Dear Subscriber,
spring /sprɪŋ/
noun
Description: The season of the year between winter and summer, lasting from March to June north of the equator, when the weather becomes warmer, leaves and plants start to grow again and flowers appear. Cambridge Dictionary
"There is shimmer in the clouds and glitter in the lake, there is light on the shores and the nose and around stands the lovely forest green behind the swaying grass of the meadows."
If there's one wish - one wish only - we could extend to you, it is the joy of experiencing a beautiful Swedish spring day at least once in your lifetime. More information about spring in Sweden and why it is an excellent season to visit our country can be found here.
Please find below the latest news from our business community.
Your dedicated SwedCham team,
Lisa & Anna
Photo: Thomas Adolfsén/Scandinav Bildbyrå/imagebank.sweden.se |
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| The GIC impact report is ready! |
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For those of you who have been part of the SwedCham community for some time, you are likely familiar with our local outreach endeavour in Bukit Batok: The Green Innovation Centre. Launched last year, this initiative has garnered recognition, including the Best Sustainability Initiative of the Year Award from EuroCham. We are excited to announce that the impact report for this initiative has been released and is now available for download here.
The impact report, beautifully designed and compiled by SwedCham member Tulya, offers a comprehensive view of this unique project that united over 50 partners from public, private, and civil sectors. Backed by 13 SwedCham MNCs, the initiative aimed to support the Bukit Batok community in embracing a sustainable urban lifestyle through knowledge, solutions, and services centered around the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse & Recycle) and green living practices such as gardening and fostering a connection with nature.
SwedCham's dedicated team collaborated with schools, sustainability-focused local SMEs, and resident volunteers to establish a hub at the Cosy Garden, a community garden lovingly nurtured by local volunteers over the past decade. This vibrant hub provides a welcoming space for individuals of all ages to convene and explore sustainable urban living. The collective effort of all the stakeholders involved underscores the transformative impact achievable through collaborative action and community engagement.
View the GIC launch videos here and here.
Below, you can find a glimpse of the project's emerging impact: - Rainwater harvesting: The installation of a rainwater harvesting system in the garden is estimated to save approximately 50 m3 (50,000 liters) of freshwater annually, as gardeners no longer rely on tap water for irrigation
- Carbon emissions reduction: Through the deployment of solar panels and a battery storage system, an estimated 305 kg of CO2 emissions have been averted this far
- Pest control innovation: Smart rodent traps have successfully captured over 50 rats since June last year, leading to the avoidance of 2,047 kg of CO2 emissions per year. Additionally, the garden has transitioned to a pesticide-free environment
- Digital engagement: More than 3,800 individuals have engaged with the digital explorer trail videos, fostering greater awareness and understanding of sustainability practices
- Community workshops: Over 400 participants have actively participated in GIC community workshops, gaining insights into recycling, circular fashion, food waste management, and the beneficial relationship between nature and mental health.
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| Navigating trade shifts in ASEAN & India |
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Log in with your morning coffee in hand to this online event on 11 June where SEB's Head of Asia Strategy Eugenia Fabon Victorino will provide her annual breakdown of emerging trends in trade and investments across India and ASEAN to the SwedCham community. Spend an hour with this esteemed economist and macro strategist to gain valuable insights that will prepare you for the months ahead.
Register for this event here. |
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| Save the Date: Midwinter Ball 2024 |
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With all our VIP and Corporate Tables already sold out, this year's Midwinter Ball at Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa is gearing up to be the hottest ticket in town before Christmas hits. Mark your calendars for 9 November and stay tuned come mid-August when we release single tickets for sale. Don't miss out on the festivities!
Want to turn the Midwinter Ball into a party weekend? Elevate the celebration with a luxurious staycation package at Sofitel Sentosa. All ball guests can take advantage of exclusive Midwinter Ball hotel rates available from Friday to Sunday or Saturday to Sunday. Please contact Anna at anna.landgren@swedcham.sg for more information. |
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| Welcome aboard to 3rd cohort of mentees |
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A few weeks back, SwedCham's People & Culture committee kicked off the 3rd edition of its Female Mentorship Program, which will run over the coming 6 months, with Agneta Olsson and Sandra Appelqvist in the lead.
Some years back, SwedCham's HR community initiated a crucial dialogue on fortifying female leadership in Southeast Asia. Despite being a priority for years within many organizations, progress has been slow. Female representation in top leadership roles in most Swedish companies based in Singapore remains modest, and the pace of change is gradual. In response, we established a mentorship program, now on its third year running, aiming to bolster emerging female leaders in a cross-industry context.
SwedCham’s vision for the mentorship program: 1. Create a solid cross-industry network and a professional sounding board for female rising stars in SwedCham’s business community 2. Raise the bar for female leadership development in Singapore 3. Promote Swedish leadership values and strengthen ties between Swedish companies in Singapore.
This year, we have participants from the following member companies:
Huge thank you to the mentors of this year's cohort:
We're thrilled to embark on a new cohort journey and extend our best wishes to all participating mentors and mentees for a rewarding and enriching learning journey ahead. |
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| Introducing the My Glue app |
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Seeking a savvy solution to stay in the loop with SwedCham and other Chambers across APAC? Download the My Glue app here.
