2018 and 2021. As such, it is a high-level meeting with the purpose to secure long-term collaboration between Sweden and Singapore in the direction of driving innovation that enables the green transition. The summit has a regional outlook and participants include governmental representatives, business leaders, and the academia.
The overarching theme for Indo-Pacific Business Summit 2023 will be: Creating a Singapore-Sweden innovation platform for the Green Transition in the Indo-Pacific region. Supporting themes include: - Creating a competitive advantage to capture green growth opportunities
- Attracting and develop talent in an era a green transition
- Building a resilient society.
SVENSKA SKOLAN I SINGAPORE
Do your children speak Swedish? Do you want them to keep Swedish as a living language? The Swedish School Association in Singapore runs the Swedish Supplementary School in Singapore with the purpose to provide Swedish children education in the Swedish language and to promote stimulating Swedish cultural exchange and experiences for its students. The school operates for two hours a week at the Stamford American International School campus and takes children from 6 to 15 years of age. Watch Svenska Skolan's video! To register for the 2023-24 school year, click here.
SWEDCHAM INDIA: KRAFTSAMLA
The Swedish Chamber of Commerce India runs national as well as international training programs on gensitivity (gender sensitivity). For the past two years more than seventy leaders from thirty plus Swedish companies in the APAC region have participated in this training. Their aim with Kraftsamla is to reach beyond organisational, national, and generational borders to eventually mushroom into a movement across both Swedish and international corporates globally.
This year’s program runs between September 2023 until Jan 2024, with weekly 1.5 hr seminars, discussions, individual and group assignments. The expected investment is six hours each month for teacher-led interactions and another six hours for self-studies and group work. More information about the program can be found here. |
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Thursday 15 June The GRANDE FINALE of 2022-23 SwedCham cross-industry female mentorship program.
Wednesday 21 June "The Future of Work", hosted by NBAS (Norwegian Business Association Singapore). Cross-chamber event on trends and transformations in the workplace.
Monday 28 August
Tuesday 5 September: SwedCham Silver Sponsor DBS on digital transformation.
Tuesday 10 October Market Outlook: Vietnam with Business Sweden.
Saturday 4 November: SwedCham's Annual Midwinter Ball.
Thursday 30 November: Office neighbours Electrolux Professional and Hexagon will jointly host our SwedCham Connect in November. |
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Thursday 8 June: The Inauguration of SwedCham's latest local outreach initiative: The Green Innovation Centre in Bukit Batok.
Thursday 25 May SwedCham YP hosted an After Work @ Oche (Dart Bar).
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 | | The Future of Work | | Cross-Chamber Event | 
| Jun 21, 2023
(6:00 PM - 8:00 PM) (GMT+8) |
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| The Hive
36 Carpenter Street,
Singapor... |
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