Nordic Values At Work
Nordic Values At Work
September-October 2024
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Welcome to the September-October issue of this monthly newsletter—For those who are new here, my name is Henrik Totterman; I am the Finnish Honorary Consul for the City of Boston and the States of New England (MA, ME, NH, VT, RI).
Here is a summary of collected insights in this newsletter: Nordic Leadership Afternoon summit in NYC tomorrow, upcoming and past event updates, research publication on Nordic public company performance, consular engagements, Finland in the US news, and an interview with the President of UKTS during my recent sauna excursion. Enjoy your NEF!
Economic and Trade Relationships
Monday, September 30th: Nordic Leadership Afternoon at the Consulate
Tomorrow, the sold-out Nordic Leadership Afternoon will occur at the Consulate General of Finland in New York. Leaders are under immense pressure to drive innovation while maintaining sustainable relationships in today's rapidly changing world. Nordic leadership, rooted in low hierarchies, trust, and humanistic values, offers fresh solutions to these challenges.
The event features insights from executives like Pauline Brown, Former Chairwoman of LVMH North America, Executive-in-Resident, and Marketing Professor at Columbia Business School, and experts like Dr. Frank Martela, Iida Mäkikallio, and Consul General Jarmo Sareva. It will conclude with a networking reception near Central Park at the Consul General’s residence.
I will lead a panel alongside Sara Elinson, principal of EY-Parthenon, Maria Uusimaa, Head of Industrial Instruments Sales at Vaisala, and Ian Colley of The Trade Desk to explore the promises and challenges of Nordic leadership in the U.S. business environment.
We will focus on three key themes:
- Trust and Transparency
- Self-Direction and Autonomy in Decision-Making
- Cultural Differences in the Workplace
Look for insights and updates on my LinkedIn feed throughout tomorrow, September 29th. I will also provide a more detailed update in the following newsletter.
Upcoming event, October 29th: Cambridge Consulate Event Reminder: Sustainable Business Solutions
Stay tuned! Later this week, we'll release the full agenda and invitation for the Sustainable Business Solutions event on Tuesday, October 29th, in Cambridge, MA. This in-person gathering will focus on sustainability, climate action, and healthcare expert speakers from New England and Finland. Keep an eye out for more details in this newsletter!
Upcoming event, October 31st: Mikko Hyppönen: The First Decade of Corporate Ransomware
Thursday, October 31, 2024, 12:00 - 1:00 pm, hosted by Harvard Kennedy School. Finnish tech entrepreneur and Chief Research Officer at WithSecure Mikko Hyppönen will discuss the first decade of corporate ransomware. The event is open to the public virtually, but an RSVP is required. Don't miss this opportunity to hear from a global cybersecurity expert!
Past Event September 19th: Built Environment in the Spotlight: Decarbonizing Buildings Across Finland and the U.S.
At the recent "Built Environment in the Spotlight: Decarbonizing Buildings Across Finland 🇫🇮 and the US 🇺🇸," hosted by the Consulate General, several vital insights were discussed. The session on smart buildings 🌆 underscored the profitability💰of retrofitting ⚙️ older buildings over new construction 🏗️, given the faster implementation timelines.
Building operators 👷♀️👷 were highlighted as pivotal in ensuring smart buildings 📱 achieve and maintain efficiency, but they often lack a seat at the table when systems are being designed. ‼️ An integrated and holistic approach to managing systems is crucial for efficiency.
Heating 🥵 and cooling 🪭 were identified as the primary hurdles in achieving net-zero emissions for housing and offices. However, one speaker noted that North America's most significant competitor for investing in intelligent buildings remains “doing nothing.”🥱😴 However, passivity is increasingly difficult in cities like New York 🍎pushing hard to become a more sustainable city in partnership with all its stakeholders.
Speakers also addressed the differences in mindset between the EU and the US regarding maintenance, engineering, and investment timelines, with the latter still focused on more immediate returns. 🔄
My favorite comment was the urge to move beyond the limits of our footprint 👣 and instead work on scaling impact through our handprint 🤲 as architects, building operators, or solutions providers, helping the masses reduce their footprint through better-built environments. 🏙
Consul General Jarmo Sareva's final remarks emphasized fostering environments that promote sustainability and happiness. He also shared a unique perspective on the potential economic value of heat recovery.
Education and Research
Cutting-edge research on the resilience and grit of Nordic Business Leaders was published in the September 2024 issue of the European Business Review. The international research team explored over 1600 Nordic public companies and how their strategies cope with extreme instability. In the video below, I discuss briefly the critical findings with Finnish-born and Boston-based Olli-Pekka Lumijärvi.