GlueUp, the CRM system trusted by Chambers of Commerce worldwide, including SwedCham Singapore, offers seamless event and membership management. With the app, you gain immediate access to our event listings, and, if you opt in, receive push notifications as new events hit the calendar. Download the app now to ensure you never miss an event from your favourite Chamber. |
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Curious about SwedCham Member Nefab? The company's roots trace back to Sweden in 1949 when it started with the production of bread boxes. Since then, it has blossomed into a powerhouse in the packaging industry, celebrated for its groundbreaking ideas and problem-solving prowess. Nefab operates on a global scale, with hubs across Asia, the Americas, and Europe. Let's dive into the latest updates alongside Nefab's APAC Executive Vice President Fred Hapiak, as we bring you a quick Q&A session: How would you describe Nefab today? Nefab is a global provider of industrial packaging, logistics and digital services with revenues slightly above SEK 10 bn. With a team of 5,000 professionals spanning 38 countries, we specialise in designing, manufacturing, and delivering innovative and sustainable solutions. Our goal is to help clients preserve both financial and environmental resources for a brighter future. Focused on seven key vertical segments - Telecom, Datacom, Semicon, Energy, Healthcare Equipment, Mining & Construction, and LiB & E-mobility - we are committed to driving positive change across industries. Packaging plays a crucial role in the supply chain of many industries. Can you highlight any recent innovations implemented by Nefab to promote sustainability ? Innovation has been at the core of Nefab’s strategy for the past 75 years. It is through permanent material and product innovation and close collaboration with our clients that our 270+ engineers develop more sustainable solutions. Part of our more recent portfolio innovation focus is on circularity, digital tracking systems, cushions made of 100% recycled plastics, paper based solutions such as fiber flute cushions and Edgepak straw.
How does Nefab envision its role in driving sustainability through supply chains in Southeast Asia? As a purpose company, Nefab is committed to drive an ambitious sustainability agenda including SBTi targets and scope 1, 2 & 3 reduction initiatives. However, the biggest part of our contribution is to help customers reduce their carbon footprint through optimising packaging and freight. Nefab has developed GreenCALCTM, a calculation software allowing customers to measure their CO2 emissions through their supply chains and the resources we save through new solutions. Analysing data over the past three years for over 5,000 customer projects, we are in average reducing cost by 20% and CO2 emissions by 30%. Looking ahead, what is Nefab's long-term vision for growth in APAC? Nefab has just launched an ambition new global strategy for 2030. We aim to reach SEK 25 bn in revenues and save 10 million tons of CO2 for our customers. Asia Pacific has for many years been an important part of Nefab’s growth strategy. We are already supporting clients in 10 countries in APAC and we have 15 manufacturing plants and 48 logistics sites in the region. We plan to continue to innovate together with our local and global clients, reinforce our engineering centers and our capabilities to save resources for a better tomorrow. Nefab has been a member of SwedCham for many years. Why are international chambers important in Singapore? We appreciate the collaborative work with SwedCham in Singapore and in many other APAC countries. With our Swedish heritage we share a strong common passion for innovation, technology, sustainability, entrepreneurship and diversity. Events promoted by SwedCham's business community create an excellent platform for networking, sharing knowledge, developing business and advancing priority topics throughout the region. |
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| National Day celebrations in Singapore |
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This year's Swedish National Day celebrations will take place on Sunday 2 June from 4-8 pm at the Singapore Polo Club. Delicious food, fun-filled children's activities like Meet the Pony and the exhilarating chance to test drive a Polestar, the Swedish electric performance fastback, can be found in the program.
Register for this event here. |
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Embassy of Sweden
European Film Festival The film SECOND ACT will be Sweden’s contribution to this year’s edition of the European Union Film Festival. The film will be screened on Saturday 11 May at 8 pm at The Projector. Book your tickets here.
Changes in administration The Embassy does no longer accept walk-ins, instead you need to make an appointment via this link to visit the embassy. This means that if you want to apply for a new passport/ID document, pick up a passport/ID-document or visit the embassy regarding any other matters, you must make an appointment in advance. Read more about these changes here.
EU election on 9 June Please find the Embassy's opening hours here for pre-voting in Singapore ahead of the upcoming EU election. For more in-depth information about the Swedish election candidates, please visit Svenskar i Världen's website.
EuroCham
Ethical and Responsible AI EuroCham is organising an event on ethical and responsible AI on 16 May. The primary objective is to stimulate discussions and raise awareness across various industries regarding the critical importance of adopting responsible and ethical AI practices. The panel discussion will feature experts in AI, guiding participants through the dynamic regulatory landscape and offering insights into global guidelines from regions like China, Singapore and the EU. Register for this event here. Enterprise Singapore
Open Innovation Challenge |
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| Mix & Mingle: SwedCham's latest events in pictures |
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Market Outlook: Vietnam with Sweden's Ambassador to Vietnam, H.E. Ann Måwe, and Trade Commissioner David Lidén. |
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How to drive sustainability through supply chains - a business simulation workshop with Allan Boyd from Celemi. |
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Young Professionals' cocktail night on 12 April for the Swedish exchange students currently in Singapore. |
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Be Well, Lead Well: Mental Wellbeing as a Business Strategy - a cross-chamber CEO-dialogue hosted together with WorkWell Leaders on 30 April at the Estonian Business Hub. |
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15-17 May: SwedCham's Annual CEO Luncheons, hosted at the Swedish restaurant Brasserie Astoria. By invitation only.
Tuesday 3 September: Event with AI Singapore. More information will follow.
Tuesday 10 September: SwedCham Silver sponsor K2 Corporate Mobility will walk us through the Singapore Immigration Framework as it looks today. NB: Online event.
Thursday 19 September: EU-SG Digital Partnership / Free Trade Agreement. More information will follow.
Saturday 9 November: SwedCham's Annual Midwinter Ball at Sofitel Sentosa.
Wednesday 27 November: Market Outlook: Indonesia with H.E. Daniel Blockert, Sweden's Ambassador to Indonesia and Erik Odar, Sweden's Trade Commissioner to Indonesia. |
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Thursday 2 May: Young Professionals AW @ Sque.
Thursday 14 March: HR roundtable hosted by Joanna Bilewicz, Vice President People & Culture APAC & MEA, Electrolux Group. |
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