Jorunn Irene Andersen

I am an assistant professor at Kristiania University College and I teach in the field of sustainable- finance, business development and economics.

I am also currently in the final stages of my PhD on the topic of sustainable finance, a collaborative project between Maastricht University and the Open University in the Netherlands. To reach the goal of the Paris agreement and limit global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius, the sustainable mindset must also be implemented at the heart of the financial system (Action Plan on Sustainable Finance, European Commission, 2018). Implementing a sustainable mindset involves "making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development" (Article 2.1c). To achieve this we need to better understand how firms are exposed to ESG (Environmental, Social, & Governance) risks.

In my research I look at the relation between ESG information and firm financial- and non-financial performance. By considering the investors motive to use and apply ESG ratings my co-authors and I have been able to test and highlight different types of risk that ESG information captures.