Robert G. Strand

My research examines how democratic capitalism can support freedom, shared prosperity, and sustainability. I compare Nordic and American capitalisms to show how different systems shape outcomes for people and for the planet. I study why Nordic countries lead global sustainability and well-being rankings and why Nordic companies often score at the top of stakeholder and sustainability performance, while also critiquing Nordic societies given no version of capitalism currently operates within planetary boundaries. 

I assess company-level best practices and the conditions that support responsible leadership in practice. I draw on real cases and personal experience to identify lessons from the Nordic context that help business leaders, policymakers, and students rethink how capitalism works. 

I am Associate Professor at Copenhagen Business School, the founding Executive Director of the Nordic Center at UC Berkeley, and Executive Director of the Center for Responsible Business at Berkeley Haas. My goal is to support practical progress toward sustainable capitalism while building bridges between the Nordics and the U.S., and the Nordics and California more specifically.