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Jette Steen Knud­sen

Professor

Emner
Ansættelsesforhold Bæredygtighed Politik ESG Internationalisering Socialt ansvar

Primary research areas

The relationship between government regulation and corporate sustainability

I study how governments channel market pressures to strengthen—or at least not harm—social and environmental conditions. My research asks: how do governments design policies, and how do firms respond to them?

Government policies for corporate sustainability

One new project examines the growing divergence between US and EU regulation: EU Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) mandates vs. Trump 2.0’s DEI ban, EU Green Deal support for renewables vs. US rollbacks, and how multinationals navigate these conflicting frameworks.

Company CSR policies

Another stream of research examines the organization of company-level CSR activities. I also examine how supervisory boards manage sustainability challenges and opportunities.

ESG and impact on environmental performance

Do corporate governance mechanisms and ESG improve environmental performance and if so why/why not?

I seek to understand how governments can channel market pressures to strengthen - or at least not harm - social and environmental conditions in a highly globalized business environment.

BRIEF OVERVIEW OF MY SCHOLARSHIP   

I have written two scholarly books: Visible Hands:  Government Regulation of Corporate Social Responsibility in Global Business (Cambridge University Press with Jeremy Moon 2017); one in Danish (DJOEF Publishing with Torben Pedersen, Rikke Kolbech, Ole Kirkelund and Jacob Pyndt, Globalization Begins at Home, 2006)). 

I have also written 24 academic articles in the leading peer-reviewed business in society journals: Business Ethics Quarterly and  Journal of Business Ethics (in the Financial Times top 50 business school journal  rankings) and leading peer-reviewed comparative politics/public policy/comparative political economy journals such as British Journal of Industrial Relations, Journal of European Public Policy, Policy and Politics, Political Studies, Regulation and Governance, European Journal of Industrial Relations and Comparative Political Studies.  

I have edited two special issues inleading journals: Regulation and Governance and Journal of Management Studies (forthcoming). 

I have written 12 book chapters (peer-reviewed).  Four more chapters are forthcoming that focus on the role of government and corporate sustainability (including one with Cambridge University Press and one with Oxford University Press). 

Outside activities

CBS Executive, 2020–present

Teaching in the Foundation Board Program (on sustainability in the board room)

Baltic Management Education , 2024–present

Teaching in the Baltic Management Education Program (on sustainability in the board room)

SASE mini-conference, 2025–2026

Co-organizer: SASE mini-conference MC06: Organizations, Sustainability Backlash and the “War on Woke” (Bordeaux 1-3 July 2025)