Danone drops WhiteWave name a year after completing merger

DanoneWave is rebranding itself as Danone North America exactly a year after completing the acquisition of WhiteWave Foods, as it celebrates becoming the largest certified B-Corporation in the world.

It is dropping the WhiteWave part of its name on the first anniversary of its $10.4 billion deal for the plant-based food company WhiteWave. It claim the move would bring a ‘single identity’ to its worldwide operations, helping increase the strength of the Danone name.

Danone North America CEO Mariano Lozano said: “Our new name better positions us as part of Danone, a forward-looking and unified global food and beverage company that demonstrates business success can be synonymous with building a healthier world through food.”

At the same time, Danone North America is celebrating becoming the largest certified B-Corporation in the world, two years ahead of schedule. The B-Corp status, it said, is “a promise that a company is doing business in a way that meets rigorous standards of performance, transparency and accountability”.

To obtain the B-Corp certification, companies must complete an impact assessment and earn an audited score of at least 80 out of 200, with recertification – designed to encourage continuous improvement – every two years. Danone North America achieved a score of 85.

It said the milestone – awarded by the non-profit organisation B Lab – ‘takes the company’s commitment one step further’.

It will continue to pursue its own environmental and social goals separately.

Mariano Lozano continued: “This designation demonstrates to employees, consumers, partners, retailers, society and governments that we are committed to continuous improvement as we work to bring the company’s ‘One Planet, One Health’ vision to life through our business and brands.

“We couldn’t have achieved this milestone with such speed and efficiency without the passion, dedication and tireless work of our more than 150 employees who helped in the certification process, along with the incredible support of our partners.”

Danone chairman and CEO Emmanuel Faber said: “People rightly expect large organisations like Danone to use their scale for positive impact while demanding transparency, authenticity and action. It’s time to make sustainable business the only way of doing business.

“I’m incredibly honoured by our teams in North America, whose ability to achieve B-Corp certification in just one year is not only commendable, but will also help serve as a model of what’s possible to other Danone subsidiaries and other large companies.

“Representing around 20% of our global business, Danone North America’s B-Corp certification is an important milestone in our global company’s broader B-Corp journey and a fundamental step towards realising our ‘One Planet, One Health’ vision.”