Digital Collaboration in the Nordic Public Sector: Key insights from industry experts

Today, public sector collaboration isn’t just about staying connected, it’s about staying compliant. In this context, the Nordic public sector is undergoing a pivotal shift. 

Legacy systems are sunsetting, compliance requirements are evolving, and geopolitical risks are making data sovereignty a priority. The need for secure, compliant collaboration has never been greater.

In our recent webinar, industry experts from Rocket.Chat, Pexip, and Collaboard explored what this shift means for the public sector collaboration. 

Their message was clear: public sector organizations need a secure, modern and reliable communication infrastructure; one that not only meets legal mandates, but also gives full control over data and operations.

Here are some highlights from the webinar that every public sector leader should know.

Compliance is a commitment, not a formality

Compliance isn’t just a box to check, it’s a responsibility. Sensitive citizen data must remain within EU borders. 

Sweden’s eSAM project reflects this shift which is pushing public sector organizations away from Big Tech to reduce reliance on foreign cloud providers. Because, the risks of non-compliance isn’t just a legal issue, but also a financial liability.

Regulations like GDPR and NIS2 safeguard data sovereignty, but they keep evolving.

• The Schrems II ruling invalidated Privacy Shield. 
• Its replacement, the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, is already under scrutiny. 

Relying on foreign cloud providers means trusting rules that could change overnight.

The takeaway: Self-hosted solutions are the safest bet in a constantly evolving regulatory landscape.

Public sector organizations need self-hosted collaboration platforms that are built to handle classified information and to ensure data sovereignty, both today and in the future. 

Why self-hosting is the answer? 

Self-hosting puts you in control. 

It ensures your data stays within your jurisdiction, protected from shifting regulations and third-party policies. 

Unlike foreign cloud providers, which introduce uncertainty around data handling and compliance, a self-hosted solution guarantees security, customization, and operational sovereignty, on your terms.

The end of legacy systems and rise of shadow IT

Skype for Business is shutting down, and public sector organizations need a secure, compliant alternative before it’s too late. But not just any cloud solution will do. 

Compliance barriers and data sovereignty concerns rule out many options, leaving organizations searching for an EU-compliant platform they can trust.

Without an approved solution, employees turn to unauthorized apps just to get work done which opens the door to security vulnerabilities, data leaks, and compliance risks. The longer organizations delay a transition, the bigger this problem gets.

The takeaway: Public sector leaders must unify communications with a secure, integrated platform. 

The right solution meets legal mandates, eliminates shadow IT, and supports all your communication needs like messaging, whiteboarding, and video calls.

A purpose-built partnership for the public sector 

Rocket.Chat, Pexip, and Collaboard have joined forces to deliver a fully integrated, self-hosted collaboration suite designed for Nordic public sector organizations.

Data sovereignty: With GDPR and NIS2 enforcing stricter compliance, organizations must maintain full control over their data or face significant risks. Relying on foreign cloud providers is a gamble. Our self-hosted suite ensures your data stays within EU borders, protected against evolving regulations. 

Unified, secure communications: Bring messaging, video conferencing, and whiteboarding under one secure platform. No more scattered tools, lost information, or inefficient workflows. With everything seamlessly connected, your teams make faster decisions, improve service delivery, and protect data. 

Fully customizable: Unlike rigid, one-size-fits-all solutions, our platform adapts to your operational structure, security policies, and interagency workflows. Whether integrating with existing IT infrastructure or enforcing compliance rules, you retain full control over how the platform evolves to meet your needs.

Why a Swedish Government Agency trusted our partnership to transition 7,000+ users from Skype for Business Server

A leading government agency in Sweden faced an urgent crisis. 

• With Skype for Business Server shutting down, they needed a legally safe alternative that met strict sovereignty laws. 
• Microsoft Teams was off the table because it couldn’t be self-hosted, putting sensitive government data at risk. 

Without a self-hosted, EU-compliant solution, they risked violating regulations, losing control over classified communications, disrupting critical public services and operations. 

They selected the Rocket.Chat, Pexip, and Collaboard suite to comply with data protection laws, safeguard classified information, empower teams with modern collaboration tools, and enhance public service delivery.

The solution

• By self-hosting our platform, the agency ensured full control over sensitive government data to reduce reliance on non-EU cloud providers and maintain compliance with strict data protection laws.
  
  
• By unifying messaging, video, and whiteboarding in a single platform, the agency gained a single source of truth to accelerate decision-making, reduce shadow IT risks, and eliminate communication silos.
  
  
• By deploying a modern collaboration suite, the agency enabled encrypted messaging, file sharing, and secure voice and video calls, ensuring uninterrupted operations and enabling teams to work efficiently.

The impact

With this transition, 7,000+ employees of this agency can securely collaborate, keep operations running smoothly, and ensure critical services remain uninterrupted.

Unified, secure collaboration in action 

During our live demo, Marouan Bentaleb - Solution Engineer at Rocket.Chat, showcased a real-world scenario: planning an intergovernmental celebration between Denmark and Greenland. 

• Teams used Rocket.Chat for messaging to align and coordinate logistics,
• Pexip for video calls to discuss plans and make informed decisions, and
• Collaboard for whiteboarding to visualize and refine details. 

They could do all this within a secure, integrated platform without juggling multiple disconnected tools or worrying about exposing sensitive information.

👉 Watch the demo on demand here!

Next steps

Nordic governments need a locally compliant alternative to foreign cloud solutions, and the partnership delivers exactly that. With our self-hosted, unified collaboration suite, you are in control. 

If your organization is navigating the transition from legacy systems and grappling with compliance challenges, reach out to us and we’ll help you. 

Missed the webinar? Watch the full recording here or connect with our team to discuss secure collaboration for your agency.