Professor Jorgen Randers BI Norwegian Business School Oslo, Norway
Jørgen Randers (born 1945) is professor of climate strategy at the Norwegian Business School, where he works on climate and energy issues, scenario analysis and system dynamics. He lectures widely at home and abroad on sustainable development issues – particularly on the future and climate change – for all types of corporate and non-corporate audiences.
Jørgen Randers has spent one third of his life in academia, one third in business and on third in the NGO world. He is non-executive member of several corporate boards in Norway, including the state owned Postal Service. He also sits on the sustainability council of The Dow Chemical Company in the US and Astra Zeneca in the UK.
He was President of the Norwegian Business School BI 1981 – 89, and Deputy Director General of WWF International (World Wide Fund for Nature) in Switzerland 1994 – 99. He chaired the Commission on Low Greenhouse Gas Emissions who reported in 2006 to the Norwegian cabinet on how Norway can cut is climate gas emissions by two thirds by 2050.
He has written a number of books and scientific papers. He co-authored The Limits to Growth in 1972 and its sequels in 1992 and 2004. In 2012 he published 2052 – A Global Forecast for the Next Forty Years, which is now available in 8 languages in more than 100.000 copies.
He has received many prizes and awards, including an honorary doctorate from the Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge UK. He is a full member of the Club of Rome.
Science Based Activism - Festschrift to Jorgen Randers
The pathway from scientific knowledge, based on data, models and forecasts, to societal implications and policy advice is a perilous one. The shift from “is” to “ought” may be slippery, in terms of climate, biodiversity, regulations and business. Yet, what is to be done if your research discloses that your fellow humans are unwittingly carrying out destructive actions on a large scale? If they are unaware of the dynamics within which they are – or are in danger of becoming – imprisoned, is there then not an ethical obligation to respond, to endeavor to act beyond the scope of your given role? This dilemma lies at the core of the issue of science based activism, which the life and work of Jorgen Randers in many ways epitomizes. The best means of understanding what science based activism is may be found in exploring his steps, as this Festschrift does.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
| 1999 – | Norwegian Business School, Oslo (management education) Professor |
| 1994-99 | WWF-World Wide Fund for Nature, Geneva (non-governmental organization, nature conservation) Deputy Director General |
| 1993 | Innovation AS, Oslo (consultants in strategy) Partner |
| 1992-93 | Full time Chairman of the Board of five companies |
| 1989-91 | World City AS, Oslo (financial holding company) Managing Director |
| 1981‑89 | Norwegian School of Management, Oslo (management education) President |
| 1980‑81 | Deminex (NORGE) AS, Oslo (oil production) Deputy Director |
| 1980 | Ministry of Long Term Planning, Oslo (macroeconomic planning) Analyst |
| 1974‑80 | Resource Policy Group, Oslo (futures research) Founder and Director |
| 1973 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts Assistant Professor of Management |
| 1970‑72 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts Researcher |
CORPORATE BOARDS
| 2011 – | Posten ASA (the Norwegian Postal Service) Member |
| 2006-14 | yA Bank (internet banking) Chair |
| 2003-07 | Miljøforskningssenteret AS (environmental research) Member |
| 2002-03 | Kanal24 Norge AS (commercial radio) Member |
| 1999-03 | eBok AS (electronic publishing) Chairman |
| 1999- | 21st Venture AS (holding company, largely radio and IT) Chair |
| 1999-05 | Egroup ASA (internet consulting) Member |
| 1992-96 | P4 Radio Hele Norge AS, Oslo (commercial radio) Chair |
| 1992-94 | David Livsforsikrings AS, Oslo (life insurance) Chair |
| 1991-2010 | Tomra Systems AS, Oslo (reverse vending machines) Member |
| 1989‑91 | Green Business AS, Oslo (environmental goods and services) Chair |
| 1988‑93 | Norwegian Institute for Market Research, Oslo (market research) Chair |
| 1988‑92 | The Norwegian Bank for Industry, Oslo (banking) Chair |
| 1988‑93 | Åke Larson Construction AS, Oslo (construction management) Chair |
| 1984‑87 | Unique AS, Sandnes (software house) Member |
| 1989-93 | Sven Sejersted Bødtker & Co. AS, Oslo (& 1983‑85) (shipowners) Chair |
| 1983‑85 | Tiki Data AS, Oslo (PC producer) Member |
| 1982‑85 | Åke Larson Construction AB, Stockholm |
| 1987-92 | (construction management) Member |
| 1981‑85 | Sunnmørsbanken Oslo AS, Oslo (commercial banking) Chair |
CONSULTING (selected)
| 2014- | Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences Shanghai 2050 Plan (advising on content of plan) |
| 2014- | AstraZenca, London Environmental Sustainability Council (advising on sustainability and corporate responsibility) Member |
| 2007 – | Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Michigan |
| 2005-06 | Governmental Commission, Ministry of Environment, Oslo (reduction of Norway’s greenhouse gas emissions) Chair |
| 2004-07 | Economic Development Board of Rotterdam International Advisory Board (advising on sustainability issues) Member |
| 2001-12 | HRH Prince Charles Programme on Business and the Environment Cambridge University Program on Industry, Cambridge (sustainable development for senior managers in multinationals) Member of Core Faculty |
| 2001-12 | British Telecom plc, London Leadership Panel (advising on sustainability and corporate responsibility) Member |
| 2001-02 | Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Washington Core Measurement Group (global standards for sustainability reporting) Member |
| 2000-5 | Corporate Environmental Advisory Council (advising on sustainability and corporate social responsibility) Member |
| 1998-02 | OECD, Paris Roundtable on Sustainable Development (sustainable development in industrial countries) Member |
| 1985‑87 | Commission for Health Institution Services, Ministry of Social Affairs, Oslo (financing and organizing Norwegian hospitals) Member |
| 1979‑83 | OECD, Paris (Social effects of forest investment projects) |
| 1979 | United Nations Development Program (UNDP), New York. (Planning a Petroleum Institute in Bangladesh) |
NOT FOR PROFIT ENGAGEMENTS
| 2012 – | The Club of Rome, Rome Full member |
| 2004 – 08 | WWF International, Gland Member of the Board Chairman of the Programme Committee in 2006 Member of Exco from 2006 |
| 2003 – | The Global Footprint Network, San Fransisco Member of the Advisory Council |
| 2001 – 08 | WWF-Norway, Oslo Chair |
| 2001 – 12 | Center for Corporate Citizenship Norwegian School of Management, Oslo Chair |
| 2000 – 06 | Fondation du Tour du Valat, Sambuc, France Member of the Board |
| 1985‑88 | Norsk Forum, Oslo Council member |
| 1983‑89 | The Research Center of the Federation of Norwegian Labour Unions, Council member |
| 1980‑86 | World Futures, New York Member of editorial council |
| 1977‑87 | The Club of Rome, Rome Full member |
| 1976- | The System Dynamics Society, Cambridge, Mass Member. President 1985-86 |