Our strategy

The Carlsberg Foundation’s strategy and narrative for 2023-2027.

Published:

27.03.2024

The Carlsberg Foundation’s strategy builds on our charter and our objects and sets out key activities for the period through to 2027. The strategy also draws on our narrative “We support knowledge for a better future”, which presents the Carlsberg Foundation’s current purpose in the light of its unique history and identity.

Strategy for 2023-2027

In 2023, the Carlsberg Foundation drew up a strategy plotting the course for its development in the period 2023-2027. The strategy specifies a number of goals in the four strategic focus areas that will be given particular attention during the strategy period.

The Carlsberg Foundation’s strategy house 2023-2027 (click to enlarge)

Four strategic focus areas

  1. Philanthropy
  2. The Carlsberg Family*
  3. Engaged ownership
  4. Investments

For each of these four focus areas, action plans have been drawn up for the tactical and operational execution of the strategy with a view to realising its objectives.

Four strategic principles

  1. Quality
  2. Diversity
  3. Sustainability
  4. Communication

With the aspiration “We support knowledge for a better future”, the strategy defines four cross-cutting principles that are integrated into all of the Foundation’s action plans and activities.

Process and evaluation

Strategy is an ongoing process. Thus, the strategy will be evaluated, reviewed and updated each year, and in the final year the board of directors will begin developing a new strategy for the next five-year period.

* The Carlsberg Foundation, the New Carlsberg Foundation, the Tuborg Foundation, the Carlsberg Research Laboratory, Frederiksborg • Museum of National History, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek and Carlsberg Group.

Narrative

We support knowledge for a better future

New challenges necessitate new knowledge. More than ever, the future is reliant on outstanding basic research that gives us greater understanding – of ourselves, one another and the world. This gives us hope and the determination to act, as well as the possibility of fulfilling our responsibilities to future generations.

That is why the Carlsberg Foundation supports basic research. Since 1876, we have been funding Danish research of an international calibre.

J.C. Jacobsen founded Carlsberg out of a desire to brew beer of the very highest quality. He succeeded, thanks in part to the scientific breakthroughs of the day. Jacobsen’s ambition to develop the making of beer to the greatest possible degree of perfection without regard for immediate gain was closely connected to his fascination with the long-term impact and value of basic research.

For that reason, he bequeathed his brewery to the Carlsberg Foundation so that the profits could benefit society – and the future. A visionary idea that has created one of the world’s oldest industrial foundations. We manage the ownership of Carlsberg taking into consideration the long-term perspectives.

We support free basic research because the strongest research ideas come from the researchers themselves.
The Carlsberg Foundation's narrative

Basic research challenges our knowledge about the world and shapes future possibilities – including by investigating the past. We support free basic research because the strongest research ideas come from the researchers themselves.

It is their wonder and enthusiasm that pave new ways and create breakthroughs. With an eye on diversity, we award grants to the best and most promising researchers. And we increase interest in science and contribute to the public debate by communicating research-based insights with relevance for today and tomorrow.

Knowledge is the key to future solutions. The Carlsberg Foundation therefore supports knowledge for a better future.