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The 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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THE SWEDISH BUSINESS IN AUSTRALIA AWARD WINNERS 2023

The SACC Swedish Business Awards took center stage last night, 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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SWEDELINK Newsletter Spring 2023

HEJ!

This spring edition of SWEDELINK is presenting Chamber news, new Members, lots of activities and upcoming events. The main event of the year the 2023 Swedish Business in Australia Awards & Christmas Dinner is coming up soon 23 November at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney, so make sure to secure your participation. Winners of the following new awards categories for 2023 will be presented: 1. Excellence in Innovation, 2. Excellence in Sustainability, 3. Excellence in Entrepreneurship, 4. Excellence in Partnership and Collaboration, 5. Excellence in Social Impact. Find out more and register for the awards here

Read the newsletter with links here: https://www.swedishchamber.com.au/?na=view&id=23

SWEDELINK Newsletter Winter 2023

HEJ!

 

In this edition of the SACC newsletter, we are presenting members and chamber news, recent and upcoming events. We are especially excited to announce that the traditional 2023 Swedish Business in Australia Awards & Christmas Dinner is back and will take place on 23 November at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney. Entries for the awards are open and we have introduced the following new awards categories: 1. Excellence in Innovation, 2. Excellence in Sustainability, 3. Excellence in Entrepreneurship, 4. Excellence in Partnership and Collaboration, 5. Excellence in Social Impact.

Read the newsletter with links here: https://www.swedishchamber.com.au/?na=view&id=20

The SACC is introducing new membership structure from 1 August 2023

Dear Members,

The Swedish Australian Chamber of Commerce (SACC) is committed to always create meaningful, relevant, and high quality added value for all members.

The past year featured many high quality and rewarding seminars, topic focused meetings, Executive forums, CEO talks, a two-day Swedish Australian Innovation, Technology and Design Summit, mentorship program and many social networking events.

During the pandemic we quickly adapted our event agenda, reached out and connected to other chambers, created special online content and in the executive board we decided to freeze the membership fees on 2017 levels and put membership engagement front and centre.

Post pandemic the world around us has changed – energy and raw materials are more costly; interest rates are higher and inflation pressure is all around us. To arrange, organise and execute business and social events has also become much more expensive than previous years.

To secure continuous high quality membership content, events, seminars and benefits we will un-freeze our long-standing membership fee structure and adapt a new pricing & benefit structure that is reflecting the new reality.

In preparation we have done market research and benchmarked ourselves with other chambers, both in Australia and Asia Pacific region. We are confident that our new membership fee structure is competitive and offers the best high quality and value for money compared to any other chambers. Please find the new membership fee structure, benefits and annual fees presented here. The new membership rates will be active from 1 August 2023.

Please contact us for any further details on sacc@swedishchamber.com.au.

Yours Sincerely,

The Board

Swedish Australian Chamber of Commerce

Greener Garden, Greener Future – Husqvarna Event at the Embassy of Sweden Canberra

On 17 May, Husqvarna, in collaboration with the Embassy of Sweden in Canberra, hosted “Greener Garden, Greener Future” with the presence of His Excellency Swedish Ambassador Pontus Melander and ACT Minister for the Environment Rebecca Vassarotti MLA. The event focused on collaboration as a key tool for delivering on sustainability efforts, bringing new initiatives to life and implementing immediate actions to tackle the climate crisis. Husqvarna Vice President Pacific Division, Pauline Nilsson, was also in attendance and emphasised the significance of sustainable technologies and their critical role in addressing the pressing challenge of surpassing the 1.5-degree global warming threshold.

 

The Husqvarna team with the Ambassador and Embassy staff.

 At the event, Ambassador Pontus Melander formally announced the Embassy’s switch from petrol-powered lawn care to the battery-powered Husqvarna Automower®, affectionately named ‘Husky’. The switch was motivated by a broader sustainability focus adopted by the Swedish Embassy, which acknowledges its responsibility of setting a positive example to the city through actions that promote biodiversity, greener practices, and climate neutrality,

 

At the event, Pauline Nilsson spoke about three global themes driving change and action:

  • Climate change, extreme weather, biodiversity decline, and global warming, serve as constant reminders of the climate crisis and Husqvarna’s responsibility to nature and the environment.
  • Changing urban environments in which, more than ever, well-maintained, high-quality green spaces will play a critical role in mitigating urban heat and the amplified effects of floods.
  • Evolving business environments are seeing a rapid rise in artificial intelligence and data being used to develop smarter products and solutions. These innovations can contribute to green space management and help achieve climate targets.

Pauline Nilsson addresses guests, including media and VIPs.

