Swedes Launch MR Charity Fund

Swedish researchers have started a fund to assist market researchers in poor countries, at the country's Market Research Day in Stockholm.

According to its founders, the 'Lonbono fund' is particularly geared towards paying for training and conference attendance for those in the 'large parts of the world [where] education and inspiration is virtually inaccesible outside your own company'. This includes countries with very unfavourable exchange rates, situated far away from cities where courses and conferences are being arranged.

'Most of all' says organiser Henrik Hall, 'we would like to help young researchers who have yet not set foot outside their own country and have not received any professional training in market research outside the company they work for.'

According to Hall, 'The Swedish Market Research Day has decided to stretch out a hand to our less fortunate brothers and sisters in poorer countries. The money that we should have spent on presents to our speakers will be set aside for the Lonbono fund.' Acknowledging that this initial contribution of EUR 1,000 will not change the world as it stands, the organisers express the hope that other conference arrangers, companies and business groups in the industry would follow suit, and note that the Danish Market Research Day has already committed to following the example.

'Our dream' concludes Hall 'is of course that also the MRS, ESOMAR, Research&Results and other major players will forgo part of their profit for this good cause.'

Today's Swedish event hosted more than 250 delegates from 130 companies and for the first time featured a full program of presentations in English 'for non-Swedish visitors'. Web site: www.smrn.org .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.