The company also announced Nutricia North America, a part of the Danone North America group, has also achieved B Corp certification.
As one of the world’s largest B Corps, Danone North America said it believes it is its responsibility to balance purpose and performance to drive real, systemic change with its size and reach. In the last three years, the company said it has enacted programs to combat the threat of climate change, enhance biodiversity, reduce waste, provide for the food insecure and promote a more equitable society.
Danone North America said other large multinational organizations should invest in their social and environmental commitments and join the B Corp community.
“Three years ago, Danone North America embarked on the B Corp journey with the goal of joining a movement of likeminded organizations committed to using business as a force for good,” said Deanna Bratter, head of sustainable development for Danone North America.
“There’s a seismic shift underway from consumers, employees and other stakeholders, who desire businesses do more than solely provide a service or product. What B Corp certification provides is a framework for businesses to operate and meet today’s needs and build toward a more sustainable and inclusive future. It’s our hope that other organizations join us in advancing the collective progress the movement sets out to achieve.”
Nutricia North America, which offers specialized nutrition products, is another Danone entity to receive B Corp certification in North America. With brands like Neocate, PhenylAde, Pro-Stat, Real Food Blends and KetoCal, the company said the Nutricia brand positively impacts the health and lives of thousands of infants, children, and adults as well as their families in the US and Canada as they face food allergy issues, rare metabolic diseases, tube-feeding needs and epilepsy, as well as age-related challenges such as pressure wounds.
To achieve B Corp certification, companies must meet credible, comprehensive, transparent and independent standards and earn a minimum audit score of 80 out of 200 possible points – recertifying every three years to ensure continued commitment. Nutricia North America achieved a B Impact Assessment score of 85.6. Danone North America recertified with a score of 96 – an improvement from its score of 85 when it was first certified in April 2018.
Since 2015, Danone has partnered with B Lab – a global non-profit that creates standards and certifies B Corp companies – to help define a meaningful and manageable path to certification for multinationals and publicly traded companies, as well as accelerate growth of the B Corp movement into the mainstream.
Danone said it hopes to achieve global certification across the company by 2025.