‘Compassion Vs Competitiveness’ Dilemma at Novo Nordisk

“How to strike the right balance between business and global health? Again, we were challenged by stakeholders…,” quipped Lise Kingo (Kingo), Executive vice president and chief of staffs, Novo Nordisk. The Danish pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk, had gained global recognition as a champion of sustainability for a number of sustainability related initiatives that it had taken over the years.

Over the years, Novo Nordisk’s business grew substantially and it emerged as a leader in the global insulin market. In the new millennium, Novo Nordisk’s new sustainability strategy placed global health at the center of its sustainability initiatives. According to Novo Nordisk’s vision statement, the company strove to find the right balance between compassion and competitiveness.