The story of the Carlsberg Foundation
Today, the Carlsberg Foundation is one of the world's oldest and most influential commercial foundations. But its story begins with one man and one big idea: that a business can, and should, serve a greater purpose than profit alone.
Jacob Christian Jacobsen, the founder of Carlsberg, was not a man to settle. A perfectionist and an idealist, he believed knowledge, culture, and community could drive progress for Carlsberg and society.
From Brewery to Science
In 1876, J.C. Jacobsen laid the Foundation for the Carlsberg Foundation. He donated one million kroner as starting capital. He asked the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters - then as now, a gathering place for Denmark's leading scholars—to appoint five professors to sit on the Foundation's board.
Six years later, in 1882, J.C. Jacobsen wrote in his will that his entire estate, including the Old Carlsberg Brewery, should be transferred to the Carlsberg Foundation after his death. This was the birth of the Carlsberg Foundation as a commercial foundation. Since then, brewing, scientific research, and societal commitment have gone hand in hand.
The Golden Words
The decision to establish the Carlsberg Foundation was visionary and groundbreaking. J.C. Jacobsen's idea was that the Foundation, with science at its core, should ensure that Carlsberg would continue to strive for excellence - even long after he was gone.
As he wrote in his will:
"The constant purpose of the operations at Carlsberg shall be to develop the art of brewing to the highest possible degree of perfection, without regard to immediate profit, so that these breweries and their products may always stand as a model and, by their example, contribute to keeping beer brewing in this country at a high and honourable level."
These words have become known as part of Carlsberg's Golden Words, and they still form the Foundation for the Carlsberg Group's global ambition to brew for a better today and tomorrow - with a strong focus on science, innovation, and quality.
A Living Legacy
Today, Carlsberg's identity is still deeply rooted in the values that J.C. Jacobsen established through the Foundation: quality, responsibility, science—and community. The Foundation's Foundation's commitment to sustainability, culture, and research continues to reflect Jacobsen's original idea: to build a company that benefits the many, not just the few.
Since its founding, the Carlsberg Foundation has supported everything from Nobel Prize-winning research to preserving Denmark's cultural heritage. Just as importantly, it has created bridges between scientists, cultural institutions, Carlsberg, and society.
J.C. Jacobsen died in 1887, but his vision lives on. Today, the Carlsberg Foundation holds the majority share in Carlsberg A/S. Its philanthropic mission encompasses the Carlsberg Research Laboratory, funding for basic research, the Museum of National History at Frederiksborg Castle, and the Tuborg Foundation.
Key Milestones in the History of the Carlsberg Foundation
1847: Carlsberg Brewery founded by J.C. Jacobsen
1876: Carlsberg Foundation established and took over the brewery
1878: The Golden Words engraved at Carlsberg
1882–1980s: The Foundation becomes a major supporter of research and societal development
Today: One of Denmark's most significant contributors to science and culture