Key Insights - 2021

KEY INSIGHTS 2021

IMPACT BEFORE

INCOME? FOCUS

YEAR ANNIVERSARY

LEADERS OF TODAY CONNECTING WITH LEADERS OF TOMORROW

WELCOME TO AARHUS SYMPOSIUM FOCUS 2021 WHAT IS AARHUS SYMPOSIUM FOCUS? YOUR CHANCE TO ENGAGE IN A DISCUSSION WITH FOUR COMPETENT SPEAKERS ABOUT THE TRADE-OFFS OF PUTTING IMPACT BEFORE INCOME

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DATE AND TIME MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2021 14:45 - 20:00

LOCATION THE S-BUILDING, FUGLESANGS ALLÉ 4, AARHUS

TICKET BRING THE QR CODE YOU RECEIVED BY EMAIL AS YOUR TICKET

FOCUS 2 AARHUS SYMPOSIUM

YEAR ANNIVERSARY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

04

THE PROGRAMME

05

THIS YEAR’S THEME

06

INFOGRAPHICS

08

PRESENTING THE SPEAKERS

12

QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKERS

14

PRESENTING THE MODERATOR

15

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

ACCESS KEY INSIGHTS ONLINE HERE

AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 3

THE PROGRAMME OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM FOCUS 2021

14:45

ARRIVAL AND CHECK-IN

WELCOME TO AARHUS SYMPOSIUM FOCUS 2021

16:30

A THEORETICAL VIEW

WITH SIMON RICHARD NIELSEN AND PHILIPP SCHRÖDER

BALANCING IMPACT AND INCOME

WITH TORBEN M. ANDERSEN AND RASMUS NØRGAARD

17:30

WITH ALL FOUR SPEAKERS

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17:00

BREAK WITH REFRESHMENTS

IMPACT BEFORE INCOME?

19:00

16:15

A BITE TO EAT AND NETWORKING

18:00

IMPACT BEFORE INCOME? THE THEME OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM FOCUS 2021 ”There is one and only one social responsibility of businesses – to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits...”

These are the infamous words which Milton Friedman wrote in 1962 when he stressed profit maximisation as the sole purpose of a company. Since then, many companies have broadened the scope of their responsibilities as demand for soft values has grown ever higher.

Today, perspectives that lie beyond pure profit maximisation have given rise to new, creative ways of measuring business performance such as carbon footprints and employee attachment. When companies shift their objective from mere profits to a broader goal, they can gain from better reputation, an increase in employee satisfaction, and active engagement with

FOCUS

other stakeholders. Hence, engaging in activities with the ambition to change the world for the better can give rise to an immense value creation besides that of profit.

Seeking impact or profit can seem like a trade-off. A traditional conflict emerges between profitand value-based business: the conflict between stakeholders and shareholders. Leaders therefore find themselves in a dilemma where they must choose between impact and income or take a risk combining the two.

At Aarhus Symposium Focus 2021, we invite you to join the discussion on impact investment and its difficulties.

Should leaders of today seek out impact-driven strategies or maintain a focus upon profit? Is there a way to unite the two, and if so, how?

YEAR ANNIVERSARY

AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 5

INFOGRAPHICS ENVIRONMENT

GOVERNANCE

SOME KEY ISSUES INCLUDE:

CLIMATE CHANGE

SOME KEY ISSUES INCLUDE:

POLLUTION & WASTE

ENVIRONMENT OPPORTUNITIES

BUSINESS ETHICS

SOCIAL

SOME KEY ISSUES INCLUDE:

HUMAN CAPITAL

CORPORATE BEHAVIOR

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

STAKEHOLDER OPPOSITION

SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES

ESG RATING

Just 100 companies have been the source of more than 70% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions since 1988.1

Of the 16 largest companies in the world only three are market leaders in managing the most significant ESG risks and opportunities.2

Riley, T., 2017, Just 100 companies responsible for 71% of global emissions, study says, The Guardian (Online, Accessed October, 2021) Morgan Stanley Capital International, 2021, ESG Ratings Corporate Search Tool, Morgan Stanley Capital International (Online, Accessed October, 2021) 1 2

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SHAREHOLDER MAXIMISER

CORPORATE CONTRIBUTOR Integrating social impact in the strategy across the business, and utilising it to expand on new markets

Maximising short term shareholder value and mitigating risk

SOCIAL IMPACT PRIORITY

SOCIAL IMPACT PRIORITY

STRENGTH Maximises financial returns to shareholders WEAKNESS Risks “blind spots” due to narrow stakeholder considerations

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2

STRENGTH Enhances brand value with key stakeholders WEAKNESS Impact strategy lacks focus and is reactive to changing external pressures

THE FOUR SOCIAL IMPACT ARCHETYPES3

IMPACT INTEGRATOR

SOCIAL INNOVATOR

Placing impact as the focal point of business strategy and exhibiting social preferences internally