In the video, I am meeting with Olli-Pekka Lumijarvi to discuss their recent publication, Exploring the Success Strategies of Nordic Companies in a Period of Global Economic Instability. The article offers valuable insights into how Nordic companies navigate economic shocks and build resilience, even though they are generally somewhat less growth-driven than U.S. companies. Nordic leaders focus on long-term stability and sustainability, which are key to their success strategies.
Cultural Exchange and Public Diplomacy
Nordic honorary consular happiness and collegiality in New England with Ann-Kristin Lund and Tonje C Gulbrandsen. 🇸🇪🇳🇴🇫🇮 —Thanks, Harvard University, great to kick off the fall networking with a global reception for the Boston-area Consular Corps, Harvard faculty, and staff working on global and international issues. It's great to connect and reconnect with everyone. 🌏
Selected publications on Finland in US Media September 16-22:
- Politics and security: Bloomberg: EU Picks Tech Enforcer Who Helped Write Its Social-Media Rules
- Economy, business, and technology: 1. Bloomberg: ECB’s Rehn Says Easing Pace and Scope Depend on Fresh Data, 2. Wall Street Journal: Nokia Says German Court Ruled in its Favor Over Amazon Patent Dispute, 3. U.S.-related press releases by Finnish companies: Nokia, Wärtsilä and Chevron Shipping Company, Wärtsilä and Excelerate Energy
- Education, research, and environment: Forbes: 8 Programs On ESG To Watch At Climate Week NYC 2024 UN Global Compact Network Finland’s event featured, Consul General Sareva and Minister Tavio speaking
- Sports, culture, and travel: 1. Forbes: 91-Year-Old ‘Punk Grandfather’ Of Design Revives Postmodern Statement Piece The “Punk Grandfather” in the article is Finnish Yrjö Kukkapuro, 2. Forbes: 10 Best Countries For Solo Travel, According To New AnalysisFinland ranked nro 5, 3. Fox News: Aurora borealis lights up the evening sky in this stunning video filmed in Hailuoto, Finland.
Community Engagement
Yesterday, as Honorary Consul 🇫🇮🇺🇸, I had the pleasure of visiting the Uljas Koitto Temperance Society (UKTS) in Pembroke, Massachusetts, alongside the wonderful community from the Finnish School of New England.
Beyond discovering what is said to be New England’s finest traditional Finnish sauna, I was warmly welcomed by the members of UKTS and the Pembroke Historical Society. My heartfelt thanks to everyone who made a beautiful Saturday truly extraordinary! ❤️
Concluding Remarks
I hope you find the eighth issue of this newsletter insightful. Do you have any feedback or suggestions for content considering the above broad sections? The publishing date for my following newsletter is Sunday, November 3rd.
All the best,
HENRIK TOTTERMAN, D.Sc.
Honorary Consul of Finland to the City of Boston and the States of Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
The NEF—This newsletter is designed to build bridges between New England, Finland, and Scandinavia. It's the chart for our shared past, present, and future adventures. I created this newsletter based on popular demand among Finnish New Englanders, and I want to engage with you in trade, education, and cultural matters. This fourth edition marks a significant milestone. We are now a community of over 2400+ subscribers on Linkedin, with many more subscriptions to my email send-out and those following the blog. Share the link to this newsletter with anyone interested in building bridges between the Nordics and New England.
Selected Dates (for planning purposes):
- January: New Year's Day (Uudenvuodenpäivä): January 1.
- February: Shrove Tuesday (Laskiainen): February 13 (2024), Kalevala Day (Kalevala päivä): February 28th.
- March: Nordic Day (Nordens dag): March 23, Easter (Pääsiäinen) Mar 31 (2024).
- April-May: May Day (Vappu): April 30/May 1.
- June: Runon ja suven päivä (Day of Poetry and Summer): June 6, Helsinki Day (Helsingin päivä): June 12, Midsummer (Juhannus): weekend of June 24.
- July: Sleepyhead Day (Unikeonpäivä): July 27.
- August-September-October: Aleksis Kivi Day: October 10.
- November: All Saints' Day (Pyhäinpäivä): first Sat of November, Finnish Swedish Heritage Day (Ruotsalaisuuden päivä): November 6.
- December: Independence Day (Itsenäisyyspäivä): December 6, Jean Sibelius Day: December 8, Lucia Day: December 13, Christmas (Joulu): December 24.
