Strategy & Leadership
- Purpose becomes strategic when it guides decisions, not just communication.
- Embedding purpose into everyday practices creates organizational "muscle memory."
- Purpose and performance reinforce rather than oppose each other.
- Consistency between values and actions builds resilience, trust and talent engagement.
- Long-term success depends on making purpose operational across the organization.
As businesses navigate geopolitical uncertainty, technological disruption and rising societal expectations, the role of corporate purpose is increasingly under scrutiny. During the 2026 HEC Paris Purpose Day, Barbara Martin Coppola—Board Member at Patagonia and former CEO of Decathlon—joined Rodolphe Durand, founder of the HEC Paris Sustainability & Organizations Institute and Academic Director of the Purpose Center, to explore whether purpose still provides a competitive advantage.
Throughout the discussion, Durand challenged the idea that purpose and performance are competing objectives. Drawing on her leadership journey across technology, retail and consumer sectors, Coppola argued that purpose should serve as a filter for decision-making, particularly in times of uncertainty. Using examples from Decathlon and Patagonia, she explained that purpose only creates value when it is embedded in everyday practices—from hiring and performance metrics to product development and leadership behavior. When consistently integrated across the organization, it becomes part of the company's "muscle memory", guiding action even during periods of disruption and supporting long-term resilience and growth.
Coppola also stressed that purpose has become a key driver of talent attraction and engagement. Employees increasingly expect organizations to align their actions with their stated values, making credibility and consistency essential leadership qualities. For leaders, the challenge is therefore not to define purpose, but to operationalize it. As she concluded, shortcuts may deliver short-term results, but they ultimately undermine trust and long-term performance.
