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Case Study

Running a profitable, growing and sustainable business: Novo Nordisk (A)

By Robert Hooijberg, Stefan Björk and Vernon Jennings

4 pages

June 2005

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Reference: IMD-2-0115

Consumer activists have published a guide, which warns consumers about the use of enzymes in laundry detergents and of genetic engineering in enzyme production. Steen Riisgaard, head of the enzyme business at Novo Nordisk, is very concerned about the impact these warnings will have on his business. Steen is concerned because about 20 years earlier Ralph Nader published similar warnings about enzymes. As a consequence of those warnings the company’s sales plummeted and Novo had to lay off 700 people in Denmark. With the concern being that similar bad experiences are heading their way, what would you advice Steen and his team to do?

Keywords

Corporate Social Responsibility, Pharmaceuticals, Corporate Sustainability Management

Settings

Denmark
1989

Type

Field Research

Available Languages

English

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