Halfway to 2030, when the UN Sustainable Development Goals are to be achieved, we have taken the sustainability temperature in the county via our digital innovation panel. We have asked questions about how actors in Dalarna view Agenda 2030. We can clearly see that awareness of sustainability issues has increased since the UN's sustainability goals were presented in 2015. As many as 84 percent consider themselves to be more aware of sustainability today than when Agenda 2030 was launched in 2015.
For those of us working to secure a place for sustainability among Dalarna's new and existing companies, it is of course extremely positive that general awareness of sustainability has also clearly increased in recent years. Just over half of respondents (54%) believe that sustainability goals are clearly more important, and even more relevant, today than seven years ago. Something that feels very positive for the future is that as many as 96 percent respond that they consider themselves to be contributing to a long-term climate transition and that two-thirds (61 percent) believe that the UN's sustainability goals have made it clear that sustainability is about so much more than just the climate, something that is sometimes forgotten in the big discussions.
At Dalarna Science Park, we have three sustainability strategists who coach companies on sustainability issues on a daily basis and ensure that sustainability becomes a natural part of the companies' future. Because what we talk about as sustainable growth is actually profitability, growth and competitive advantages through sustainability because here are the business opportunities of tomorrow, here are the new winners.
Proof that sustainability pays off must surely be our incubator company Green Buffer's win in the Swedish Steel Prize. An international prize awarded to sustainable innovations in the steel industry. Green Buffer's innovative safe dampers (buffers) not only increase safety in train collisions, but also create great sustainability values for people, the environment and the train operators who choose to work with the solution. Read more about them in the newsletter.
That the sustainability issue will continue to be relevant is something we also got confirmed at May's Dalarna Talks where, among others, Per Schlingmann stated that near-zero emissions will be the winner of the future.
The panel also highlighted the importance of Dalarna continuing to be a sustainable place to live, work and live in. Both Björn Rinstad, CEO of Leksands Sparbank and Per Schlingmann talked about how we need to continue building sustainable and attractive communities. It is therefore particularly pleasing that we can tell you about two examples in this newsletter that will contribute to this. They are Navigator Scaleup and the new place brand for talent attraction - In Dalarna.
Read more about them in this month's newsletter.
