Case Studies - GoodNess

We love all case studies that demonstrate how
business can be a force for good.

1. Responsible business stewardship: B Corp & Entreprise à mission

Certified B Corporations is a global movement of people using business as a force for good, balancing purpose and profit, going from shareholder primacy to stakeholder capitalism – including communities, employees, customers & partners. Danone is building on decades of responsible business stewardship with no trade-off between economic success & social progress. Danone is aiming to be certified as a B Corp and has gone one step further becoming an Entreprise à Mission. It’s a powerful way to anchor its DNA “bring health through food” at the heart of our company agenda with 4 areas of impact: health, planet resources, Danone’s people, and inclusive growth. What if your business was acting as a force for good?

« I have always enjoyed working with Isabelle, a suave executive with a firm hand on her goals, a diplomatic touch, competent and exuding positive energy. Her commitment to ‘business as a force for good’ is palpable and inspiring. »

Marcello Palazzi, Global B Lab Ambassador, B Corp

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2. Purpose led business transformation

We believe each time we eat and drink, we can vote for the world we want. This food revolution is happening, and Danone choose to serve it. Danone wants to impact healthier and more sustainable practices. However, Danone cannot do it alone and want to be remembered as a catalyst of change for the food generation. It is a framework of action, in the way Danone is doing business, for our brands, for our partners and for our customers. One Planet One Health is a rallying call to everyone to join the food revolution. What if your purpose was the guiding star to harness the power of people around you and achieve genuine transformation?

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3. Tech, digital & data as a powerful force for good

Digital & data is critical to achieve the impact we need, while fostering new business models. The design and implementation of the digital solutions highlighted are aimed at simplifying the complex world of “healthy living”. Learnings across the industry about pioneer digital enablers, early stage tools and programs could be helpful to everyone. 4 concepts could be further explored: color coded easy to understand behavior change approaches, better together with social collective platform and the key opinions leaders and influencers playing a key role, personalize solutions based on your own data from loyalty cards, and gamification to help people go the extra mile. What if tech, digital and data was a powerful force for good?

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4. Coalitions & partnerships for positive change

We need the power of a collective to change the system, with business playing a key role. The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), is a unique CEO led platform with 400 retailers & manufacturers joining forces to ensure the transformation of the industry towards the SDGs on topics such as human rights, deforestation, plastic, food waste, data and health & wellness. Collaboration for healthier lives is an ACT TANK, of 161 organizations (industry, institutions, governments, cities, NGOs, academics, civil society) acting together to positively impact millions of lives around the world while setting new standards. What if joining forces would help you go further?

“Isabelle is a force of nature! Both having helped one of the world leading companies on sustainability. But also across the entire FMCG / retail sector through her leadership at the CGF bringing multiple competitors together to co-create the solutions we need to build a sustainable future. To be both a competitive innovator as well as a scaler of shared solutions is a rare skills indeed to help companies build better futures.”

Mike Barry, Strategic Advisor, speaker, commentator on Sustainable Business and former Director Sustainable Business M&S and Co chair Sustainability @CGF

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5. Business contribution to the UN SDGs

A Food revolution is happening, and Danone choose to serve it. Danone has defined long term goals to embrace the food revolution, flowing from our “One Planet One Health” vision. These goals are aligned with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. The integrated set of 9 long-term goals embeds the business model (as a B CorpTM, innovating to offer superior food experiences), the brand model (Manifesto brands to protect and nourish both the health of the people and the health of the planet) and the trust model (in an inclusive way, empowering our people and working with partners to create and share sustainable value). What if your contribution to the UN SDGs was a framework to foster company-wide engagement and action?

“Isabelle is an inspiring leader who has the skill to generously share her experience, strategic vision and natural drive for change with stakeholders from very different backgrounds. She is able to communicate her goals in a very skillful way, finding ways to brake down complexity into concrete actions. Isabelle is also a genuine listener which helps organizations build better futures and foster meaningful collaborations."

