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At Nordeq we believe passionately in supporting local initiatives, and those from our wider network, that connect with our values and interests. We are proud to report that in 2023, we: Took an equity stake in People Like Us, a Danish microbrewery with a mission to create jobs for neurodivergent individuals who would otherwise find it difficult to fit into the Danish employment market, and inspire others to do the same; One of the six founding sponsors of the Treesistance project, a movement and an impact blueprint centered on the protection of the Amazon and other tropical forests of the world. Contributed to the Bra-Vo project initiated by the Toly Group, in support of breast cancer education and awareness. If you [...]

Turn the clock back eighteen months and there was real concern in Danish economic circles. The Russian government’s illegal war in Ukraine had caused a severe jolt to the European economy, with energy prices skyrocketing. This turbulence came on the back of supply chains being stretched after COVID, and with interest rates increasing to levels not seen for over a decade. It was a potential perfect storm and nobody was sure how it would play out.   Fast forward to now, and the Danish economy is motoring on. Growth figures are robust, unemployment is low, and the state finances are in an enviable state – with hefty budget surpluses and a national debt of a modest 30% of GDP, a [...]

Like the inversion of Mike Campbell in Hemingway’s “The Sun Also Rises” the United Kingdom ended at a hard Brexit suddenly, and then gradually. The big bang was the vote six years ago, but that did not have to mean an absolutist clean break. That was instead the result of an accumulation of constant framing, and a myriad of tactical misjudgements. Theresa May tried to get a Brexit bill through Parliament in early 2020, several times. This included a backstop whereby Britain would not leave the customs union until an alternative arrangement for Northern Ireland was found. For all her limitations as a politician, May tried to sincerely grapple with this particular hot potato. It was no surprise that [...]

One of the big success stories of modern Danish business is renewables. 2020 was the first year where a majority of electricity used was powered by wind and solar energy. Now, roughly 40% of gross energy consumption is from renewables. With hugely ambitious projects underway like “Energy Island” in the North Sea (which will provide electricity to 800,000 homes) the role of renewables will substantially increase.   These projects are not only hugely beneficial from an environmental point of view, but the geopolitical urgency has become clearer in recent weeks. Denmark’s neighbour and Europe’s largest economy, Germany, has made significant strides in the production of renewables, but natural gas still makes up a quarter of all energy consumption, and 55% [...]

Denmark is gradually gaining control over the novel Coronavirus. However, its consequences will have a huge impact on the country’s political economy in the coming years. Here are five issues to follow closely.   Support for the Government   The popularity of the current Social Democratic government has skyrocketed in recent months, with the Social Democrats now polling 15% above their nearest rivals. This is predictable – almost all governments have experienced a “rally round the flag” effect during the pandemic; even those with imperfect responses like the United Kingdom and Italy. Factor in Mette Frederiksen’s calm and forthright approach, so impressive as to be praised by opposition politicians, and the popularity is no surprise.   In normal times, the [...]