Focus – Page 2 – Swedish Australian Chamber of Commerce

Enter for the Swedish Business in Australia Awards 2023

14 September, 2023

The Swedish Australian Chamber of Commerce would like to take this opportunity to invite you to participate in the 2023 Swedish Business in Australia Awards. The awards provide a great platform for companies and individuals to showcase their business within the Swedish-Australian business community and present the importance their business plays. It is also a great opportunity to be recognised at a state and national level for being a business leader in an area, a specific project or field of expertise, and offers invaluable promotional possibilities.

Once again, we are pleased to have the opportunity to co-host this event with the Embassy of Sweden. Eligible winners of the Business Awards will be presented at the Swedish Business in Australia Awards & Christmas Dinner 23 November 2023 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney. Find out more and purchase tickets here.

BENEFITS OF ENTERING

Nominating your business for the Swedish Business Awards provides businesses/ professionals with an unparalleled opportunity to:

‣ Gain recognition at regional, state and national level

‣ Raise the profile and showcase businesses/professionals throughout the awards campaign

‣ Build a reputation for excellence within and outside of your industry

‣ Boost employer morale through the recounting of business success

‣ Marketing opportunities

‣ Credibility and endorsement as being a leading business/professional

The Awards are run on a non-profit basis and acknowledge Swedish business achievements in Australia. Award recipients are Swedish related businesses and professionals that demonstrate the core values of business excellence and achievements that have helped to develop a positive profile for Swedish business in Australia. The jury consists of selected independent Directors of SACC. Finalists and award winners will be expected to be members of the SACC prior to the awards presentation. www.swedishchamber.com.au/membership/

Entries for the 2023 award categories are now open and we welcome any company/enterprise/business executive or entrepreneur in Australia with a strong relationship with Sweden to nominate. We also encourage organisations and individuals to nominate for a specific project for example a sustainability focused product/service, an innovative campaign, or change.

AWARD CATEGORIES 2023

1. Excellence in Innovation

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.

2. Excellence in Sustainability

Recognises organisations that execute initiatives that demonstrate leadership and commitment to sustainable business practices in planning, operations, specific projects, marketing and/or in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) to achieve a sustainable future. We encourage 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.

3. Excellence in Entrepreneurship

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

4. Excellence in Partnership and Collaboration

This award is intended to recognise 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.

5. Excellence in Social Impact

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.

Note – businesses/professionals may nominate for more than one award, however separate nominations are required for each category

ENTRY DETAILS

Any organisation/professional/business executive in Australia can nominate. Nominations can be made by the organisation/individual (self-nomination) or another party, providing the nominated organisation/individual is informed and agrees to the nomination. All nominated organisations will be contacted for their agreement to be nominated and judged.

Finalists and award winners will be expected to be members of the SACC prior to the awards presentation. www.swedishchamber.com.au/membership/

Deadline for entries is 31 October 2023.

Please submit all details via the online entry form: https://www.swedishchamber.com.au/business-awards-entry-form/

If you would like to include examples, data, ppt, video clips or photographs these can be included as file attachments at the end of the form. If you have any questions or issues with registering please contact us.

Awards winners 2020: https://www.swedishchamber.com.au/the-swedish-business-in-australia-award-winners-2020

Awards winners 2021: https://www.swedishchamber.com.au/the-swedish-business-in-australia-award-winners-2021

Official visit of Their Royal Highnesses Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden to Australia

16 February, 2023

Their Royal Highnesses Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden visited Australia on February 13-15. Mr Johan Forssell, Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade represented the Swedish government.

The visit confirmed Sweden’s excellent political and diplomatic relations with Australia. Our shared values and interests were highlighted.

In Canberra, Governor-General His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC hosted a dinner for the delegation at which HRH Crown Princess Victoria delivered a speech: H.K.H. Kronprinsessans tal vid middag hos generalguvernören i Canberra | Kungahuset

Sustainability was an important overarching theme throughout the visit. HRH Crown Princess Victoria and Minister Forssell participated in a seminar on electrification at the Australian National University hosted by Professor Brian Schmidt, Vice-Chancellor and Nobel Prize Laureate: Electrification in Sweden and Australia – ANU

The program in Canberra also included a visit to Namadgi National Park to learn about the effects of the bushfires in 2020 to interact with the ACT emergency services and visit a koala rehabilitation centre. Also included in the program was a tree planting ceremony at the National Arboretum: Ceremonial Tree Planting – Their Royal Highnesses Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden – National Arboretum (act.gov.au)

Minister Forssell held bilateral talks with his counterparts The Hon Pat Conroy, Minister for Defence Industry, International Development, and the Pacific as well as Senator The Hon Don Farrell, Minister for Trade and Tourism. Minister Forssell and Minister Farrell published a joint op-ed on creating a greener trade future: Sweden and Australia — Creating a Greener Trade Future | Minister for Trade and Tourism (trademinister.gov.au).