Integrating external impact on key stakeholders in the strategic decision making

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SOCIAL IMPACT PRIORITY

SOCIAL IMPACT PRIORITY

STRENGTH Innovates and disrupts by building new socially conscious markets

STRENGTH Drives new business opportunities by integrating social impact across the corporate ladder

WEAKNESS May be difficult to run efficiently and measure social value creation

WEAKNESS Social impact metrics complicate business success metrics

GREEN LIT

STOCK MARKET INDICES, JANUARY 1, 2020 = 100 300 THE ECONOMIST GREEN INDEX* EQUALLY WEIGHTED

250 200

WEIGHTED BY MARKET CAPITALISATION

150 100 S&P 500

By compiling an index of the 105 most popular companies within clean energy investment funds, The Economist has found that investments in clean energy far outperform the S&P 500 index.

However, when correcting for market capitalisation, the gains decrease.4

50 0

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

*Based on the companies that are most widely held by 105 clean energy investment funds.

3 Mennel, J., 2020, Driving corporate growth through social impact, Deloitte (Online, Accessed October, 2021) 4 The Economist, 2021, A green bubble? We dissect the investment boom, The Economist (Online, Accessed October, 2021)

AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 7

PHILIPP SCHRÖDER PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS, AARHUS UNIVERSITY DIRECTOR, FIND RESEARCH CENTRE

SESSION A THEORETICAL VIEW

1994 - 1997

1997 - 1998

2013 - 2019

2007 - TODAY

2018 - TODAY

2019 - TODAY

PHD IN ECONOMICS, AARHUS UNIVERSITY

CONSULTANT, MCKINSEY & COMPANY

DIRECTOR, THE TUBORG RESEARCH CENTRE FOR GLOBALISATION AND FIRMS

PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS, AARHUS UNIVERSITY

DIRECTOR, FIND RESEARCH CENTRE

MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, DANMARKS NATIONALBANK

PHILIPP SCHRÖDER...

FIND RESEARCH CENTRE...

Is a board member of the Danish Recovery Fund and the Danish Competition and Consumer Authority

Consists of a strong international research team based at Aarhus University

Was a member of the Danish government’s economic COVID-19 expert group and the previous government’s Disruption Council 2017-2019 which advised on how Denmark can profit from technological developments

Is backed by a six-year grant from the Carlsberg Foundation

Is currently a member of the government’s Reform Commission which develops and identifies novel second generation economic reforms

Is a project which aims to examine how robots, disruption, and globalisation affect companies, employees, and society

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SIMON RICHARD NIELSEN EDITOR IN CHIEF, EUROINVESTOR

SESSION A THEORETICAL VIEW

1997 - 2006

2000 - 2009

2009 - 2016

2016 - 2019

2019 - 2020

2020 - TODAY

MSC IN ECONOMICS, UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN

FINANCIAL EDITOR, DAGBLADET BØRSEN

PARTNER, CAPITAL RELATIONS

TV HOST, TV 2 NEWS

INSIGHT EDITOR, FINANSWATCH

EDITOR IN CHIEF, EUROINVESTOR

SIMON RICHARD NIELSEN…

EUROINVESTOR…

Is a commentator on ”Business Class”, a TV magazine on TV 2 News

Is the leading independent financial media for investors in Denmark

Is very passionate about the financial markets and highly active in the public debate on this subject

Publishes the podcasts “Penge er noget, vi taler om”, ”Aktieskolen”, and the flagship “Millionærklubben”

Is known for the quote: “First, man invented financial markets, then came prosperity”

Has been a part of Berlingske Media since 2018 and provides news, commentaries, and analysis about financial markets

AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 9

TORBEN M. ANDERSEN CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ATP PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS, AARHUS UNIVERSITY

SESSION BALANCING IMPACT AND INCOME

1984 - 1986

1984 - 1985

1985 - 1986

1989 - TODAY

2018 - TODAY

PHD CORE, UNIVERSITÉ CATHOLIQUE, LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS, AARHUS UNIVERSITY

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS, AARHUS UNIVERSITY

PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS, AARHUS UNIVERSITY

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ATP

TORBEN M. ANDERSEN…

ATP…

Has written numerous scientific in fields such as labour economics, macroeconomics, and globalisation

Invests pension funds for more than five million Danish citizens

Holds editing roles in seven different economics journals

Delivers essential welfare benefits such as holiday pay and rent subsidies

Serves as chairman of the European Economic Advisory Board and is a former chairman of the Danish Economic Council

Manages more than 26 subsidiary firms in private equity and real estate among others

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RASMUS NØRGAARD FOUNDER, HOME.EARTH

SESSION BALANCING IMPACT AND INCOME

1991 - 1997

1996 - 1998

1999 - 2001

2002 - 2005

2005 - TODAY

2021 - TODAY

MSC IN ECONOMICS & FINANCE, UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN

SALES MANAGER, NORDEA MARKETS

CONSULTANT, MCKINSEY & COMPANY

HEAD OF INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE, NORDEA REAL ESTATE

CO-FOUNDER & PARTNER, NREP

FOUNDER, HOME.EARTH

RASMUS NØRGAARD...

