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Swedish School in Sydney – Swedish as an elective HSC subject information session 15 May, 19.30 AEST

Do you have a teenager in year 10 keen to develop their Swedish language further? Now is the time to take up the opportunity to choose Swedish as an elective subject for the HSC!

Take part in the Swedish school’s (Zoom) information meeting on May 15th, at 19:30, about Swedish as an elective HSC subject.

The meeting is primarily aimed at parents and students in year 10. Parents and students in year 9 who want to inform themselves about Swedish as an elective HSC subject and the possibility of university studies in Sweden are also welcome.

HSC teacher Cecilia Smith will talk about the course structure and a graduate HSC student will share their experience of studying Swedish as an elective subject in HSC. Eva Gabrielson, HSC coordinator, will also answer questions regarding the NSW Education Standards Authority, NESA, and their curriculum. The session will also include information about university studies in Sweden.

The Swedish HSC course begins in term 3, 2024. The final exam takes place in term 4, 2025.

Get ready by your computer with a Swedish Fika on 15 May for more information. Register NOW! https://events.humanitix.com/svenska-som-hsc-aemne

SACC Sustainability Committee Update

Australia has committed to progressing towards a circular economy, with a target to achieve an 80 per cent resource recovery from all waste streams by 2030. This target will only be achieved through meaningful collaborations between businesses across multiple sectors and policy makers.

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce’s Sustainability Committee was set up in 2022 to bring together Swedish companies that are committed to the Sustainable Development Agenda through actions and contributions.

On June 18th, together with the Embassy of Sweden Canberra, the committee will be hosting an event with government and industry players on how member companies are leading the charge through innovation, solutions and industry initiatives, plus discuss the barriers they face in making a bigger impact and achieving the collection ambitions that will also help support government agenda.

Currently, we have these member companies who have expressed interest in participating in the event – Alfa Laval, AstraZeneca, IKEA, Sandvik and Tetra Pak. Please contact us for more information: sacc@swedishchamber.com.au

Previous event: 

On 12 March the Sustainability Committee together with the SACC Brisbane Chapter organised an insightful Circular Economy Workshop at the Sandvik office.

The event started with a welcome from San

dvik Australia Managing Director Wayne Scrivens and an intro from Teresia Fors, SACC Vice President and Chair SACC QLD Chapter. Dr Nicole T Garofano, Head of Circular Economy Development Planet Ark Environmental Foundation gave us an introduction to Circular Economy for businesses followed by a workshop, led by Circular Economy Specialist Linda Nordin, on how to transition your business models from linear to circular and how this aligns with the upcoming ISO standard for CE.

Why is the transition crucial?

  1. It reduces the pressure on finite resources, helping to conserve them for future generations.
  2. It minimizes waste generation and pollution, leading to a cleaner environment and healthier ecosystems.
  3. It promotes innovation and economic growth by creating new business models, products, and services that are more sustainable and resource-efficient.

5 step process to implement circular economy (CE) in your business

  1. Define a baseline and create targets
  2. Embed CE in your vision and strategy
  3. Align business model with CE ISO standard 59010
  4. Undertake feasibility studies, priorities
  5. Evaluate and improve

After the workshop there was a thought-provoking panel discussion, featuring below panellists, who shared key initiatives, opportunities and challenges switching to circular today;

The event concluded with a brief presentation of the SACC Sustainability Committee, its members and focus here in Australia by SACC General Manager, Camilla Jennings.

At the event participants had the opportunity to:

  • Discover the 10 steps to transition your business models from linear to circular and learn how this aligns with the upcoming ISO standard for CE (anticipated release in early 2024).
  • Engage in discussions and activities with fellow participants to kickstart your Circular journey.
  • Explore real-world examples of how businesses are implementing circularity today, services and products.
  • Network with like-minded people

The Circular Economy Workshop format was a great success and the SACC Sustainability Committee aims to bring this workshop to other SACC Chapters as well, including Sydney and Melbourne.

