SACC organise a number of events every year ranging from business seminar and webinar series on current topics, to the next generation of Australian-Swedish business, casual networking forums, breakfast seminars, lunches, educational seminars and social events around Swedish festivities. We have some exciting events and business seminars planned for 2020 in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane, so remember check the up coming events on this site. The annual Swedish Business Awards will take place towards the end of the year at the SACC Christmas Event in Sydney.
We are constantly planning events with interesting topics and speakers. If you are interested in sponsor an event or seminar please contact us.
UPCOMING EVENTS AND WEBINARS
SACC YP After Work Drinks – 24 October at Cabana Bar, Sydney CBD
The Future of Decision Making | Nobel Prize Dialogue Sydney 24 October 2024
Swedish Lång Lunch 26 October in Melbourne!
SACC 113th AGM and Networking – 29 October Sydney
World Business Forum, ICC Sydney 13-14 November 2024
Cruise with the Europeans – 14 November 2024 Sydney
The SACC 2024 Swedish Business in Australia Awards & Christmas Dinner – 21 November Sydney
Circular Textile and Fashion Show Event 13 September Queensland Gold Coast
A Business Networking Forum on Circular Textiles and a Fashion Show and Tell
Last Friday 13th of September, SACC Brisbane together with Circular Economy Club Gold Coast and Swedish school Gold Coast co-hosted a well-attended and inspiring event discussing the Circular Economy for Textile and Fashion and how it applies to both Businesses and the Community.
It was inspiring to see such a diverse group of community members, innovators, industry leaders, and government officials come together. The evening was dedicated to addressing the sustainability of the textile value chain around the Gold Coast, a pressing issue as Australia ranks as the second-highest consumer of textiles, just behind the United States. As such, it is clear that we must urgently change our approach to textiles and embrace more circular, sustainable practices. Both local and state governments are committed to supporting this growing movement.
Key Takeaways:
A special thanks to our SACC event sponsor IKEA who provided us with Swedish cider during the night. We’re proud of our vibrant Gold Coast and Brisbane community, which continues to support sustainable and circular activities and events such as this.
SACC Brisbane (Marie, Carin, Linda and Povel)
This event is organised by the Gold Coast Circular Economy Club in collaboration with the SACC Queensland Chapter.
Find out more about the Gold Coast Circular Economy Club here:
https://www.circulareconomyclub.com/club/circular-economy-club-gold-coast/
CircularEconomyClubGC@gmail.com
SACC Sydney Event 15 Aug – Absolut Swedish and Australian Cross-Cultural Leadership
The Swedish and Australian Cross-Cultural Leadership Event at Pernod Ricard, Barangaroo in Sydney on 15 August was a great success!
We heard from our panel of leaders how cultural nuances shape leadership, communication styles, decision-making processes and conflict approaches. The discussion highlighted the tremendous potential that lies in combining the best of Australian and Swedish leadership styles. This synergy opens the door to unique opportunities that drive innovation and collaboration.
The following panellists shared their journeys and how they navigated the complexities and triumphs of leading in both Swedish and Australian contexts.
The discussion was led by:
Huge thank you to our panellists, Petra Andrén, Christian Westerlind Wigstrom, Erik Abelsson, Jan Gardberg, and our brilliant facilitators Camilla Bullock and Jonas Lindholm. Special thank you to Erik Dahl at Pernod Ricard for amazing event sponsorship and hosting.
SACC Melbourne After Work with Special Tour of the Intelligent Robotics Lab at Swinburne University – 24 July 2024
On Wednesday 24 July, the Melbourne Chapter of the Swedish Australian Chamber of Commerce organised a special visit to the Intelligent Robotics Lab at Swinburne University of Technology in Hawthorn.
A big thank you to our host Dr Mats Isaksson, as well as Mariadas Capsran Roshan, Mauricio Hidalgo Florez, Kartik Choudhary, Jagannatha Charjee Pyaraka and Rene Santander for showcasing your research and sharing with us your passion for hashtag#robotics.
Thank you also to those who attended from our member companies, including representatives from ABB, AxFlow, Securitas Group and Tetra Pak!
