Swedish Business Awards

The Swedish Business Awards were established in 2006. The project aims to provide positive examples for international establishments and business development by highlighting the success of Swedish-Lithuanian cooperation, emphasizing innovativeness, outstanding business achievements and the importance of contributions to society. This initiative promotes internationalization of business in the region and serves as a yearly meeting point to discuss achievements, practices and aims. Culmination of the project is the ceremony which includes presentations, discussions and awards for the most successful international and local companies operating in Lithuania.

Organization

The project was initiated by four organizations:
*Embassy of Sweden in Lithuania
*Swedish Trade Council - Exportrådet
*Swedbank (previously called Hansabankas)
*TeliaSoneraThe Swedish Trade Council takes an active role in implementation, while other three organizations are active in strategic guidance and implementation of specific aspects.

Nominations

The awards ceremony honors three most successful companies in the following nominations:

Fastest growing Swedish company in Lithuania

Criteria: the highest turnover growth as measured in per cent. Limitation: only Swedish-owned companies can apply for this nomination. Only Swedish owned companies operating in Lithuania for full 3 years are to be considered as candidates in “The Fastest growing Swedish company in Lithuania” nomination category. The award is given to organization that demonstrated the highest annual turnover growth.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Criteria: the most relevant contribution to the development of society in Lithuania.The Swedish Business Awards wish to promote and strengthen the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) commitment among corporations. There is a need for greater awareness about CSR and the Swedish Business Awards would like to be a part of that process. The award is an important step to raise the CSR awareness and to attract attention to excellent examples of CSR projects carried out by companies in Lithuania.For this award, the Decision Committee is looking for the organization that can best demonstrate a company-wide commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The Decision Committee is looking for evidence of a clearly articulated and widely communicated CSR strategy embedded in the company’s business strategy, together with examples of policies or projects that positively impact on the society in terms of the environment, employment, education and charitable work.

Innovator of the Year

Criteria: the most notable innovations in terms of new services, products, or work policies and approaches introduced during the previous year.An openness to new ways of thinking requires curiosity as well as a strong drive and courage to create new rules. The drive comes from an ambition to change, a desire to create and a longing for what feels new. Innovativeness also requires daring to believe in a better future that leads to crossing borders and innovative results. The Swedish Business Awards wishes to encourage innovativeness by emphasizing creativity and braveness to break traditional boundaries. The innovation can be related to all aspects of the company’s or organization’s activities: new services, products, or work policies and approaches.

You can apply for your organization, suggest your partner or any other entity that is acting in Lithuania and you believe is worth to be nominated.

Hall of fame

* ViaCon Baltic - Fastest growing Swedish company in Lithuania, 2008

* Swecon - Fastest growing Swedish company in Lithuania, 2007

* Maxit - Fastest growing Swedish company in Lithuania, 2006

* MTV Networks Baltic - Corporate Social Responsibility, 2008

* SEB Vilniaus Bankas (together with the Lithuanian Children's Foundation) - Corporate Social Responsibility, 2007

* TEO LT - Corporate Social Responsibility, 2006

* Sicor Biotech - Innovator of the year, 2008

* Gambro Healthcare Lietuva - Innovator of the year, 2007

* Omnitel - Innovator of the year, 2006

External links

* www.swedishbusinessawards.com [http://www.swedishbusinessawards.com] - Official web-site

Founding Partners:
* www.swedenabroad.com [http://www.swedenabroad.com/Start____17364.aspx] - Embassy of Sweden in Lithuania
* www.swedishtrade.se [http://www.swedishtrade.se] - Swedish Trade Council
* www.swedbank.lt [http://www.swedbank.lt] - Swedbank
* www.teliasonera.com [http://www.teliasonera.com] - TeliaSonera