SWEDISH BUSINESS CLUB
FOR BUSINESSES TO THRIVE TOGETHER Newly established Swedish Business Club aims to be the focal point for Swedish companies in Croatia, but also for Croatian partners with an interest in Sweden
T
he business forum in the autumn that will gather Swedish and Croatian managers, institutions and experts, should be a springboard for the future cooperation. The Swedish Business Club (SBC) was founded in March 2018 by nine Swedish companies, namely ABB, Astra Zeneca, Bisnode, Ericsson Nikola Tesla, IKEA, Oriflame, Saab, Securitas and Tele2, along with the Embassy of Sweden. The initiative for establishing the Club is multilayered, as is its purpose. It is by its nature a two-way channel between Sweden and Croatia - it is a club of Swedish stakeholders rooted in Croatia, and is thus perfectly placed to act as a catalyst of ideas and opportunities for closer collaboration and a platform for establishing deeper ties between the two countries. On the other hand, the Club aims to be the natural point of contact and an advocate
20
Focus
SWEDEN 2018
for Swedish businesses in Croatia, but also for Croatian businesses with an interest in Sweden. In essence, its goal is to act as a bridge that contributes to the strengthening of commercial, but also social and cultural, relations between Croatia and Sweden.
FOUR CORE VALUES ARE INNOVATION, CARING, OPENNESS AND AUTHENTICITY The base for the SBC is the Swedish Government's initiative known as „Team Sweden“ - a network of government authorities, agencies and companies that work together to promote Swedish exports and
support Swedish companies abroad. Team Sweden is an integral part of the Swedish Government’s Export Strategy published in 2015, and is envisaged as a platform for synchronizing promotional and communication activities in order to further strengthen “Brand Sweden”. The Swedish Business Club is thus a local implementation of the Team Sweden concept in Croatia that brings together “Swedish stakeholders” in the country. The ultimate goal of Team Sweden is to create a joint venture between compatible Swedish actors and to bring about an increase in Swedish exports. However, Swedish companies, besides exporting goods and services, also export certain values that originate from the Swedish culture, and which are thus a part of their corporate DNA. These values are the cornerstones of the Swedish socio-economic
