"Sweden wants to be a strong and credible partner to Korea in its quest to form a good society for its people", Amb. Danielsson
Sustainable Sweden was a main theme Embassy of Sweden highlighted through its Sweden Day 2014 function, held on June 3rd evening at the Grand Hyatt Seoul.
The Swedish companies represented here tonight all want to be good examples of Sustainable Sweden, said Amb. Lars Danielsson of Sweden by his welcoming address. Actually, SAAB, SANDVIK, VOLVO, Autoliv, Ericsson, Stena, DeLaval, EF, Finnair, H&M, IKEA and Scania etc. showed off their standing in the world business circle, product & service through their booths where guests were able to appreciate them to the fullest.
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| ▲ Amb. Danielsson (right) poses with first prize winner of the lucky draw time during the 2014 Sweden Day function. | ||
"Against this backdrop, this should remind us all of the need to think more comprehensively about most things we do. We all have a responsibility to ensure that everything we produce and consume does not limit the possibilities for future generations to enjoy a good life on this great planet", Danielsson stressed.
Amb. Danielsson raised a glass, saying that he sincerely hopes for all of you to enjoy some examples of Swedish creativity tonight. Danielsson reiterated Sweden's commitment that Sweden wants to be a strong and credible partner to Korea in its quest to form a good society for its people. ABBA's music in the musical Mamma Mia heightened the amused atmosphere of the 2014 Sweden Day even more. Prior to its official reception, Sustainable Sweden CSR Seminar was held in cooperation with Korea Global Compact Network to offer an opportunity to listen to and discuss the experiences of some Swedish and Nordic companies. Since 1983, Sweden has celebrated its National Day on 6 June. This is the date on which Gustav Vasa was crowned king in 1523, which laid the foundation of Sweden as an independent state, and on which a new, important constitution was adopted in 1809, according to the Embassy of Sweden. The original idea came from Artur Hazelius, who founded the Skansen open-air museum in Stockholm and held a national day celebration there on 6 June as early as the 1890s. At the 1893 World Fair in Chicago, Sweden presented Midsummer Day as a form of Swedish national day, so in the 1890s Sweden celebrated the occasion twice a year. In 1916, 6 June became the Swedish Flag Day, celebrating the fact that Sweden had acquired its own flag following the dissolution of the union with Norway in 1905.
Sustainable Sweden
What is sustainability? The most common used definition is that sustainability stands for something that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainability interfaces with economics through the social and environmental consequences of economic activity. This is a rather broad defination but a very important one in the modern market economy.
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| ▲ ABBA music in the musical Mamma Mia entertaining guests during the 2014 Sweden Day function. | ||
For Swedish companies with many subcontractors, sustainability has a mostly social meaning - to ensure reasonable working conditions. For others, the meaning is more ecological.
Regardless of what meaning you put into the word-one thing is clear: The modern consumer of tomorrow will not accept anything less than a product which not only is good in quality and price, but also has been manufactured in a responsible way. To live up to this, we need more of corporate social responsibility.