Nadia Isler, Director SDG Lab, United Nations

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6. Business positive impact as competitive advantage

Danone firmly believe that the health of people and planet are interconnected. Both need to be nourished and protected. At the same time, people are reinventing how to eat, drink and socialize over food. There is a growing expectation for integrity and transparency, and for products that are grounded in local cultures. This food revolution is happening, and Danone choose to serve it. Danone wants to impact healthier and more sustainable practices. It starts with our products, 90% were sold in healthy categories. What if your ability to foster positive solutions was a way to impact health of people and preserve our planet?

“Isabelle has a very distinctive and unique ability to think big with a relentless ambition to impact at scale and at the same time devise tangible business solutions that can be implemented locally. She knows how to leverage positively extremely complex situations that many would see as dead ends. It is key when many business issues require an ability to create coalition, interconnection and creativity to be solved. Her attention to people and conviction that business can be a forth for good both nurture Isabelle’s inspiring leadership.”

Eric Soubeiran, Vice Président Nature & Water Cycle, Chief Sustainability Officer @Danone

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7. Nudging: Empower consumers for better choices.

Health has never been so important for all of us, our friends and families, for our employees and for the communities we serve and for our planet. The CGF Collaboration for Healthier lives aims to make a positive difference in people’s lives, serving our communities responsibly and protecting the environment. The Coalition is making a positive impact in behaviour change in stores & in communities, with digital innovations and open data. What if nudging could help consumer make better choices and create shared value?

“As a member of the Consumer Goods Forum Collaboration for Healthier Lives, I am very glad to recognize Isabelle’s outstanding leadership and collaboration skills! Through her vision, persistence and ability to work across companies and cultures, she has shaped the Healthy Lives Pillar into a global initiative that will help transform how retailers & CPG companies holistically address consumer and employee health and wellness!”

John Jove, Global Sales Executive PepsiCo

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8. Diversity & inclusion in the workplace

Organic progress is not enough. Building a more diverse and inclusive workplace is now a business imperative. Talents do care. A diverse workforce positively impacts an employer’s brand, trusted reputation and employee engagement. As for consumers, the concept of matching the market should be a driving force but is today lagging behind. Women drive 75% of consumer choices but represent 30% of senior leaders. Shareholders, regulators and investors are raising their interest. Expectations for leaders to be accountable for outcomes, enhance diversity with data driven decisions. Expectations to accelerate role models, representations of women and diverse leaders, internally and externally, through words and actions. Expectations to engage everyone, to build culture of empathy. What if developing a more diverse and inclusive workplace increase the sense of belonging?

“Isabelle combines her passion and skills for business with a very impressive social engagement. It gives her the energy to continuously reinvent herself, inspire her followers and drive implementation and change! She is engergic and full of wonderful and inspiring ambition. A great leader with a problem-solving attitude, Isabelle is a creative brain and a real change agent with fine diplomacy skills, always looking at new and innovative cooperation models, able to transform the whole industry and demonstrate impact.”

Veronika Pountcheva, Chairwoman of the Advisory Board @LEAD Network, Co Chief Executive Officer @NX Food, Global director Corporate responsibility METRO AG, Co chair of the Human Rights coalition @CGF

9. The role of retail for better consumption

The act of consumption if becoming an act of vote, for the world we want to live in. When it comes to better choices, the role of retail is critical. Retailers are acting as the “gatekeeper” between manufacturers and consumers, influencing better consumptions. Retailers are acting along the value chain, upstream and downstream. There is no magic bullet, but we clearly see that a series of interventions acting to nudge people towards better consumption can make a meaningful difference. It is not only the right thing to do, but the ways to build better business. It is also about moving from transactional only to a more collaborative approach between manufacturers & retailers. How to become a preferred partner?

“Having co-chaired the Consumer Goods Forum’s Collaboration for Healthy Living with Isabelle, I found her to be an extraordinary leader. Curious, gritty, always bringing zest, leading with gratitude – she is outstanding!”