In Sydney, NSW Governor Mrs Margret Beazley hosted a business networking reception. Minister Forssell delivered opening remarks at the Sweden-Australia Sustainable Mining Summit, organised by Business Sweden and the Embassy of Sweden in partnership with Invest New South Wales and with important contributions from the Swedish Australian Chamber of Commerce.

The program in Sydney also included a visit to the Sydney Opera House and the Royal Botanic Garden where the Crown Princess viewed the green flower wall, designed especially for Sydney World Pride to highlight the importance of inclusiveness, diversity, and tolerance.

During a visit to HMAS Kuttabul, Rear Admiral Christopher Smith, Commander Australian Fleet, hosted a lunch discussion around regional maritime security and bilateral defence and defence materiel cooperation.

The Sydney leg also included a visit to Saint Vincent’s Hospital for an orientation about oncology and cancer treatment in Australia and about Swedish companies’ contribution to achieve equitable care: For our patients Lyn and Karen, meeting Sweden’s HRH Crown Princess Victoria and HRH Prince Daniel at our St Vincent’s Clinic in Sydney was a wonderful… | By GenesisCare | Facebook

HRH Crown Princess Victoria, HRH Prince Daniel and Minister Forssell met with parts of the Australian women’s football team the Matildas and its Swedish coach Tony Gustafsson ahead of the World Cup 2023: Matildas Meet Swedish Crown Princess Victoria | 10 News First – YouTube

The visit to Australia ended with a reception for representatives of the Swedish community organisations in Australia hosted by H.E. Ambassador Pontus Melander at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney. HRH Crown Princess Victoria held a speech: H.K.H. Kronprinsessans tal vid svenska ambassadens mottagning för svenskkolonin i Sydney med anledning av det officiella besöket till Australien | Kungahuset

The visit to Australia was followed by a visit to New Zealand on 16-18 February.

Swedish high-level delegation in Sydney 14-15 February 2023

15 February, 2023

The Swedish Australian Chamber of Commerce was delighted and honoured to be part of the Sydney events on 14 and 15 February in conjunction with the high-level official visit led by HRH Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, HRH Prince Daniel and HE Johan Forsell, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade.

The first event was held at the Government House hosted by Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC Governor of New South Wales and Mr Dennis Wilson.

On the 15th of February Business Sweden organised an excellent Sustainable Mining Summit, showcasing our long legacy of bi-lateral trade. It was great to see how advanced Sweden and Australia are on the path to a net zero mining industry and the vast collaboration opportunities between our two countries.

The Summit was followed by a beautiful reception at the Museum of Contemporary Art hosted by HE Pontus Melander Ambassador of Sweden to Australia. Thank you Embassy of Sweden in Canberra and Business Sweden, the SACC is proud of being to be part of Team Sweden Australia and our joint collaboration to strengthen and grow business relations between Sweden and Australia.

Business Sweden – Sweden-Australia Sustainable Mining Summit 15 February 2023

15 February, 2023

In conjunction with the official visit to Australia, Business Sweden and the Embassy of Sweden hosted the Sweden-Australia Sustainable Mining Summit on February 15^th. The summit provided a platform for discussing the sustainable future of the mining industry and its importance for the green transition. The focus of the summit was the Swedish offering within the industry and opportunities for collaboration between Australia and Sweden. Numerous Swedish and Australian companies attended the summit, including Ericsson, Volvo, Scania, ABB, SAAB, Alfa Laval, Sandvik, Epiroc, Hitachi Energy, Treotham, Thingwave and Minalyze.

We also had the great pleasure to welcome Sweden’s largest mining company, LKAB, to Australia. With their state-of-the-art mining related projects in northern Sweden, they were able to inspire and explain how they look upon sustainable mining and their initiatives going forward. Furthermore, Team Sweden had a fantastic partnership with NSW Government, European Australian Business Council and Austmine preparing for the event, which was very much appreciated.

