The Future Is Nordic: What Swedish Culture Can Teach the Events Industry

What comes to mind when you think of Sweden? Clean, minimalist design, deep commitment to sustainability, high-trust society? Long summer evenings, icy winter mornings, and daily saunas? ABBA’s pop perfection?

Ask anyone the same question, and the answer tends to be similar: we have a perception of the Swedish nation as being measured, composed, and restrained. And this restraint is not perceived as coming from coldness but from a sense of self-control and respect for each other’s personal space or privacy that other cultures can only envy. A tendency to listen before speaking, and a preference for substance over spectacle is something we could all learn from.

At a time when the global events industry is gradually shifting away from excess and toward authentic connection, this feels increasingly welcome. The most effective meetings are those that are thoughtful, intelligent, and purposeful. One might say… distinctly Nordic. Which begs the question: what other facets of Swedish lifestyle should the wider MICE industry adopt?

Lagom: The Business Case for Balance

Few cultural ideas explain Sweden better than lagom. It can be translated as “not too much, not too little, just the right amount,” and is less a slogan than a way of operating. It embodies balance, moderation and fairness in all aspects of life: work, leisure, consumption, and behaviour. Lagom is as present in meeting rooms as it is at the dinner table.

Lagom shapes how Swedes work, meet, and make decisions. It results in meetings that are long enough to cover what matters, yet structured enough to avoid wasted time. It translates into MICE programmes designed with intention rather than overload. No unnecessary sessions. No forced entertainment. No excess for the sake of impression. Everything earns its place.

Fika: Time to Pause

Closely connected is fika, another uniquely Swedish concept that quietly influences business culture. Fika is not a coffee break in the usual sense. It is a pause designed for connection, an informal moment to step away from agendas, share conversation, and build trust. It is taken seriously enough to be unhurried, and informally enough to feel natural.

Fika typically involves coffee or tea and something small to eat, often pastries or cake (cinnamon buns are never a bad idea). These moments are built naturally into the working day and into meetings. By making space for informal conversation, Swedish workplaces encourage openness and collaboration, which often makes formal discussions more focused and inclusive.

Where Design Meets Discipline

Swedish design is often described as minimalist, because fundamentally it is driven by clarity and function. Objects, interiors, and systems are created to be intuitive, accessible, and durable, with unnecessary complexity deliberately removed. In Sweden, good design enhances the user’s experience; it serves a useful purpose.

This philosophy extends naturally into business, hospitality and event environments. Spaces are designed to work first and impress second. Wayfinding is clear. Rooms feel calm rather than overstimulating. Technology supports the meeting instead of competing with it. The focus stays where it belongs: on people and ideas.

How Balance Supports Ambition

There is also a misconception that calm, structured environments lack ambition. Stockholm offers a clear counterpoint. Over the past two decades, the city has developed into one of Europe’s most active startup and scale-up ecosystems, producing global companies such as Spotify, Klarna and iZettle. For a city of its size, its global success is striking.

This success has grown not from noise or disruption for its own sake, but from an environment that values clarity, long-term thinking and collaboration. For business events, this matters. Stockholm demonstrates how ideas can be developed, tested and scaled in settings that are measured rather than frenetic, making it a natural home for meetings focused on progress rather than performance.

Trust as Infrastructure

Sweden is often described as a high-trust society, but what does that mean in practice? There is generally strong trust between managers and employees, companies and institutions, and even among strangers. It is a form of invisible infrastructure that underpins daily life. This shapes meetings that feel calm, egalitarian, and efficient compared to many other business cultures.

Organisations have a famously flat hierarchy.. In meetings, every voice is heard and carries equal weight, regardless of title. Discussions tend to be structured, concise, and low in theatrics. Honesty and clarity are valued without tipping into confrontation.

Decisions may take time, but once made, they tend to hold. For international delegates, this creates an environment that feels calm, professional, and reliable. Logistics work. Schedules hold. Collaboration feels straightforward rather than performative. In other words, how the perfect MICE event should feel. 

Sheraton Stockholm – Designed for Meetings

One hotel that clearly expresses Nordic philosophy in practice is the Sheraton Stockholm, our host partner for the upcoming M&I Flagship Stockholm. Set on the edge of Lake Mälaren, with City Hall as its constant point of reference, Sheraton Stockholm draws calm and perspective from its surroundings. Water, light, and space are not simply decorative here, they are integral. Sunshine, open views, and a strong sense of place shape an environment where participants can think clearly, engage fully, and feel at ease.