SNS – Center for Business and Policy Studies

SNS – Center for Business and Policy Studies (Swedish: Studieförbundet Näringsliv och Samhälle) is a Swedish non-profit policy research institute and meeting place founded in 1948. Despite its name, it is not a public-facing study association in the folkbildning tradition; it is an independent research organisation that aims to produce "knowledge for better decisions" and to serve as a forum for exchange between business, political decision-makers, the public sector and academia. It is headquartered in Stockholm with a staff of around thirty, many of whom have research backgrounds. The organisation has around 290 organisational members, including companies, government agencies, municipalities, regions, employer and industry organisations, and trade unions. Its activities include research projects, seminars, conferences and training. SNS is funded by membership fees, research grants from research foundations, and participant fees for conferences and training. In 2025, 53% of funding came from membership fees, 29% from research grants and 19% from participant fees. SNS is governed by a board appointed by a trust council (förtroenderåd) of nearly 200 members from business, academia and public administration. A managing director leads day-to-day operations. The organisation also has a local group, SNS Skåne, based in Malmö. Its research is guided by a scientific council of professors from Swedish universities. Notable recurring projects include the Economic Council (Konjunkturrådet), established in 1974, and the Democracy Council (Demokratirådet), established in 1995. SNS also organises the annual Tylösand Conference, closed to media, and awards the SNS Prize to younger researchers, established in 2023.

SNS was founded in 1948 by three business figures: Tore Browaldh, Axel Iveroth and Lars-Erik Thunholm. The main financier was Näringslivets fond (the Business Foundation). A background to its formation was the so-called planned economy debate that raged in Sweden in the second half of the 1940s. The Social Democratic finance minister Ernst Wigforss had presented a post-war programme in 27 points, and its planned-economy orientation provoked strong opposition among many leading business representatives, who among other things formed Näringslivets Information in 1945 to advocate their cause, which also led to a sharpening of tone between big business and Social Democracy. The founders of SNS, by contrast, aimed to achieve dialogue rather than confrontation with politicians and advocates of planned economy, in order to foster understanding of the business perspective. Their model for SNS was the Committee for Economic Development in the United States. Jan Wallander became the first head of research, and in 1951 he became SNS's managing director. This orientation towards seeking consensus solutions persisted at SNS even during the wage-earner fund debate in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Under its then director Bengt Rydén, SNS took a much more conciliatory stance towards the Social Democrats' proposals than other business-related organisations such as the Federation of Swedish Industries and the Swedish Employers' Confederation (SAF), and SNS and Rydén therefore became subject to some criticism within business leadership circles. In 2011, the then head of research Laura Hartman left her post at SNS after being prevented by managing director Anders Vredin from participating in the debate about the SNS report Konkurrensens konsekvenser (The Consequences of Competition), which Hartman had edited. The report concluded among other things that there was "a remarkable lack of scientifically based knowledge about the effects of competition in the welfare sector" and that it was not possible to conclude that exposure to competition had increased efficiency. The political scientist Olof Petersson resigned from SNS in protest against the treatment of Hartman. SNS was initially financed by Näringslivets fond, but today it is financed by membership fees from organisational members, research grants from research foundations, and participant fees for conferences and training. In 2025, funding consisted of 53% membership fees, 29% research grants and 19% participant fees. SNS is led by a managing director appointed by the board and responsible for day-to-day operations. The board is in turn appointed by the SNS trust council, which is the highest decision-making body and consists of nearly 200 members (2025) from business, academia and public administration. Board members are elected for a one-year term and the board meets four times a year. In addition to its central activities, SNS has a local group, SNS Skåne (Malmö). The local group is led by its own board and creates programmes linked to SNS research and report publications mixed with current social issues at regional and local level. SNS coordinates funding and runs research projects on various social issues. The projects result in research reports published on the organisation's website. To ensure research quality and academic freedom, SNS has established a scientific council consisting of professors at various Swedish universities. The council's tasks include evaluating research projects and advising on SNS's long-term direction. Among SNS's most noted projects is the Economic Council (Konjunkturrådet), which since 1974 has published an annual report on its view of the Swedish economy and gives recommendations for economic policy. In 1995, the Democracy Council (Demokratirådet) was also instituted as a political-science counterpart to the Economic Council. In addition to research, SNS organises seminars and training. Since 1948, the Tylösand Conference has been held, connecting researchers, business and politicians. The conference is closed to media. Until 2013, the organisation had an extensive publishing operation for course literature. In 2013 this was sold to Studentlitteratur. SNS Förlag is still used to publish the research reports in printed format. The SNS Prize is awarded to younger researchers who combine scientific rigour with strong social engagement. They are rewarded for their ability to communicate their research broadly and especially to reach those who can make practical use of it. The prize was established in 2023 to celebrate SNS's 75th anniversary and is awarded every other year. Winners: 2023: Johanna Rickne; 2025: Sara Landström.

• 2025

  SNS Prize awarded to Sara Landström; funding composition: 53% membership fees, 29% research grants, 19% participant fees.

• 2023

  SNS Prize established to celebrate SNS's 75th anniversary; first awarded to Johanna Rickne.

• 2013

  SNS sells its course literature publishing operation to Studentlitteratur; SNS Förlag continues for research reports.

• 2011

  Laura Hartman leaves as head of research after being prevented from debating the SNS report Konkurrensens konsekvenser; Olof Petersson resigns in protest.

• 1995

  Demokratirådet (Democracy Council) instituted as a political-science counterpart to the Economic Council.

• 1974

  Konjunkturrådet (Economic Council) established, publishing annual reports on the Swedish economy.

• 1951

  Jan Wallander becomes managing director (first head of research from founding).

• 1948

  SNS founded by Tore Browaldh, Axel Iveroth and Lars-Erik Thunholm; main financier Näringslivets fond.

Independent, non-profit policy research institute and meeting place for business, government, academia and politics; free from political parties and interest organisations.

• Research reports

  Published on SNS website and in print via SNS Förlag.

• Konjunkturrådet annual report

  Annual report on the Swedish economy with policy recommendations, since 1974.

• Demokratirådet reports

  Political-science counterpart to the Economic Council, since 1995.

• Seminars and conferences

  Including the annual Tylösand Conference (closed to media).

• Training programmes

  Participant-fee-based training.

1. 1Hem - SNSsns.se
2. 2SNS – Center for Business and Policy Studieswikidata.org
3. 3Studieförbundet Näringsliv och Samhällesv.wikipedia.org