Event date:
Monday, May 18, 2026
12:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Register before:
Torsdag 7. Maj, 2026
Level:
BASIC
ADVANCED
Who can participate:
Open for all | Max. two participants per company
Language:
English
In-person:
Danske Bank, Bernstorffsgade 40, København V
About this event
Complexity in Practice: Resilience, Responsibility and Competitiveness in a New Global Reality
Businesses today operate in an increasingly complex and uncertain environment shaped by geopolitical tensions, shifting market dynamics, constrained access to critical resources, regulatory uncertainty as well as increasingly diverse and sometimes competing stakeholder expectations.
At the UN Global Compact Network Denmark Annual Conference 2026, business leaders, decision-makers and experts will come together to explore how companies can navigate this new reality, while strengthening resilience, staying true to their values and driving long-term competitiveness.
Through high-level keynotes, candid conversations and concrete business cases, the conference offers both strategic perspectives and practical insights for companies seeking to lead responsibly in a changing world.
Join us for an inspiring and insightful day at the UN Global Compact Network Denmark Annual Conference 2026, where leading voices from business, academia, and policymaking come together to explore the defining challenges and opportunities of our time.
Participation criteria
Companies and professionals interested in corporate responsibility, resilience, and sustainability in business. Maximum two participants per company. In the event of overbooking, we reserve the right to prioritize participants based on professional relevance.
| 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM |
Lunch and networking |
| 1:00 PM – 1:15 PM |
Opening Conversation: Finance and the Transformation Imperative Balancing responsibility, risk and profit in uncertain times This discussion explores the key dilemmas shaping the financial sector today and how large institutions are navigating the sustainability transition in practice. It focuses on how responsibility, risk and profitability are balanced in an uncertain global context, and how long-term value creation can be secured.
Sara Krüger Falk, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network Denmark Jakob Bøss, Head of Group Positioning & Sustainability, Danske Bank Group |
| 1:15 PM – 1:45 PM |
Sustainability Is No Trade-Off Insights into leadership, resilience and value-driven decision-making from a global frontrunner In this keynote, Jesper Brodin explores leadership in times of uncertainty and the role of positive tipping points in driving sustainable transformation.
Jesper Brodin, Former CEO Ingka Group (IKEA) and Vice Chair UN Global Compact, IKEA Foundation
|
| 1:45 PM – 1:55 PM |
Strategy and Resilience in a New World Order How strategic decision-making can help businesses thrive in times of uncertainty A strategic perspective on the current global landscape and why responsible business practices and collaboration are more critical than ever.
Sara Krüger Falk, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network Denmark
|
| 1:55 PM – 2:15 PM |
From Strategy to Implementation How partnerships can accelerate sustainable action in practice The session highlights how advisory support and access to financing can help companies define and implement their sustainability priorities. Through a concrete case, the discussion illustrates how collaboration can strengthen climate transition efforts and enable effective implementation.
Jesper Jerlang, Head of Sustainability, Aasted Aps Christina Graversen Krath, Head of Sustainability for Business Customers, Danske Bank |
| 2:13 PM – 2:15 PM |
Rethinking Capitalism: How Nordic Businesses Can Lead Sustainable Value Creation A reflection on how how Nordic businesses lead on sustainability and can contribute to shaping a more sustainable and responsible form of capitalism.
Robert G. Strand, Executive Director, Center for Responsible Business, UC Berkeley Haas School of Business
|
| 2:15 PM – 2:35 PM |
Break & Networking |
| 2:35 PM – 2:55 PM |
Challenges that Spark Innovation Why working strategically with responsibility and sustainability is critical to business Cases from two small and medium-sized enterprises on integrating sustainability into strategy and navigating day-to-day challenges, sharing their experiences and concrete actions.
Jens Holmegaard, CEO and Founder of, Shark Solutions Group Erik Boyter, CEO of, WindowMaster |
| 2:55 PM – 3:15 PM |
Business in a Geopolitical Landscape A reflection on how global developments across security, geopolitics, and the green transition are shaping the conditions for business.
Robert Habeck, Former Vice Chancellor of Germany and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, now Senior Analyst at, DIIS
|
| 3:15 PM – 3:55 PM |
Principles Under Pressure This panel explores how leading companies navigate strategic dilemmas at the intersection of business and responsibility - from circularity and resource use to long-term value creation.