Have your say: take part in ABB’s sustainability survey

Our future depends on more than a shift to renewable energy. With the world using up resources at an unsustainable rate, transitioning to a circular economy is just as important.

So, when it comes to your business’ sustainability journey, are you on track?  Whether it’s through market/investor pressure, government mandates, or trade tariffs you’ll need to set and meet sustainability targets to ensure your business’ long-term success.

To help you find out, please take part in this 6-8 min survey from our member company ABB to see how Australian businesses view this important topic. The results will not only shed light on how your company stacks up in the sustainability race but also where you can make the right investments to future-proof your business.

Start the survey here: https://s.pointerpro.com/abb_sustainability/?cf2=SACC&cf3=Australia

Circular economy learnings from Europe

Members may recall the presentation by Dr Nicole Garofano of Planet Ark’s Australian Circular Economy Hub (ACE Hub) to Chamber members live from Sweden in June 2023. Nicole shared her high-level takeaways from the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) held in Helsinki in late May along with 10 other Australian/New Zealand delegates.

Attending the WCEF was one component of a busy schedule of meetings and site visits in the Netherlands, in and around Helsinki, Stockholm and Gothenburg organised as part of the ACE Hub European Study Tour.

Since returning, the delegation has been busy putting their European experiences to good use in both Australian and New Zealand contexts. Six delegates so far have shared their knowledge and experience in a four-part webinar series found on Planet Ark’s Youtube Channel.

The webinar series captures reflections on:

  • Moving beyond theory to practice through systems thinking and radical collaboration
  • Role of government in circularity and creating enabling language to shift up the R ladder
  • Leading from the front with industry case studies
  • Local and regional government support for circularity

The final instalment in the series will be held on Tuesday 23 April at 1 pm AEST. Register for this event using this Humanitix link.

Members are invited to view any or all of the webinar recordings on the link above and/or visit the ACE Hub Knowledge Hub on the website.

And if you want to learn more of what’s happening in Australia in the circular economy, why not register with the ACE Hub Portal to join 2000+ members ready to collaborate and help accelerate your circular economy transition.

Nicole can be reached by email at nicole.garofano@planetark.org

H&M CELEBRATES 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY IN AUSTRALIA

Internationally renowned fashion retailer H&M marks its 10th year in Australia, celebrating a decade of fashion and quality at the best price in a sustainable way. This month the brand will be hosting various promotions, in store events and a member competition as part of its celebrations.

H&M unveiled its very first Australian flagship store at GPO Melbourne in April 2014. Recently the store has undergone a refresh, presenting customers with an elevated shopping experience including an updated store layout with custom fittings for added inspiration and relevance to customers. On top of these enhancements to the GPO store, Australia will follow the global roll out to refurbish around 250 stores in 2024.

“We are incredibly proud to mark this significant milestone in Australia. Our success over the past decade is a testament to our strong company culture, the support of our loyal customers and the dedication of our talented team. We are entering a new era, with fashion and the customer at the forefront, which will be visible through our store upgrades, creating inspiring shopping experiences, elevated products and a strong customer offer, says Anna Baldwin, Country Sales Manager of ANZ.”

In celebration of this milestone achievement, H&M Australia is offering exciting in store experiences. On 19 April, customers can enjoy a sweet treat, a fun photo moment accompanied by a DJ set at the GPO Melbourne location. The 20th of April will see the H&M Pitt St activation area taken over by H&M’s signature read and an in store installation. H&M loyalty members will also receive 15% off a future purchase.

Continuing H&M’s journey of democratising fashion for the masses, H&M has recently announced the latest designer collaboration with emerging brand Rokh’s signature style of elevated staples. the evening before launch, H&M loyalty members have the chance to shop the collection before everyone else at a pre-shop event which will be held in the H&M Pitt St store. The collection is available Thursday 18 April at H&M Pitt St Sydney, GPO Melbourne and online in Australia at hm.com/au.