Marcus Osborne, Senior Vice President Health @Walmart

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10. Business positive actions in times of Covid 19

More than ever, in Covid 19 time, companies need to demonstrate their contribution to society. Learning how the industry is responding in times of Covid. The Consumer Goods Forum launched a one-of-a-kind platform showcasing more than case studies and innovative responses across 4 key themes: community, employees, digital, and in-store activities. Learning from successes and failures, from more inclusive business models, learning is critical to understand the emerging trends and what will be the new norms but also learning will increase our ability to drive effectiveness and speed in our operating model. More than ever, the sense of purpose and social impact will be key for our consumers, for our partners and for our employees. What if solidarity and generous leadership was the new spirit required?

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11. Caring for employees’ wellbeing

Even before we faced Covid 19, 76% of employees reporting their struggle with their wellbeing. Organizations can no longer ignore the phenomenon of mental health and wellbeing of employees. Yes, it is key for employee’s engagement and improve retention. Can employees feel listened to and supported, in everyday company’s behaviors, that their company cares about them and their wellbeing? Policies can be in place, but changing culture and mindset, day to day ways to do business can be more challenging. A culture of empathy. Caring for your people goes beyond giving access to wellbeing programs to help mental health. Caring is also about healthy ways of working and work environment. Caring is about developing people’s purpose, what matters for them and how they can best use their purpose for the business, to develop resilience, learning agility and the sense of belonging. What if mental health of employees was becoming number 1 priority in the covid world?

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12. Partner with NGOs for more inclusive model

Today, we know that business as usual is not an option. At the same time, the pandemic is not only a health crisis, but also an economic crisis, where the vulnerable ones are suffering. We know that charities and non-profit organizations cannot solve the issues on their own. What could be the role of business? Our business could be more inclusive and thrive at the same time. Learn about the business case for change about how to develop a sustainable business model for low-income populations. Learn about the innovation journey from product design, business model design to demand creation strategies. What if we reinvent new forms of private public and civil society partnership to invent new business models?

“I count on Isabelle as one of the few people I would absolutely take with me on any business transformation toward inclusive growth and impact at scale or what could look like an impossible mission.”

Kamel Chida, Deputy Director, Private Sector Partnership @Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

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13. Rethink leadership

As we reimagine business, we need to rethink leadership. We need leaders with empathy, we need head and heart to build better futures. We need leaders with the wisdom to collaborate with partners and stakeholders, even with competitors. We need leaders with the courage to do what’s right, to set sustainable business for success and to ensure full operationality of this vision. Conscious leaders are becoming a movement, not a niche. As new management principles and practices are emerging, organizations paradigm is shifting. Successful organizations are harnessing the power of people, employees, clients, partners and stakeholders. More inclusive and collective governance models are emerging, with promising results. What if pursuing profitable growth and societal outcomes at the same time was a learning journey?

“Isabelle is a unique passionate and enthusiastic leader. To deliver her vision of business as a force for good, she displays impressive level of energy, passion and team spirit, to embark CEOs, C level executives, ecosystem of partners or her teams with the same passion! Under her leadership, meaningful and unique collaborative achievements have been delivered globally. Every single day, she embodies the famously inspiring quote “Be the change you want to see in the world”. I feel lucky and grateful to have worked with her.”

Thomas Kyriaco, Directeur One Planet One Health @Danone

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14. BRANDS ACTING FOR PURPOSE

Today, the act of consumption is becoming an act of vote, for the world we want to live in. People are looking for brands that are doing good, doing good for them, for their community, and for our planet. It goes beyond the products, explore how brands are improving people’s lives and the role they are playing in the society. The brands for good take a stand for it. Meaningful brands do thrive, using marketing, communication & sales assets to become preferred by retailers & distributors. How do we ensure that brands are becoming activists to drive positive impact in society?

"Isabelle has the special combination of deep commercial and technical knowledge on FMCG; specifically health and well-being coupled with a genuine desire to make a positive impact. She has a contagious energy and dynamic presence."

Rebecca Marmot, Unilever Chief Sustainability Officer

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