Business Forum

The forum is based on a solid knowledge base and clear ambitions to promote sustainable development and value creation in the local community.

Here are the dates for the 2026 business forum:

Thursday, January 29, 8:30–9:45 a.m. (Newtontoppen)
Tuesday, May 5, 8:30–9:45 a.m. (Newtontoppen)
Tuesday, September 3, 8:30–9:45 a.m. (Newtontoppen)
Thursday, November 5, 8:30–9:45 a.m. (Newtontoppen)

The agenda for the meetings will be published on our website and in our calendar one week before the meetings.

Background

The Longyearbyen Business Forum has been established as a central arena for dialogue, cooperation, and development between the business community and the Longyearbyen Local Council. The forum's ambitions and goals are based on experiences from regional policy restructuring programs, where the knowledge base points to the need for such a meeting place. See the report on business-friendly Longyearbyen Local Council (2022).

With the meeting plan for 2026, we want to facilitate constructive processes that strengthen the role of business in Longyearbyen and contribute to sustainable development in the local community.

Political goals

• Longyearbyen Local Council shall be perceived as a professional development partner for the business community in Longyearbyen.

• Longyearbyen Local Council's goal is for business friendliness to be measured at an average of >4 in the total score from the business community. This is an increase from 2.45 on a scale of 1-6, where 6 is the best (measured in 2023).

• Transparency and trust between committees (the local council and the technical, environmental, and business committee), the Longyearbyen local council organization, and the business community in decisions concerning the business community in Longyearbyen.

• The business community in Longyearbyen should not stimulate growth in the number of inhabitants, but growth can certainly take place in terms of quality and turnover.

• The interests and needs of the business community are regularly brought up for discussion in political committees, and the parties focus on solving problems and challenges together.