Sweden's government has launched a dedicated crisis preparedness brochure for 130,000 companies and organizations, marking a significant shift in national security policy. The blue booklet, a corporate counterpart to the public's yellow 'If Crisis or War Comes' guide, will be distributed to all entities with more than five employees. This initiative, led by Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin, aims to strengthen the nation's economic resilience during prolonged emergencies.
"A strong business sector lays the foundation for robust supply preparedness," Minister Bohlin stated during the announcement at Rosenbad, the government offices. The move follows years of lobbying from business groups and represents a formalization of public-private partnership in civil defence. It signals a clear expectation from the Swedish government that the private sector must shoulder greater responsibility for national continuity.
Mikael Frisell, Director-General of the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), clarified the brochure's purpose. "This is not about a preparedness box," Frisell said. "It is more about how I, as a business owner, should prepare and think to maintain resilience over a longer period." The guidance moves beyond simple checklists, focusing instead on strategic planning for operations during severe disruptions.
A Strategic Response to Geopolitical Shifts
The corporate brochure release is not an isolated action but a component of Sweden's broader rearmament of civil society. Since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the Riksdag has approved substantial increases in defence and civil contingency budgets. This corporate guide operationalizes part of the government's 2023 total defence strategy, which explicitly names economic resilience as a core pillar. The policy shift treats business continuity as a matter of national security.
Jan-Olof Jacke, CEO of the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, welcomed the development. "I think this is an important step in what we have long requested in terms of governance or guidance," Jacke said. His presence at the government press conference underscored the collaborative nature of the project. Business organizations have argued that clear, state-provided frameworks are necessary for effective, coordinated preparedness across industries.
Content and Distribution of the Corporate Guide
The blue brochure provides structured advice for business leaders on maintaining operations during crises ranging from cyberattacks and sabotage to war. It covers continuity planning, supply chain security, personnel safety, and communication strategies. Distribution to 130,000 recipients represents one of the largest single mail-outs of government guidance to the private sector in recent history, managed by the MSB.
Targeting organizations with five or more employees ensures the information reaches a critical mass of Sweden's economic infrastructure. The focus is on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which often lack the dedicated risk management resources of large corporations. The guide is designed to be actionable for a factory owner in Västerås, a tech startup in Stockholm, or a municipal service provider in Malmö.
Integrating Business into Total Defence
This initiative fundamentally expands the concept of "total defence" (totalförsvar) in Sweden. Historically focused on military and civil defence sectors, the doctrine now formally incorporates economic defence (ekonomiskt försvar). The government's policy makes business preparedness a civic duty, akin to the public's responsibility to be informed. It creates a direct link between boardroom decisions and national security outcomes.
Analysts view this as a necessary adaptation to modern threats. "The distinction between civilian and military targets is blurred in hybrid warfare," noted one security policy expert familiar with the Riksdag's deliberations. "A targeted cyberattack on a power grid or a coordinated disruption of port logistics can cripple a nation as effectively as traditional military action. Preparing businesses is preparing the nation."
The brochure encourages companies to conduct vulnerability analyses, identify critical functions, and establish redundant systems. It advises on stockpiling essential supplies, securing IT infrastructure, and planning for prolonged disruptions to electricity, water, and digital communications. The guidance is principle-based, allowing adaptation to different business models and regional contexts across Sweden.
Historical Context and the Path Forward
Sweden's approach to civil preparedness has undergone a dramatic transformation. The comprehensive shelter programs and widespread public information campaigns of the Cold War were largely dismantled in the post-1991 era of perceived stability. The 2018 re-issue of the public crisis brochure, sent to all 4.8 million households, was the first major reversal of that trend. The corporate guide is the logical next phase, addressing the economic vulnerabilities exposed by recent global shocks.
The government's move has been met with broad parliamentary support, reflecting a rare consensus in Stockholm politics. While some on the left express concerns about overburdening small businesses, and some on the right question the level of prescribed guidance, the core principle of enhancing private sector resilience is uncontested. The debate now centers on implementation, potential support mechanisms, and whether preparedness measures should eventually tie into regulatory or tax frameworks.
Minister Bohlin's ministry has indicated this is an initial step. Future phases may involve more sector-specific guidelines, particularly for energy, transportation, finance, and food supply chains. The MSB is also developing digital tools and workshops to complement the printed brochure. Success will be measured by the depth of integration of these preparedness principles into standard corporate governance.
The New Normal for Swedish Enterprise
The distribution of 130,000 crisis guides establishes a new baseline for corporate responsibility in Sweden. It institutionalizes a mindset where planning for extreme scenarios becomes a standard part of operational management. For business leaders, the message from Rosenbad is clear: your company's survival is intertwined with Sweden's resilience.
This policy represents a significant shift in the social contract between the Swedish state and the business community. The state provides the framework, guidance, and overarching security strategy. In return, businesses are expected to invest time and resources in hardening their operations, thereby strengthening the nation's overall defensive and regenerative capacity. It is a shared burden model for an age of complex, persistent threats.
As the blue brochures arrive in mailboxes across the country from Kiruna to Ystad, they carry more than just advice. They symbolize a collective awakening to a more precarious world and a determined, methodical response. The ultimate test will come not in a press conference, but in the quiet decisions made by thousands of company directors to prioritize preparedness—decisions that could one day determine Sweden's ability to withstand a crisis and emerge intact.