Since 2017, Nyenrode Business University professor Tineke Lambooy has been researching the globally innovative legal trend of 'Rights of Nature'. Internationally and also in the Netherlands, she is a forerunner in this field. "The purpose of granting rights to natural objects or entities such as rivers, forests, mountains and animals is to recognise their intrinsic value and give them a voice. If a natural area or river has rights, this natural entity is able to act in public debate and court. Just like us and government agencies, companies, foundations and associations. For instance, nature can stir when a decision by a public or private party threatens its survival or when there is behaviour that damages the quality of nature," Lambooy said.

Clawback clauses stipulate that an employee must repay (part of) his variable remuneration if it turns out in retrospect that it should not have been paid out. Prof Dr Michael Erkens is Professor of Corporate Reporting at Nyenrode Business University and examined what these clauses must meet to be effective. He also looked at what the consequences were of effective versus ineffective clawbacks. The outcome of the study resulted in the mandatory implementation of effective clawback clauses in the United States.

Credit ratings do not always provide an accurate or complete picture of the risks of a financial product, according to Vivian van Breemen, who will be obtaining her doctorate at Nyenrode Business Universiteit today. Van Breemen’s research shows that an inaccurate assessment of credit risks in the capital market poses a significant threat to international financial stability.

Small and medium-sized businesses, also known as SMEs, represent an important part of the economy. However, international auditing standards have not been not well tailored to this business category. Niels van Nieuw Amerongen, holder of the Kreston Netherlands SME Accountancy chair at Nyenrode Business University, analyzed with a research team stakeholder roundtable discussions focused on an international auditing standard for less complex entities. He summarized the findings in two international publications.

Researcher Henriëtte Bout studied how organizations deal with moral issues and how knowledge transfer contributes to this. 'More and more organizations want to learn about this, but how can this be done in a sustainable way so that it benefits the entire organization?' Today Bout will receive her doctorate from Nyenrode Business University. In her research, Bout mainly focused on the factors that support or hinder learning about moral issues in organizations. The research offers insights for organizations that want to institutionalize moral insights and provides guidance on how to create a working environment in which moral issues can be discussed.

Peaceful coexistence is under threat worldwide, states Professor Jaap Schaveling in his farewell lecture as Professor of Collaboration and Leadership. To create a safe environment again, we need to work on our self-awareness. According to Schaveling, this leads to more self-love and love energy.

The world benefits from financial stability. Vivian van Breemen, PhD student at Nyenrode Business University and supervisor at the European Central Bank[1] and Dennis Vink, Professor of Finance & Investment at Nyenrode Business University, put together an international expert research team that focuses on analyzing systemic risks in the capital market. And with success: the research sheds light on numerous new risks that could pose a threat to financial stability.

Researcher Diane Zandee, who obtains her doctorate from Nyenrode Business Universiteit today, wants to connect finance and sustainability. That is why she has conducted research into how accounting can contribute to the transition towards a circular economy. There is a need for a common language and structure in order to embrace this new economy. “We are still focusing too much on the financial side and not enough on ecological and social values. We can only change this if the entire chain changes along with it. For that we need a conductor, a coordinator who ensures that everything goes at the right pace and that everyone works together to find harmony.”