Husqvarna’s goal to be the world leader in the future of green space maintenance amid the face of the climate crisis. In her speech, Pauline explains, “Husqvarna is dedicated to a sustainable future, leading the industry with low-carbon, resource-smart solutions. We are prioritising efficient tool usage and powering them with alternatives to fossil fuels. Through pioneering solutions, we empower people to make sustainable choices daily.”

The event was attended by media, with two pieces published online, syndicated nationally with a total reach of over one million, along with a piece on local Canberra radio stations 2CC and 2CA.

Sandvik Australia officially opened its new state-of-the-art 6 Star Green Star warehouse and workshop in Perth WA

On 22 March Sandvik Australia officially opened its 6 star green star state-of-the-art warehouse and workshop in Perth WA. President and CEO of Sandvik, Stefan Widing and HE Pontus Melander Ambassador of Sweden to Australia joined the official opening celebrations.

The new sites are committed to supporting customers future growth in Western Australia. The sites are significantly larger than the previous facilities and feature the latest technology and will help customers meet their sustainability goals. As part of the official opening, Sandvik showcased their latest GET and PPH bucket as well as smart solutions in development that will improve productivity, safety and TCO for their customers.

The opening celebration was attended by local customers, industry representatives, media, and Sandvik staff and included presentations, facility tours and networking with our latest technology on display.

 

Sandvik’s new warehouse at Roe Highway Logistics Park (ROE) in Western Australia is the first industrial facility in the state to be declared 6 Star Green Star by the Green Building Council of Australia.

 The 6 Star rating represents ‘World Leadership’ in environmentally sustainable building practices and the internationally recognised environmental rating aligns with Sandvik’s global commitment to using engineering and innovation to make the shift towards more sustainable business.

A 6-star rating is reserved for highly efficient buildings that meet strict environmental and social issues while contributing to the community.

Sandvik’s investment in the new facility, including ensuring it’s a truly sustainable, signals its ongoing commitment to the Australian mining and construction equipment market. It comprises a 10,500 sqm warehouse, 500 sqm two-level office, and a 220 sqm dock office with 3,615 sqm super awning. ROE is a strategically located 72-hectare industrial park delivered by leading WA developer Hesperia, with Sandvik’s Lot 53 warehouse built by Q Design and Construct.

The sustainability innovations within the facility include the first use of low carbon concrete in a warehouse in Western Australia; 100kV solar generation with 67Kwh battery storage; a dual electric vehicle charging station; energy-efficient lighting; and a dedicated rainwater harvesting system.

Wayne Scrivens, Vice President, Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, Sales Area Australia & New Zealand said: “integrating sustainability into our business model and ways of working creates value for all our stakeholders: customers, employees, shareholders, as well as the broader community.”

“We take a holistic approach by including the entire value chain into our sustainability agenda. Our main contribution to sustainability is through our products and we work together with our customers and suppliers for more productive, safer and more sustainable solutions.

Sandvik has committed to targets in line with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), consistent with the Paris Agreement, with a 50 percent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2050. The company’s 2030 Sustainability Goals include Climate, Circularity, People and Fair Play as the areas it considers the most material and where it can make the most difference.

The move to a state-of-the-art warehouse has also enabled Sandvik to implement wide-ranging technological and operational improvements to further support its Australian customers and achieve its sustainability goals: consolidating storage; improving storage density with vertical storage machines; installing conveyors to reduce materials handling equipment (MHE), and an all battery MHE fleet that can be charged from the solar generation at the site.

Niels Reuvers, Logistics Operations Manager – Australia, said: “locating the new warehouse with its improved operations alongside our new workshop will increase internal synergies, alignment and cross-functional collaboration – providing the best support to all of our Australian customers.”

“Our additional capacity in Western Australia will enable us to support the growing demand for around the clock service, qualified engineers and genuine parts on demand.”

Sandvik is among a range of like-minded companies with a focus on sustainable business that have located their operations at ROE because of its environmental goals, including carbon neutrality by 2022. The ROE project is committed to delivering 40kW of solar per facility, utilising low carbon building materials, best practice wastewater management, and the strategic conservation of a Red Tailed Black Forest Cockatoo habitat.

ROE has received national recognition for its industry leading sustainability initiatives, most recently the 2022 Environment Excellence Award from the UDIA.

For enquiries, please contact:

Kate Bills
General Manager – Sustainability, Marketing and Communications
Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions
email:
kate.bills@sandvik.com

World leading 6 Star Green Star Rating for Sandvik’s state-of-the-art warehouse — Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology

www.rocktechnology.sandvik

EU-Australia FTA Update March 2023

EU-Australia FTA Update

Since the 13th round of negotiations in October 2022, the political stars have aligned with both the EU and Australia have committed to sealing a deal by July 2023, treating it as a top political priority.