Sara Krüger Falk, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network Denmark Annette Stube, Chief Sustainability Officer, The LEGO Group Mads Twomey-Madsen, SVP Global Communications & Sustainability, Pandora |
| 3:55 PM – 4:00 PM |
Closing Remarks |
| 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM |
Networking (optional) |
You should join the event if you want to:
- Explore practical examples of how leading companies integrate sustainability into strategy and decision-making.
- Gain strategic insights into navigating geopolitical uncertainty, regulatory change, and rising stakeholder expectations.
- Strengthen your understanding of how responsible business practices can drive resilience and long-term competitiveness.
- Get inspiration on financial and strategic approaches to the sustainability transition from Danske Bank, including business customer cases.
- Meet likeminded peers and gain inspiration for your organisation’s strategy and sustainability work.
Meet the Speakers:
Feel free to reach out
If you have any questions, you are more than welcome to reach out to our Programme Manager, Matilde Vibe Pedersen, at matilde@globalcompact.dk.
| 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM |
Lunch and networking |
| 1:00 PM – 1:15 PM |
Opening Conversation: Finance and the Transformation Imperative Balancing responsibility, risk and profit in uncertain times This discussion explores the key dilemmas shaping the financial sector today and how large institutions are navigating the sustainability transition in practice. It focuses on how responsibility, risk and profitability are balanced in an uncertain global context, and how long-term value creation can be secured.
Sara Krüger Falk, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network Denmark Jakob Bøss, Head of Group Positioning & Sustainability, Danske Bank Group |
| 1:15 PM – 1:45 PM |
Sustainability Is No Trade-Off Insights into leadership, resilience and value-driven decision-making from a global frontrunner In this keynote, Jesper Brodin explores leadership in times of uncertainty and the role of positive tipping points in driving sustainable transformation.
Jesper Brodin, Former CEO Ingka Group (IKEA) and Vice Chair UN Global Compact, IKEA Foundation
|
| 1:45 PM – 1:55 PM |
Strategy and Resilience in a New World Order How strategic decision-making can help businesses thrive in times of uncertainty A strategic perspective on the current global landscape and why responsible business practices and collaboration are more critical than ever.
Sara Krüger Falk, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network Denmark
|
| 1:55 PM – 2:15 PM |
From Strategy to Implementation How partnerships can accelerate sustainable action in practice The session highlights how advisory support and access to financing can help companies define and implement their sustainability priorities. Through a concrete case, the discussion illustrates how collaboration can strengthen climate transition efforts and enable effective implementation.
Jesper Jerlang, Head of Sustainability, Aasted Aps Christina Graversen Krath, Head of Sustainability for Business Customers, Danske Bank |
| 2:13 PM – 2:15 PM |
Rethinking Capitalism: How Nordic Businesses Can Lead Sustainable Value Creation A reflection on how how Nordic businesses lead on sustainability and can contribute to shaping a more sustainable and responsible form of capitalism.
Robert G. Strand, Executive Director, Center for Responsible Business, UC Berkeley Haas School of Business
|
| 2:15 PM – 2:35 PM |
Break & Networking |
| 2:35 PM – 2:55 PM |
Challenges that Spark Innovation Why working strategically with responsibility and sustainability is critical to business Cases from two small and medium-sized enterprises on integrating sustainability into strategy and navigating day-to-day challenges, sharing their experiences and concrete actions.
Jens Holmegaard, CEO and Founder of, Shark Solutions Group Erik Boyter, CEO of, WindowMaster |
| 2:55 PM – 3:15 PM |
Business in a Geopolitical Landscape A reflection on how global developments across security, geopolitics, and the green transition are shaping the conditions for business.
Robert Habeck, Former Vice Chancellor of Germany and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, now Senior Analyst at, DIIS
|
| 3:15 PM – 3:55 PM |
Principles Under Pressure This panel explores how leading companies navigate strategic dilemmas at the intersection of business and responsibility - from circularity and resource use to long-term value creation.
Sara Krüger Falk, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network Denmark Annette Stube, Chief Sustainability Officer, The LEGO Group Mads Twomey-Madsen, SVP Global Communications & Sustainability, Pandora |
| 3:55 PM – 4:00 PM |
Closing Remarks |
| 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM |
Networking (optional) |