2. The Northern Lights Shine Bright

Sweden’s sustainability leadership is tied to a culture promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, diplomacy, equality, diversity, inclusion, privacy, and respect for the individual and nature. This turns out to be a fertile platform for Swedish corporate sustainability leadership where sustainability is high on the agenda. The country is not perfect, with unsustainable levels of consumption. Yet Sweden is doing something right—evident from top global rankings within human development, social progress, innovation, and transparency. The Swedish model for inclusive growth, and the tendency toward cooperation and consensus, infuse policy, culture, and business. Modesty and humility are cherished qualities among Swedes, but they can get fired up, too. Sweden’s teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg inspired a global climate protest movement. The Swedish business leaders featured, from the large industrial companies to the vibrant startups, are equally tired of inaction and share lessons and case studies to inspire global business leaders on their sustainability journeys.