CBS appoints top researcher to new professorship in corporate sustainability

CBS can look forward to a significant strengthening of its research, teaching and outreach programmes within sustainability. With the appointment of Professor Jeremy Moon in the new position as “VELUX Professor of Corporate Sustainability”, CBS is gaining a top researcher who for many years has garnered global recognition for his pioneering research, award-winning teaching, and his influential collaboration with companies and politicians.

- I am proud that CBS can attract such a strong international capacity. The VILLUM FOUNDATION’S generous donation has made it possible for CBS to attract one of the world’s leading researchers within an area that has great strategic significance for CBS and for Denmark and Danish competitiveness says CBS President, Per Holten-Andersen.

Jeremy Moon comes from a position as a professor at Nottingham University Business School in England, and for the past 10 years he has been a significant force within research and education on sustainability as director of one of Europe’s largest research centres within sustainability. Moon’s research encompasses both a socio-economic and a micro-orientated perspective on the management of sustainability, and his work has influenced both politicians and managing directors.

- This is a great opportunity for sustainability at CBS. The appointment of Professor Jeremy Moon is a milestone that will strengthen CBS’ strategic focus on sustainability and corporate social responsibility, says Professor Mette Morsing, co-head of CBS Sustainability Platform.

Jeremy Moon has over many years closely collaborated with the CSR and sustainability research environments at CBS. When the attractive offer as VELUX Professor in Corporate Sustainability came, it didn’t take long to decide to accept it.

- I’m really looking forward to taking up the VELUX professorship in Corporate Sustainability, and I am particularly looking forward to further developing my collaboration with colleagues at CBS and focusing on sustainability from a Scandinavian business school. I am pleased that the VILLUM FOUNDATION has chosen to support the research agenda, which is about focussing on how companies contribute socially and environmentally to the development of our society, says Professor Jeremy Moon.

The appointment enables CBS to strengthen a strong cross-disciplinary research agenda that not only extends the scope of business school research and education on sustainability, but also contributes to Danish companies and Danish society as a whole.

- The VILLUM FOUNDATION’S grant for the new professorship was awarded after a long and fruitful dialogue with CBS and it is grounded in the foundation’s programme for environment and sustainability. We have high expectations that CBS, with the choice of Jeremy Moon as VELUX Professor of Corporate Sustainability, will with great impact be able to utilise and build on the strong interest in sustainable business models found extensively among CBS students and thereby strengthen the development of a sustainable business community, says Kjeld Juel Petersen, Executive Director, the VILLUM FOUNDATION.

With the grant from the VILLUM FOUNDATION of 15 million DKK, Jeremy Moon will be permanently employed as VELUX Professor of Corporate Sustainability at CBS from 1 May 2014. In addition, the professorship allows for funds for two post-doctoral fellows and a PhD position.

The VILLUM FOUNDATION is a non-profit foundation created by Villum Kann Rasmussen. The foundation is the principal shareholder of VKR Holding, the parent company of VELUX A/S and other companies in the VKR Group, whose mission it is to bring daylight, fresh air and a better environment into people’s everyday lives. In 2013, the VILLUM FOUNDATION awarded 942 million DKK to non-profit purposes.

Further information contact Professor Mette Morsing, CBS, mm.ikl@cbs.dk, telephone: 3815 3205 or Executive Director for the VILLUM FOUNDATION, Kjeld Juel Petersen, VELUX Foundations’ Secretariat, telephone: 39 57 09 95