Biography
Constantijn van Aartsen is Assistant Professor of Business Law and affiliated with the Center for Entrepreneurship, Governance & Stewardship.
Van Aartsen’s research focuses on sustainable business and the institutional frameworks that support it. His work examines how law, economic theory, and political ideas jointly shape the nature of business organizations, the objectives they can pursue, and the forms of value creation that can emerge in markets. His research is interdisciplinary, bringing together corporate law, corporate governance, law and political economy, sustainability theory, and the history of economic thought. Recurring themes in his work include value creation, corporate purpose, industrial policy, market organization, the nature of the firm, and the institutional conditions required for sustainable transitions. In addition, he teaches business law and the foundations of law across a range of degree programs. The combination of fundamental research and education, where societal and economic challenges intersect, is a key source of motivation in his work.
Van Aartsen earned his PhD from Maastricht University with a dissertation entitled A Journey into Causes of Corporate Misbehaviour. He previously obtained an LL.M. in Corporate and Commercial Law from the same university. In addition, he studied Law at the University of Nottingham, where he earned an LL.B., and Natural Sciences at Durham University, where he completed a B.Sc.
Following his PhD, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Elverding Chair on Sustainable Business, Culture, and Corporate Regulation. He subsequently became Principal Investigator of the Beyond Governance Project, a role he continues to hold alongside his academic responsibilities. Throughout his research and teaching, he explores how businesses can contribute to sustainable and socially valuable economic development.
International activities
Van Aartsen obtained academic degrees from the University of Nottingham (United Kingdom) and Durham University (United Kingdom). His research sits at the intersection of law, economics, and sustainability and contributes to international academic debates on corporate governance, sustainable business, and institutional change.
Relevant publications
- Van Aartsen, C. Value creation and the role of firms in society. Cambridge Elements in Corporate Governance. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, forthcoming August 2026.
- Van Aartsen, C., and B. Jansen. “Verstrikt in autonomie: waarom verantwoord bestuur vastloopt in een vrije-marktutopie.” Goed Bestuur & Toezicht, 23 May 2026.
- Van Aartsen, C. Why economics will never make firms sustainable: and an alternative which might. Pre-print book, open access since 15 July 2024. Zenodo record.
- Bauer, R., T. Bauer, M. Olaerts, and C. van Aartsen. Sustainability embedding practices of Dutch listed companies. Position paper prepared by the Elverding research team on behalf of Eumedion, October 2021.
- Van Aartsen, C. A journey into causes of corporate misbehaviour: Why corporate law, corporate governance and corporate social responsibility need to be structurally reformed. PhD thesis, 2021.