HOME.EARTH...

Has founded multiple successful real estate platforms with customer centricity and sustainability at their centre

Has a diverse team of experts in various fields from real estate, sustainability, technology, and impact investing

Served as CIO of NREP for more than a decade with responsibility for investment, asset management, and business development

Has a stated goal of doing “Homes that are people and planet positive”

Believes that we need diverse, healthy, and inclusive neighbourhoods for everyone to thrive in the urban landscape

Will construct their first project “Nærheden” in 2022

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QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKERS WHY, IF AT ALL, SHOULD COMPANIES FOCUS UPON IMPACT?

TORBEN M. ANDERSEN For investors with a long time horizon, impact is of great importance to future profits. It is, however, important to remain profitable.

PHILIPP SCHRÖDER The crucial factor to consider is the time horizon of a business. Impact investment and impact based business models involves greater risks and potential delays that are incompatible with traditional, short sighted ownership structure. In contrast, if the company’s ultimate owners have the luxury – and the deep pocket - of a long run approach, the benefits of purpose-driven business can be harvested. The Danish “fondsejet” model is a potential example of the latter.

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SIMON RICHARD NIELSEN Impact and ESG has become an integral part of running any kind of business. Impact has gone from nice to have to need to have. It is expected by customers, clients, politicians, and employees.

RASMUS NØRGAARD Shareholder capitalism has proven that it does not work in terms of enabling an inclusive and sustainable society. Faced with the climate crisis, rising inequality and rapid population growth, we need to implement a responsible and market-based model that incorporates all stakeholder needs. Impact is in my mind an expression of such a model, and only by acting responsibly towards all stakeholders will companies be relevant in the long-term in my opinion.

AGREE

FOCUSING ON IMPACT CONTRIBUTES TO INCREASING PROFITS

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2

9 8 7

1 4

6

1

2

3

4

5 4 3 2

3

1 DISAGREE

1 DISAGREE

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

AGREE

THE SOLE PURPOSE OF A COMPANY IS TO INCREASE PROFITS

WHICH POSSIBLE RISKS EXIST WHEN FOCUSING ON IMPACT?

TORBEN M. ANDERSEN Impact-driven strategies cannot guarantee high profits. In the end, it is still necessary to deliver a positive return.

PHILIPP SCHRÖDER Two factors constitute pressing risks for purpose-driven companies. Firstly, companies risk that their strategy does not realise its pay-off while the company is in business.

In particular, start-ups have a high exit rate.

Secondly, impact-driven strategies have yet to prove that they are capable of making a profit. In essence we risk that companies take on an unnecessary responsibility, that ought to be shouldered by consumers. Impact based earning models need to pass the test of consumer preferences. The market place is heartless judge.

SIMON RICHARD NIELSEN The risk is if you get your impact and ESG targets wrong or miss your targets. Identity politics and woke movement are the new fields of land mines for corporations.

RASMUS NØRGAARD Companies that focus on impact need to have a long-term mindset, operating model, capital structure, as well as a strong set of values. If this is in place, I think a stakeholder focused impact model is rather reducing risks than enhancing risks. Companies that operate with a short-term mindset or where the capital structure is not aligned with the purpose of the companies are likely to fail.

AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 13

PRESENTING THE MODERATOR ULRIK HAAGERUP

CEO & FOUNDER, CONSTRUCTIVE INSTITUTE

“

Attending Aarhus Symposium is an injection of hope in the future. This student-initiated mega event is well thought out, highly energetic, and so planned in every detail that we older people walk away thinking: “They will take over. Thank God!”

1994 - 2002

2002 - 2007

2007 - 2017

2017 - TODAY

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, JYLLANDS-POSTEN

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, NORDJYSKE MEDIER

HEAD OF NEWS, DANMARKS RADIO

CEO & FOUNDER, CONSTRUCTIVE INSTITUTE

ULRIK HAAGERUP...

CONSTRUCTIVE INSTITUTE…

Was awarded the finest Danish journalism prize, The Cavling Award, in 1990 along with two colleagues for uncovering a series of overindebtedness cases involving several Danish mortgage institutions

Was founded in 2012 and works in close collaboration with Aarhus University

Is the author of “A Good Idea - Did You Get It?” (2005) and “Constructive News” (2014) Was bestowed the Order of the Dannebrog in 2012 for his extensive work in journalism and media

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Focuses on constructive journalism by emphasising the importance of accurate and balanced reporting in response to increasing sensationalism Helps journalists apply constructive reporting by providing access to a best practices portal, a fellowship programme, training curricula, and initiating academic research

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