Dear Subscriber,
As Team Sweden hosted its Indo-Pacific Business Summit: Green Transition Powered by Innovation on 5 December at Sofitel Sentosa, Dr Benjamin Horton from Earth Observatory of Singapore opened the day by presenting some hard, discomforting facts on the consequences we face should we fail in our shift toward a sustainable global economy. The unequivocal message conveyed by science is clear: There's no room for pretence. This message set the tone for the entire Summit, and undeniably elevated the discussions to another level throughout the day. Commitment is key to propel the progress of green transitioning. We now need to advance, fast.
For you who would like to hear more from Professor Benjamin Horton, we invite you to join us at SwedCham's AGM on 7 March next year, where he will be our keynote speaker.
We wish all our esteemed Members a joyful and blessed festive season. Merry Christmas to all of you.
Please find below the latest news from our business community.
Your dedicated SwedCham team,
Lisa & Anna
Photo: Johan Forssell, Sweden's Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade; Heng Swee Keat, Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies. |
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A delegation of senior leaders from 51 Swedish companies and organisations, led by Sweden's Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forssell, joined prominent representatives from business, academia and government in Singapore on 5 December to address the urgent need of a green transition in the region, marking the occasion at the Sweden Indo-Pacific Business Summit, hosted at Sofitel Sentosa.
In his opening speech, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat noted that “Since 1966, Singapore and Sweden have built up wide-ranging cooperation in defence, education, the environment, and research and development. As both nations move forward to further enhance ties, tackling climate change and making the green transition are good opportunities to deepen our collaborations in the important area of innovation.”
Throughout the day, the 260+ delegates engaged in extensive dialogues, exploring avenues to confront the climate crisis. The agenda encompassed regional economic, political, and technological perspectives, along with comprehensive discussions on mega projects (energy, infrastructure, transportation), talent, and healthcare systems - all centered around how to work smarter and faster to catalyse the green transition in the region.
Read here the interview in The Straits Times with Sweden's Minister of Trade Johan Forssell on how Sweden aims to deepen cooperation with Southeast Asia with a new trade strategy. The full program of the Sweden Indo-Pacific Summit 2024 can be found here. |
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| Compliance peer group launched |
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In today's climate of economic uncertainty, the significance of a robust legal and compliance framework while conducting business in the APAC region has never been more important. Recognizing this need, SwedCham recently launched a collaborative working group, uniting compliance professionals from member companies across diverse industries. This platform aims to facilitate discussions among peers, enabling the sharing of best practices, experiences, and insights into the unique challenges inherent in implementing compliance programs across both emerging and established markets in the region.
The primary objectives of this group include: - Facilitating the exchange of knowledge and experiences regarding regional challenges in compliance program implementation
- Benchmarking compliance programs and efforts across the APAC region
- Exploring new territories of knowledge, given that many topics and legal requirements are new.
Our vision is for the group to evolve into a valuable resource, fostering mutual learning and sharing experiences that can benefit all participants. Presently, nine Swedish MNCs are part of this collaborative effort. If your company's compliance professionals are interested in joining, please contact Lisa Ferraton at SwedCham. |
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| First SwedCham Connect of the year |
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As SwedCham is now slowing down for a couple of weeks for the Christmas season, don't forget to book your diary for the first SwedCham Connect of 2024 which will be hosted by Business Sweden at their offices on Orchard Road.
Through a unique government and private sector mandate, Business Sweden supports Swedish companies to grow global sales and international companies to invest and expand in Sweden. With operations in over 40 markets, the organisation is a key pilar of Team Sweden globally. Come and meet Business Sweden's Singapore team over a glass of wine on 25 January next year.
Register for this event here. Exclusively for SwedCham Members. |
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| Nomination open for WLL Awards! |
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Much needed attention on workplace mental wellbeing is building momentum in Singapore. Some weeks ago, the government announced the National Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy with the workplace being one of four core focus pillars. The Workplace Fairness Legislation is likely to come into force next year with mental health conditions as a protected characteristic. In that context, WorkWell Leaders, a registered charity with a focus on making workplace mental wellbeing a strategic priority for Boards and leadership, has opened for nominations to the national WorkWell Leaders Awards 2024. The Awards are unique in that they recognise not only organisation-wide programmes across different wellbeing areas from culture to ESG commitment and innovation, but also leaders who set the tone and culture of their organisations by Being Well to Lead Well. The Awards not only present an opportunity to differentiate your organisation as an employer of choice and corporate steward, but also serve as recognition and motivation for your teams and leadership who work hard to support the wellbeing of your employees. Award categories include: BE WELL AWARDS Wellbeing CEO Award CEO’s Wellbeing Partner Award LEAD WELL AWARDS ESG Wellbeing Strategy Award Healthy Workplace Culture Award Wellbeing Innovation Award There will also be an award for Wellbeing Organisation of the Year which is not a nomination category, but a special selection made by a panel of local and international judges. The WorkWell Leaders Awards Gala Dinner will be held at the Conrad Singapore Orchard in the Royal Pavilion Ballroom on 14 March 2024. Full details on award nominations and reservations for gala seats can be found here: WorkWell Leaders Awards and Gala 2024. |
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| Celebrating Swedish Lucia |
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A warm welcome to SWEA's traditional Lucia Concert! ❣️🌟
Date: Wednesday 13 December (tonight!) Time: Concert starts at 7 pm sharp. Glögg mingle from 6 pm Place: Lutheran Church Of Our Redeemer, 30 Duke’s Road, Singapore 268912 Tickets: SGD 20 - get your tickets here (in Swedish only).
For more information about the event, click here (in Swedish only).
NB: Tickets are available until 12 noon on Tuesday 13 December! |
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Wednesday, 17 January: Workshop on developing the intuitive leader led by Ms Helena Livingston, Leadership Consultant & Executive Coach and founder of Heart Living.
Thursday 21 March: Join us for a visit to the Ericsson 5G Garage. |
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Thursday 30 November: Office neighbours Electrolux Professional and Hexagon hosted our last SwedCham Connect of the year.
Tuesday 21 November: Cross-chamber After Work. Together with three other chambers, SwedCham YP hosted a cross-chamber AW in partnership with Singapore Global Networks.
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|  | | Save the Date: SwedCham AGM 2024 | | Keynote by Professor Benjamin Horton, Earth Observatory of Singapore | 
| Mar 7, 2024
(6:30 PM - 9:00 PM) (GMT+8) |
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| Goodwood Park Hotel
Singapore |
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