Today H&M has 35 store locations Australia wide and online offering Womens, Mens, Kids and Lifestyle.

THE CHOIR by ABBA The Museum from Sweden is returning to Australia in June 2024!

 

Experience the magic of ABBA with THE CHOIR by ABBA The Museum, returning to Australia fresh from Stockholm!

Celebrate with us as they unveil a new EP, featuring tracks like for example the iconic “Waterloo” together with the classically influenced “Intermezzo No.1”, recorded in the same legendary studio as ABBA’s recent album.

Born from the heart of ABBA’s legacy in 2014, this unique pop choir brings to life the band’s timeless classics with a modern twist. Selected through rigorous auditions and crafted under the guidance of ABBA’s insiders, their performances resonate with the spirit of the original masters. Having dazzled audiences from Sweden to China, the UK, and made a debut in Australia in 2023, THE CHOIR is set to captivate Melbourne and beyond with their distinct sound and spectacular shows.

Join us for an unforgettable journey of music and memories at the Better Together 2024 conference (June 14-16), Melbourne’s Athenaeum Theater (June 19-22), and ABBA Day Downunder in Williamstown. Secure your tickets now and be part of the celebration that bridges generations through the power of ABBA’s hits, all performed by this extraordinary choir.

Web: https://www.thechoir.se/

Spotify album: https://open.spotify.com/album/5STDW88B7tOnPmukIt1sUD?si=myyFZKHnSEuPsxelFxoEUg

Sweden Innovation Days 2024 – Watch the online event which took place 20-21 March

Sweden Innovation Days 2024 took place 20-21 March, this is an annual online digital event,  which this year attracted over 2,000 registered participants from 89 different countries.

The focus of the online conference is to connect innovation actors from around the world and to foster partnerships with clear and actionable missions to create a more sustainable world. Sweden is a sustainability front runner and committed to contributing to the Global Goals.

Sweden Innovation Days is dedicated to fostering international collaboration, so whether you are a start-up, intermediary or corporate, working in the public sector, civil society, academia or a government agency, there will be key takeaways for everyone.

The event is organised by Vinnova – Sweden’s innovation agency, the Swedish Energy Agency – leading the transition to a sustainable energy system and Formas – a Swedish research council for sustainable development in collaboration with Swedish Incubators & Science Parks (SISP) and Business Sweden.

Watch the sessions for the 2-day online event here:

https://swedeninnovationdays.se/past-event/lets-innovate-for-resilience/

Volvo Group Australia recently hosted A Night with Volvo Group at their headquarters in Wacol, Queensland

Volvo Group Australia recently hosted A Night with Volvo Group  at their headquarters in Wacol, Queensland to celebrate a new benchmark in trucking performance. The customer event was attended by His Excellency, the Honourable Pontus Melander, The Ambassador of Sweden and executive leaders from across the Volvo Group global organisation, including Volvo Group President and CEO, Martin Lundstedt, President Volvo Trucks, Roger Alm and Head of Volvo Construction Equipment, Melker Jernberg.

The international guests took part in revealing Australia’s most powerful on-highway truck, the FH16 with 780 horsepower D17 engine. The new engine delivers increased fuel efficiency with savings up to 5% and is compatible with renewable fuel HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil).

“A world of possibilities has been built into this engine platform,” says Shayne Commons, Director of Product and Performance, Volvo Group Australia, “Highly efficient drive trains capable of using alternative fuels will be a key part of our path to net zero emissions.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE SWEDISH BUSINESS IN AUSTRALIA AWARD WINNERS 2023

The SACC Swedish Business Awards took center stage on 23 Nov 2023, as the Swedish-Australian Business community gathered to celebrate the outstanding achievements of organisations that have demonstrated exceptional dedication to sustainability, innovation, entrepreneurship, partnership and collaboration and social impact.

