Dutch academy for science, art splits from Heineken over continued activities in Russia

The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) is cutting ties with the prestigious Heineken Prizes for Science and Art because of the beer brewer’s continued activities in Russia, the Volkskrant reports.

The KNAW, an academic society consisting of 600 prominent Dutch scientists, has been responsible for the nomination and selection of the Heineken Prizes since 1964. These prestigious prizes, involving a monetary prize of 200,000 dollars, are awarded to five renowned researchers and artists from the Netherlands and abroad every two years.

Earlier this year, Follow the Money revealed that, despite promises to stop investing in Russia after the country invaded Ukraine, Heineken launched over 60 new products in the Russian market last year. The brewer claimed that divesting its Russian activities proved more complicated than expected. It listed its Russian subsidiary for sale in March and announced a buyer in April. Heineken is waiting for permission from the Russian authorities for the sale, it said.

But these continued activities prompted the KNAW to look critically at its links to Heineken. The lack of clarity about Heineken’s position regarding its Russian activities put the KNAW in a dilemma, a spokesperson told the Volkskrant. “At the same time, we look back on a joint history of almost 60 years, which is quite special.” The decision to cut ties was therefore made “with pain in the heart.”

A spokesperson for the Dr. H.A. Heineken Foundation for the Arts and the Alfred Heineken Funds Foundation, which formally finance the prizes, told the Volkskrant that the KNAW’s withdrawal was a joint decision.

The two foundations are legally separate from the Heineken brewery. They were founded by former Heineken director Freddy Heineken and his daughter Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken now chairs them. She is also the director of Heineken Holding.

The Heineken Foundations are now looking for an independent jury for the Heineken Prizes, the spokesperson said. “It was the wish of Alfred Heineken, the initiator of the prizes, to honor scientists for their work in the service of the community, free from social influence and political debate. As foundations, we want to continue that tradition.”