A few facts about Sweden

A few facts about Sweden

March 15, 2018

As we recently hired a new Intern from Sweden, we thought it would be a great opportunity to learn more about Sweden. In this blog post, Frida will tell some interesting facts about Sweden.

Gender Equality

Sweden has put a lot of effort into promoting gender equality over the years and is considered to be one of the countries with highest gender equality. Here are some reasons why. 

  • Sweden has 3 months of paternal leave, which is reserved for the dad - Today, men nearly take a quarter of all parental leave in Sweden. 
  • Sweden has one of the worlds highest representation of women in the parliament.
  • The pay gap between men and women exists, but is relatively small - In the Global Gender Gap Report for 2017, Sweden was ranked fifth in the world. 

Environment

  • More than half of Sweden's national energy supply comes from renewables.
  • Sweden focus on innovative sustainable solutions - Expenditure on R&D (Research and Development) represented 3.3% of GDP in 2013, the fourth highest percentage in the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development).
  • 99% of all household ways in Sweden are recycled in different ways.

Social Benefits and Work-Life Balance 

In Sweden, many social benefits are offered. However, everything has a price, Swedes pay a lot of taxes. Here are some of the social benefits that are offered.

  • School is free for children of age 6 to 19, including free lunches.
  • University is free for students from the EU.
  • Free healthcare - The healthcare system is mainly funded by the government. 
  • Sweden has 5 weeks of paid vacation every year - Vacation is viewed as a worker's right. 
  • Parents are offered 480 days of paid parental leave - Including job security when you return back to work.