The Swedish Christmas inspired event co-hosted by the Embassy of Sweden was held at the prestigious Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney. The evening started with a special Lucia performance by the Swedish school in Sydney followed by greetings from the President of SACC and a Guest of Honour speech by HE Pontus Melander Ambassador of Sweden to Australia. The “Julbord” Swedish Christmas Buffet was an evening highlight offering all the delicacies you can expect and sending members and guests on a real traditional Swedish culinary experience.

Inspirational companies, newcomers as well as established, were showcasing successful Sweden–Australia business connections and recognised for their significant contributions that have shaped the landscape and set new standards for excellence. The 2023 awards were presented in the following categories:

  1. Excellence in Innovation
  2. Excellence in Sustainability
  3. Excellence in Entrepreneurship
  4. Excellence in Partnerships and Collaboration
  5. Excellence in Social Impact

We welcomed any company/enterprise/young business executive or entrepreneur in Australia with a strong relationship with Sweden to nominate. We also encouraged organisations and individuals to nominate for a specific project for example a sustainability focused product/service, an innovative campaign or change. The judging panel, comprised of esteemed industry experts and leaders, carefully reviewed each nomination to ensure a fair and thorough evaluation process. The 2023 award entries were of high and equal quality, which made the process difficult but after a thorough screening of the different nominations, the result within the five categories was decided and announced at the event as follows.

Excellence in Innovation

This award is open to all Swedish or Swedish-Australian businesses; large or small, newcomer or established. Recognises businesses that have made significant contributions to their industry through the introduction, improvement and implementation of an innovative solution or idea, a method, technology, process or application, new, existing or long-term.

The Excellence in Innovation Award 2023 was granted to Mentimeter with Husqvarna and Flick Anticimex as runner ups.

Motivation

Mentimeter brings a highly innovative concept to the market which is having a positive impact across industries allowing collaboration, interaction, improved efficiency and better decision making in the business world and beyond.

The program has had a huge impact on how businesses run everyday meetings, workshops and courses. In Australia, Mentimeter has already attracted over 400,000 users from more than 150 organisations. This number continues to rise reflecting the platform’s increasing popularity and the value it provides to a diverse range of users and industries.

Excellence in Sustainability.

The Sustainability Award recognises organisations that execute initiatives that demonstrate leadership and commitment to sustainable business practices in planning, and operations in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s). We encouraged businesses of all sizes and sectors that go above and beyond to achieve any of the SDG’s, to reduce the impact of their operations on the environment and/or provide products and services that have positive environmental outcomes. As many Swedish organisations are advanced in this area it was difficult for the jury to select a winner within this category with the impressive finalists Alimak Group, AstraZeneca and Volvo Group Australia

The Excellence in Sustainability Award for 2023 went to Volvo Group Australia.

Motivation: Volvo Group Australia (VGA) has established a strong focus on bringing innovative solutions to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. They have taken a leadership role in collaborating with authorities and politicians and driving changes in order to reach the ambitious sustainability target.

Electrification is key to reaching these goals and VGA has presented electric solutions in all their product areas, trucks and buses. This means a lot more than just replacing vehicles with electric models, it is a complete e-mobility solution including charging, route and range planning and battery monitoring. VGA’s move towards electric vehicles and sustainability focus has raised the Swedish profile in Australia and boosted Sweden’s reputation as a leader in environmentally responsible technology, design and innovation. 

Excellence in Entrepreneurship

This award recognises the efforts and achievements of exceptional entrepreneurs, individuals and businesses (large or small) who are working in the field of entrepreneurship development.

 

The 2023 Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award was secured by AstraZeneca.

Motivation

AstraZeneca Australia’s Mentoring and Entrepreneurship programmes are designed to support Australian innovators, start up and scale up companies.

By supporting innovation and start up ecosystems, AstraZeneca not only enhances healthcare outcomes but also drives economic benefits through job creation, skill development, and other economic activities.

