Skip to Main Content
HBS Home
  • About
  • Academic Programs
  • Alumni
  • Faculty & Research
  • Baker Library
  • Giving
  • Harvard Business Review
  • Initiatives
  • News
  • Recruit
  • Map / Directions
Faculty & Research
  • Faculty
  • Research
  • Featured Topics
  • Academic Units
  • …→
  • Harvard Business School→
  • Faculty & Research→
Publications
Publications
  • August 2021
  • Case
  • HBS Case Collection

Danone S.A.: Becoming a Mission-Driven Company (A)

By: Benjamin C. Esty and Emilie Billaud
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:22
ShareBar

Abstract

Emmanuel Faber became CEO of Danone SA, the French food and beverage company, in 2014. Right from the start, he ran the company with a dual commitment to both profit and purpose (i.e., ESG objectives). In fact, in 2018, he said, “It’s time to make sustainable business the only way of doing business.” The case examines his leadership and efforts to make Danone a more socially and environmentally responsible company, culminating with a shareholder vote in June 2020 to adopt a new legal status recently created under French corporate law called the “entreprise à mission” (EAM or mission-driven company). Shareholders overwhelmingly approved the bylaw change which allowed Danone to redefine its “raison d’être” (corporate purpose) to include social and environmental objectives. In response, Faber said, “You have toppled the statue of Milton Friedman here today,” a reference to the author of the famous article entitled “The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase Profits.” As the first publicly traded company in France to adopt the new structure, all eyes were on Faber to see how he would run the company and achieve multiple corporate objectives.

Keywords

Business and Stakeholder Relations; Corporate Governance; Leadership; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Mission and Purpose; Environmental Sustainability; Goals and Objectives; Consumer Products Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; France; Europe

Citation

Esty, Benjamin C., and Emilie Billaud. "Danone S.A.: Becoming a Mission-Driven Company (A)." Harvard Business School Case 722-354, August 2021.
  • Educators
  • Purchase

About The Author

Benjamin C. Esty

Finance
→More Publications

Related Work

    • August 2021
    • Faculty Research

    Danone S.A.: Becoming a Mission-Driven Company (B)

    By: Benjamin C. Esty and Emilie Billaud
    • August 2021
    • Faculty Research

    Danone S.A.: Becoming a Mission-Driven Company (C)

    By: Benjamin C. Esty and Emilie Billaud
Related Work
  • Danone S.A.: Becoming a Mission-Driven Company (B) By: Benjamin C. Esty and Emilie Billaud
  • Danone S.A.: Becoming a Mission-Driven Company (C) By: Benjamin C. Esty and Emilie Billaud
ǁ
Campus Map
Harvard Business School
Soldiers Field
Boston, MA 02163
→Map & Directions
→More Contact Information
  • Make a Gift
  • Site Map
  • Jobs
  • Harvard University
  • Trademarks
  • Policies
  • Accessibility
  • Digital Accessibility
Copyright © President & Fellows of Harvard College