The tour of the Intelligent Robotics Lab at Swinburne University was followed by networking drinks at The Hawthorn Hotel.
Founded in 2021 by Associate Professor Mats Isaksson with support from the Australian Research Council and the Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre, the Intelligent Robotics Laboratory houses several research groups and includes a multitude of robots, including collaborative robots (cobots), industrial robots, parallel robots and mobile robots. Current research projects include large-scale robotic 3D printing, robot systems for autonomous and teleoperated ultrasound examinations, and several projects targeting robots in manufacturing.
SACC Sustainability Committee – Circular Economy Forum in Canberra 18 June
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.
On June 18 the Swedish Australian Chamber of Commerce Sustainability Committee organised a Circular Economy Forum in Canberra hosted by the Embassy of Sweden in Canberra. Member companies shared their circular initiatives, industry solutions and challenges followed by a discussion on potential ways to accelerate to a low-carbon circular economy and net-zero society.
HE Pontus Melander Ambassador of Sweden to Australia welcomed and opened the forum. Jo Clay MLA, ACT Greens spokesperson for Circular Economy, highlighted the ACT Government’s progressive measures that support circular economy thinking and the ACT Circular Economy Strategy and Action Plan in her keynote address.
SACC Vice President Teresia Fors, welcomed all on behalf of the SACC and SACC Sustainability Committee Chair Flavia Vaz outlined the committee’s vision and purpose to take a leadership role and be part of the conversation to advance Australia’s sustainability actions. The SACC Sustainability Committee was initiated two years ago in 2022 and the inaugural meeting was held at the Embassy of Sweden in Canberra. Since then, the Committee has gathered members of the Chamber with focus on sustainability, to share insights, knowhow as well as to jointly promote sustainability as a business model in the Australian industry.
Paul Klymenko, member of the Circular Economy Ministerial Advisory Group presented key findings of the CEMAG recommendations and work to provide expert advice to the Australian Government outlining strategic interventions to drive circular economy transformation forward. Linda Nordin, SACC Sustainability Committee member and Circular Economy Expert presented examples of key initiatives that Swedish companies are taking towards a circular economy. Linda highlighted the achievements and progress of member companies actively implementing circular practices in the business model. She also presented key concepts including circular thinking already in the design process of new products and services. Ms Nordin emphasized that the business strategy and vision need to include circularity to reflect core aspects of the business and that it is important to monetise long-term gains as financial benefits in a cross-functional context.
The afternoon concluded with a panel discussing industry solutions, challenges and opportunities to forward a circular economy and a net zero society. The panel was moderated by Nicole T Garofano, Head of Circular Economy Development at Planet Ark. On the panel we had Lauren Pulitano, Volvo Group Australia, Penny George, AstraZeneca, Boris Munster, Tetra Pak Oceania, Paul Klymenko, CEMAG and Linda Nordin, SMEC.
The overall event offered engaging discussions on actions to accelerate to a circular economy and net-zero society through applied experiences, learnings from Europe and key principles that need to be embedded in organisations. Here is a summary of some of the key messages:
“Circular Economy must be embedded within a company’s vision.”
“For a circular economy to work, we need to make the unfamiliar, familiar.”
“It is important to get the culture and mindset right across every section of the business.”
“Can we grow while using less materials?”
“Circular Economy is about design and circularity aspects must be addressed in the design process of products and services.”
“Collaboration is needed from the beginning of the design process and circularity must be driven throughout the value chain.”
“When circular principles are integrated with the business operations and value chain, we can create complementary benefits for de-carbonisation, efficiencies, and preservation of resources.”
Presentations:
Flavia Vaz: SACC Sustainability Committee – Presentation of the committee and examples of circular economy initiatives.
Paul Klymenko: Circular Economy Ministerial Advisory Group
Linda Nordin: Key initiatives that Swedish companies are taking towards a circular economy.
The Swedish Australian Chamber of Commerce’s Sustainability Committee was set up in 2022 to bring together Swedish companies committed to the Sustainable Development Agenda through actions and contributions.
The SACC would like to thank all involved with a special thank you to the Embassy of Sweden for hosting the forum and the Sustainability Committee for brilliant content and organisation!