The Australian and Swedish mining industries complement each other, with Swedish technology providers being able to support the Australian mining industry to decarbonize their operations. The Sustainable Mining Summit initiated Business Sweden’s focus on collaboration between the Australian and Swedish mining industries, with several upcoming activities planned throughout the year.

Additionally, Business Sweden will continue to support Swedish companies in expanding to Oceania and assist established Swedish companies in the region. One of the key projects that Team Sweden will work on is the New South Wales Renewable Energy Zones initiative, which the Swedish government has identified as a strategic opportunity for Swedish companies. Business Sweden, together with the Embassy of Sweden and the Swedish Australian Chamber of Commerce, will collaborate with Swedish companies to analyze how Sweden can play a role in NSW’s ambitious plan to decarbonize their energy sector.

www.business-sweden.com

Summary – Swedish Australian Innovation, Technology and Design Summit 28-29 September 2022

29 September, 2022

Over two days at the end of September, SACC gathered a few hundred academics, students, government representatives as well as business leaders and innovators, representing a large number of industries, for the first of its kind – the Swedish Australian Innovation, Technology and Design Summit.

The purpose of this Summit was to highlight Swedish innovation, technology, design and sustainability initiatives. We presented examples of key innovation breakthroughs and featured successful Swedish-Australian collaboration and knowledge exchange, R&D and creative business development between Sweden and Australia.Together with partners, we provided a platform to connect involved industries with relevant stakeholders within the corporate sector, government, academia and the research and development community. Through the summit, we raised awareness about the Swedish contribution to economic and technological development in Australia. We initiated new opportunities for collaboration within technology, design and sustainability to stimulate innovation and growth and to support a high-quality R&D ecosystem.

Together with co-host, the University of Technology Sydney, in their stunning Great hall, we held 10 sessions offering in-depth knowledge on a number of engaging topics (see full program here). The event covered many topical focus areas, and the sessions included thought-leadership panellists, who all provided the audience with perspectives that were both informative and educational as well as provocative.

Official dignitaries included The Hon. Alister Henskens, SC MP, New South Wales Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade, Minister for Sport, Minister for Skills and Training, and Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology. Guest of Honour was Ambassador of Sweden to Australia, HE Pontus Melander.

The common denominator throughout the entire summit was sustainable innovation, sustainable design and development and how government and different industries are working towards a net zero future.

So, what did we learn?

We learnt that we need to consider the human impact of innovation.

That many businesses and official agencies have the ambition to commence their sustainability journey but they don’t know where to start.

We also learned that we need to shift the business model, with circularity at the core of each process in the business.

We learned that there’s a full shift in business and for example in construction: we used to build things, now we are solving problems.

We learned that for innovations to be affordable – or they won’t be used. And if it is not easy to use – it won’t be used.

We learned that if we want to accelerate the adoption of 5G, we need to own the problem, know the problem and then find out how technology can solve the problem. We need a digital vision and replace old solutions with something smart, not just replace an existing model.

The carrying theme throughout the sessions was collaboration and how working together across sectors can but also even with traditional competitors to share lessons learned and build broad and viable solutions.

During the session on sustainability in fashion, we learned some confronting statistics. 70% of all clothes bought in Australia are deposited into landfill within 12 months after purchase. This number has more than doubled since year 2000, and Australia has the second position in the world of fashion waste per capita in the world, with 15 kilos per capita.

We also learned that we are all part of the solution for a net zero future and that we need to create citizenship around sustainable behaviours.

The manufacturing model is also rapidly adopting to meet more sustainable sourcing of raw materials, or rather, materials to not only recycle but also to reuse and re-manufacture.

We also discussed how our cities will become smarter and in doing so, also become more sustainable and indeed, safer. Utilising data within the whole transport sector already is delivering incremental change, in particular in safety. By enabling different road users to collaboratively, capture and transmit data, vehicles and vulnerable road users like cyclists, delivers robust outcomes and prevent avoidable accidents.

The two days were packed with generous sharing of best practice and absolutely evoked more bilateral as well as local collaboration and new networks.

The SACC is proud to have played an active role in establishing new business connections between Sweden and Australia and supporting knowledge sharing and business opportunities for more than one hundred years. And now also in the area of sustainability.

The Nordic countries have collectively been called “the Silicon Valley of Europe” for innovation, sustainability and green economy. SACC will continue to invite and engage members to explore pathways forward towards a net zero economy and enable trade and knowledge exchange between Australia and Sweden.