What we do

The Mistra Center for Sustainable Markets (Misum) is a cross-disciplinary center of excellence at the Stockholm School of Economics (SSE). Our work is based on three pillars: research, education and outreach. Research is at the core of all that we do, and is disseminated through education at SSE and outreach to our stakeholders. We address actors from academia, business and politics to understand and create research-based and business-relevant solutions for sustainable markets.

Misum draws on research collaborations both nationally and internationally and aims to be a national center of excellence embedded in an international context.

Research is organized around three platforms:

and the cross-platform initiative on Sustainable Finance.

To ensure international and business relevancy, Misum features an international board with members drawn from both academia and the business community.

Misum's mission is threefold. First we conduct multi-disciplinary research that is both scientifically rigorous and practitioner-relevant. Second we contribute to the education of students at SSE, equipping them with tools for understanding and acting upon our time's most pressing challenges. Finally we engage with a variety of stakeholders to development cross-sector collaborations and approaches for fostering sustainable markets.

The distinct focus of Misum is on “effective and inclusive governance” – what is often referred to as the fourth pillar of sustainable development (besides the economic, environmental and social dimensions) - and which governance mechanisms can best support market actors towards sustainable development.

Misum's research strategy, 2020

Misum is a cosmopolitan mix of researchers from all departments of the school, and the 'headquarter' supporting our Executive Director Martina Björkman Nyqvist: Executive Coordinator Elizabeth Barratt, Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Idil Shekh Mohamed, Research and Communication Coordinator Blaze Horn, and the Director of SSE PRME, Lukas Goretzki.

A collaboration with Mistra and other research foundations

Misum is mostly funded by Mistra (the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research). Mistra has invested SEK 120 million over a ten-year period to establish a profound sustainability center at SSE. Misum also hosts projects funded by, for instance, Vinnova, The Swedish Research Council and Formas.

A cross-disciplinary center of excellence

The aim of Misum is to create a world-class, cross-disciplinary center of excellence that will enhance the understanding of, and create new insights into, sustainable markets. It functions as a platform and meeting place for many kinds of actors both national and international: academics, practitioners, firms and other organizations. Misum’s mission also includes providing expert advice to political leaders and policy developers, and collaborating with other research centers.