Australia’s Minister for Trade, Don Farrell has publicly acknowledged Australia’s intention to finalise a deal by the first half of 2023 and six Australian Ministers visited Brussels and different EU capitals in January 2023, showcasing Australia’s commitment to a deal.

A few days before the start of the 14th round of negotiations, on 1 February 2023, the European Commission released its Green Deal Industrial Plan, which sets an ambitious trade agenda to ensure the bloc does not lose ground in the net-zero tech race – a response, to the US’s Inflation Reduction Act and China’s cleantech dominance. The Plan unveiled the European Commission’s objective to extend the EU’s FTA network and in particular to conclude a deal with Australia by the 2023 European summer.

In this very favourable context, the 14th round of negotiations was held in Canberra between 6 and 10 February 2023, the first time the EU negotiating team could physically travel to Australia since the 6th round of talks in February 2020.

Though the round did not lead to the conclusion of many additional chapters, and a lot of work remains to be done before a deal can be signed, significant progress has been made across the FTA, including:

  • The (sub-)chapters on maritime services, telecommunication services, and on competition were provisionally concluded during the round.
  • The revised offers on services and investment, as well as on goods (tariff) and government procurement, which had been exchanged in the course of 2022, were further discussed. For public procurement, both sides explored options for a final market access package and discussed potential exceptions for SMEs. Sensitive products (e.g. market access for other key agricultural products) were not discussed. Such discussions will be kept for the end game of the negotiations.
  • Progress has been made for sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS) and both parties considered introducing a dispute settlement mechanism. Negotiators reached an agreement on the objectives of the dispute settlement and mediation chapter, which include transparent, efficient, and effective dispute settlement procedures.
  • In the Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) chapter, good headway was made. It was the first-time negotiators were able to discuss the EU’s revised offer, made in October 2022, which reflects the recent recalibration of the EU’s trade policy to enhance the contribution of the bloc’s trade agreements in protecting the climate, environment, and labour rights worldwide, notably through the enforceability of mutual binding commitments such as the Paris Agreement.

During the 14th round, negotiators discussed the outstanding elements in the TSD chapter including the labour provisions and the EU’s proposals on dispute settlement. Of note, the negotiators agreed on provisions on trade and sustainable forest management and climate change. As important work remains to be done, several follow up actions were agreed.

The TSD chapter is politically important for the EU as the European Parliament, which will be required to ratify the deal, expects ambitious sustainability commitments in all future EU FTAs. Heralded in the EU as the “gold standard” for future FTAs, the EU-New Zealand FTA concluded in June 2022 is the first EU FTA to include enforceability of TSD commitments.

  • For energy and raw materials, good progress was made at the technical level on several issues including an agreement on authorisation procedures, environmental impact assessments, offshore risk and safety and renewable fuels. Parties are looking to pathways forward to iron out energy regulatory provisions as well as energy and resources pricing issues.
  • Though some provisions of the general rules of origin have been agreed upon, further work is required to close key outstanding points. It is similar for technical barriers to trade. Provisions on international standards, transparency and market surveillance were closed, and further text was agreed on the motor vehicle annex. However, it is understood there remains an important volume of outstanding articles and annexes.
  • No key progress on the digital trade chapter. At this stage, it is unlikely that Australia’s consideration of introducing European-style rights (such as the right to be forgotten) as it currently reviews its privacy rules, will impact favourably the negotiations.
  • Finally, discussions continue to advance positively on specific language for First Australian Nations People, on subsidies and on state owned enterprises. Several longstanding issues across the Intellectual Property Chapter, including on copyright, trademarks and border measures have been resolved.
  • Discussions on geographical indications (GIs) focused on the relationship between GIs and trademarks and respective interests on key GI terms. The Australian Government has not agreed to any GI terms and will only agree at the FTA conclusion if the overall package is good enough.

The official report from the EU is available here and the report from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is available here.

Next steps:

  • With the political momentum at its peak and a fast-approaching ambitious deadline, the negotiating teams are under strong pressure to clear voluminous work before the table for political discussions can be set to reach a deal with beef market access high on the menu.
  • A 15th round of negotiations is planned for April 2023 in Brussels. It is hoped to be the final full round, to be followed by a 5×5 round of senior negotiators and finally political negotiations to iron out the most sensitive issues. To ensure both sides continue steady progress in the lead-up to the next round, a high number of follow-up actions have been agreed on, including the convening of inter-sessional discussions in the coming weeks.

 

 

Swedish high-level delegation in Sydney 14-15 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

In conjunction with the official visit to Australia, Business Sweden and the Embassy of Sweden hosted the Sweden-Australia Sustainable Mining Summit on February 15th. 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