Stefano Ponte

Stefano Ponte serves as Professor in the Department of Management, Society and Communication at Copenhagen Business School, where he conducts research at the intersection of global value chains, sustainability governance, and environmental policy. His work directly contributes to multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals through extensive research on sustainable production systems and equitable value distribution.

Ponte's research interests focus on the political economy of global value chains with particular emphasis on environmental upgrading, power dynamics, and sustainability governance. His scholarship examines how voluntary sustainability standards, regulatory frameworks, and corporate practices shape outcomes in sectors including wine, coffee, biofuels, and fisheries. A significant portion of his work analyzes the tension between environmental sustainability and social equity, particularly in Global South contexts where he investigates how sustainability initiatives often create unintended consequences for marginalized communities.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a consistent focus on the entanglement of value and wealth chains, with increasing attention to power inequalities and the hidden costs of sustainability initiatives. His work demonstrates how environmental governance mechanisms frequently reinforce existing power structures rather than creating more equitable systems, particularly evident in his studies of South African wine, Italian Prosecco, and Tanzanian conservation initiatives.

• 2024 Susan K Sell Best Reviewer Award
• 2024 Timothy Sinclair Best Article Award

Professor Ponte actively supervises graduate students (with 6 supervisor tasks documented) and has secured multiple research grants supporting his work on sustainability governance. His research has been cited in policy documents and generated significant media attention, with 15 press/media mentions covering topics from sustainable entrepreneurship to the ecological impacts of the Prosecco wine 'miracle.' His work bridges academic research and practical policy applications through collaborations with international organizations and sustainability initiatives.