Fortnox and SSE join forces to unlock the secrets of sustainable success
Fortnox commits SEK 50 million over ten years to the Stockholm School of Economics (SSE) to drive research that accelerates Swedish organizational success. The collaboration funds a new professorship and creates the Center for Responsible Performance Measurement to shape the future of management and decision-making.
"We are deeply grateful to Fortnox for this generous contribution and for their confidence in the Stockholm School of Economics," says SSE President Lars Strannegård. "Their support gives us the opportunity to build long-term knowledge in an important field. Together we can work to better understand how organizations can measure success."
Today, organizations rely more than ever on targets, dashboards, rankings, and key performance indicators. These tools influence how leaders allocate resources, how employees are evaluated, and which priorities receive attention. Yet they also raise important questions about what is measured, what is overlooked, and how organizations balance financial, environmental, and social goals.
Research that creates value
The Stockholm School of Economics has signed an agreement to receive SEK 50 million from Fortnox over a 10-year period to establish a new professorship and develop a Center for Responsible Performance Measurement. Fortnox's support will help create a long-term research environment focused on how organizations define, measure, and pursue success, while safeguarding academic independence for SSE.
"Fortnox and SSE share a firm belief that strong collaboration between academia, business and society is essential to fostering value-driven entrepreneurship that creates benefits for society as a whole,” says Tommy Eklund, CEO Fortnox.
“By combining our expertise, we can accelerate growth and provide Swedish businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with the exact tools and insights they need to flourish. We want to uncover what truly drives businesses of all sizes to build a prosperous Swedish society, from the small hair salon in Växjö and the mid-sized construction company in Gothenburg, to the accounting firm in Stockholm. Partnering with a world-class institution like SSE is the right path to get us there”.
The research results will be made publicly available. Fortnox intends to leverage these insights to develop new tools and benchmarks for its customers, supporting the future growth of Sweden’s businesses and organizations of every size.
Apart from financial backing, Fortnox brings extensive entrepreneurial expertise through its network of over 700,000 businesses and 10,000 accounting firms. The partnership enables careful exploration of how AI can facilitate understanding of organizational success, supported by Fortnox’s landmark commitment to invest SEK 5 billion in AI research and development by 2030.
Redefining success in the modern business landscape
The center will serve as a platform for internationally recognized research, collaboration with organizations, executive education, and dialogue between academia and practice. Whether the goal is building a business, improving public services, or creating social impact, performance measures both influence and reflect what organizations value and prioritize. The new center aims to deepen our understanding of those choices – and their consequences.
The donation agreement safeguards SSE's academic freedom, allowing the institution to independently determine the research agenda, priorities, and scientific direction of the center.
For more information, please contact:
Lukas Goretzki
Professor, Department of Accounting
Stockholm School of Economics
Email: Lukas.goretzki@hhs.se
Phone: +46 8-736 93 13
Andreas Birro
PR Lead, Fortnox
Email: andreas.birro@fortnox.se
Phone: +46 70 477 90 30
About the Stockholm School of Economics
The Stockholm School of Economics is rated as a top business school in the Nordic and Baltic countries and enjoys a strong international reputation. World-class research forms the foundation of our educational offering, which includes bachelor, master, PhD, MBA, and Executive Education programs. Our programs are developed in close cooperation with the business and research communities, providing graduates substantial potential to attain leading positions in companies and other organizations.
The School is accredited by EQUIS, certifying that all of its principal activities – teaching as well as research – maintain the highest international standards. The Stockholm School of Economics is also the only Swedish member institution of CEMS and PIM, which are collaborations between top business schools worldwide, contributing to the level of quality for which our school is known.
Press contact
Ylva Mossing
Content and Media Relations Manager
Email: ylva.mossing@hhs.se
Phone: +46 730 97 26 16
For more information about the Stockholm School of Economics, or see all of our press releases, please visit our website.