Their collaboration with Australian universities and the engagement of their global mentors from the Gothenburg R&D center in Sweden strengthens connections between the two countries and further enhances Sweden’s profile in Australia.

Excellence in Partnership & Collaboration.

 

This award recognises achievements associated with partnerships and collaborations that develop, maintain, and grow successful Swedish-Australian collaboration, knowledge exchange, R&D, and creative and sustainable business development.

The winner of this new award for 2023 went to much deserving Tetra Pak.

Motivation

Tetra Pak has proactively addressed recycling solutions across Australian states and councils. They have done this through a strategic partnership with saveBOARD and close collaboration with authorities and councils, showcasing their commitment to sustainable practices.

Tetra Pak’s dedication to sustainability and their collaboration with saveBOARD align with Swedish values of partnership, collaboration, innovation and sustainability. Through their operations in Australia, they contribute to enhancing Sweden’s reputation in sustainability and innovation.

Excellence in Social Impact

A new award for 2023, which recognises businesses/organisations/individuals that implement initiatives that have a positive and sustainable impact on the community and generate outcomes that have a long-term benefit. Initiatives can include but are not limited to projects, programs, processes, systems, developments, ventures and undertakings.

 

 

The Excellence in Social Impact Award was secured by AXIS Communications, taking the lead over strong runner up companies Asuria and Sandvik.

Motivation: The introduction of the Coastal Safety Camera Network by Surf Life Saving South Australia (SLSSA) in collaboration with Axis Communications and BST has formed a deep commitment to improve the safety and well-being of the local community. 

A novel and life saving application leveraging a public-private partnership to showcase Swedish technology in an Australian centric setting. The safety camera network initiative addressed a critical community need that will simply save lives and is potentially scalable across Australia to have further impact.

The Swedish Australian Chamber of Commerce would like to thank members and everyone engaged in the 2023 Swedish Business in Australia Awards. A special thank you goes to the dedicated judging panel and all the companies who participated in the awards.

For more information please contact:

sacc@swedishchamber.com.au

www.swedishchamber.com.au

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Swedish Business Awards and Christmas Dinner 2023 – WHAT AN EVENING OF CELEBRATION!

The SACC Swedish Business Awards and Christmas Dinner co-hosted by the Embassy of Sweden took place on 23 November 2023 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney. The event was a success with over 160 people attending from the Swedish-Austraian business community. Members and guests enjoyed the seamlessly blended elegance of the Swedish Business Awards presentation with the warmth of the Swedish Christmas celebration, complete with a traditional “Julbord” Christmas buffet.

 

A highlight of the evening that captivated the audience was the entrance of the enchanting Lucia procession by the Swedish School in Sydney. With a crown of candles adorning her hair, Lucia and her procession illuminated the venue with notes of beautiful Christmas carols.

The event was further elevated by the esteemed presence of HE Ambassador of Sweden to Australia, Pontus Melander. As the Guest of Honour, Ambassador Melander shared insights into the enduring cultural bonds and collaborative efforts that strengthen the relationship between Sweden and Australia.

The SACC Swedish Business Awards took center stage celebrating the outstanding achievements of organisations that have demonstrated exceptional dedication to sustainability, innovation, entrepreneurship, partnership and collaboration, and social impact.

The venue was transformed into a winter wonderland, with decorations that captured the essence of a Swedish Christmas. The atmosphere was filled with joy, laughter, and the spirit of camaraderie as guests mingled and shared in the festive cheer.

Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to all who attended, performed, and contributed to the success of this event. Your presence made the evening truly special, and we are thankful for the shared moments of celebration, inspiration, and cultural exchange.

Click on images below to see the presentation of sponsors and images from the event.

 

THANK YOU!

Warm Regards,

The Swedish Australian Chamber of Commerce

sacc@swedishchamber.com.au

www.swedishchamber.com.au

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