Our strategy

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

Published:

01.05.2024

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. Committed 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 call for new knowledge. More than ever before, the future depends on excellent basic research that makes us better informed – about ourselves, each other and the world.

It provides us with hope and vigour and enables us to live up to our responsibility to coming generations. This is why the Carlsberg Foundation supports basic research. Since 1876, we have financed Danish research of an international calibre.

J.C. Jacobsen established Carlsberg out of a wish to brew beer of supreme quality.

He was successful in doing so partly because of the scientific breakthroughs of his age. Jacobsen’s ambition to develop beer of absolute perfection, without taking immediate gain into consideration, is closely connected to his fascination with the long-term effects and value of basic research. 

For this 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 oldest enterprise foundations in the world. We administer the ownership of Carlsberg with long-term perspectives in view.

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 of the world and forms potential for the future – also by examining the past.

We support free basic research, because the strongest research ideas come from the researchers themselves. It is their sense of wonder and enthusiastic zeal that pave the way and create breakthroughs. With a keen eye for diversity, we give grants to the best and the most promising researchers.

And we increase the interest in science and contribute to the public debate by mediating research-based insights of relevance for today and tomorrow.

Knowledge is the key to future solutions.Therefore we support knowledge for a better future.