Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières, MSF) is an international medical humanitarian organization providing emergency care to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural disasters, and other humanitarian crises. They work where needs are greatest, often in highly complex and resource-constrained environments.
Their work is guided by a few core principles: independence, impartiality, and a responsibility to bear witness when human life and dignity are under threat. In practice, this means a clear and consistent focus on people’s actual needs, combined with high professional standards and ethical integrity.
In this brief conversation, Joakim Samuelsson, CEO, and Daniel Bergqvist, Chairman of the Board, reflect on why Nordic School of Management supports Doctors Without Borders
Why does NSM support Doctors Without Borders?
Joakim:
For us at Nordic School of Management, supporting Doctors Without Borders financially is fundamentally about responsibility—about enabling medical professionals to provide essential care to people where the need is greatest.
In the way they operate in some of the world’s most challenging environments, we recognize many of the principles we seek to practice ourselves. They demonstrate what it means to act with professionalism and integrity, even when conditions are far from ideal.
How does this engagement reflect NSM’s own values?
Daniel:
We’re guided by three core values at NSM: curiosity, responsibility, and generosity—and we see all three reflected in how Doctors Without Borders work.
Curiosity, for us, is about wanting to understand reality as it is, and MSF goes where the needs are and acts on facts and expertise. Responsibility is about using your competence where it truly matters, often when the stakes are high.
And generosity is the willingness to share time, knowledge, and resources without expecting something in return—something we continuously strive to bring into how we work with learning, leadership, and partnerships.
Why is this important right now?
Joakim:
In times of crisis, organizations that stand firmly by their principles and continue to act with professionalism, courage, and compassion play a critical role. Doctors Without Borders do exactly that—every day.
Our support serves as a reminder, to ourselves and to the leaders we work with, of what leadership means when it is put to the test.
