BENEDICTE FAIVRE TAVIGNOT

Danone is a leading European food multinational company who has been aggressively pursuing societal ("CSR") objectives for more than 40 years, and has developed an even more ambitious dual project since 2008. In 2011, in the aftermath of the worldwide crisis, the firm finds it increasingly difficult to meet its growth and profit objectives. Some voices in the Executive Committee are complaining that the societal agenda is putting undue pressure on the business. The case briefly outlines Danone history and describes the organization and platforms enabling the firm to implement its new vision, which integrates business and societal objectives. The different platforms are illustrated by 12 examples of societal projects conducted throughout the world. In many instances the case hints at the way Danone uses CSR as a lever for transforming the company. Danone needs to reexamine its societal approach to see whether it hinders or helps achieve business results. This begs the questions of 1) the legitimacy of Danone's management to develop these CSR initiatives 2) the method chosen by the firm to do so (how is Danone developing its dual approach?) and 3) the results accomplished so far. , 2014 , Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), General Strategy, Inclusive Business Models, Social Business. , SnO (http://www.ccmp.fr/collection-hec-paris/cas-combining-business-and-societal-objectives-at-danone)

The cases examine how Danone, the leading French food company, and Grameen, Mohammed Yunus' organization, built Grameen Danone Food Limited (GDFL), the first "Social Business" ever co-developed according to the 2006 Nobel Prize winner principles During an informal lunch with Mohammed Yunus, Danone CEO's Franck Riboud agreed to form a Social Business (SB) in order to fight children's malnutrition in Bangladesh. This hand-shake resulted in the construction of a small plant in Bogra, designed to produce "shokti-doi", yoghurt specifically developed for Bangladesh. The development of such a new organizational form is far from being smooth, however, raising legitimate questions about its true potential as a way to alleviate poverty. Although no definitive answer can be provided at this stage, the case series provide instructors with enough details to illustrate the pros and cons of social businesses. More fundamentally, the series examine the use of market-based solutions to fight poverty and illustrate how firms exercise their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Case A is positioned in December 2008, at a time when GDFL's model is clearly not performing. It gives an historical perspective on the joint-venture, and underlines the tension between the business' social and the economic aspects. Cases B and C are short follow-up cases designed to be distributed in class. , 2012 , Food company, poverty, nutritious food, social business, ethics, corporate social responsibility, marketing, corporate alliance, Bangladesh. , SnO (http://www.ccmp.fr/collection-hec-paris/cas-grameen-danone-food-limited-a-creating-a-social-business-in-bangladesh)

The cases examine how Danone, the leading French food company, and Grameen, Mohammed Yunus' organization, built Grameen Danone Food Limited (GDFL), the first "Social Business" ever co-developed according to the 2006 Nobel Prize winner principles. During an informal lunch with Mohammed Yunus, Danone CEO's Franck Riboud agreed to form a Social Business (SB) in order to fight children's malnutrition in Bangladesh. This hand-shake resulted in the construction of a small plant in Bogra, designed to produce "shokti-doi", yoghurt specifically developed for Bangladesh. The development of such a new organizational form is far from being smooth, however, raising legitimate questions about its true potential as a way to alleviate poverty. Although no definitive answer can be provided at this stage, the case series provide instructors with enough details to illustrate the pros and cons of social businesses. More fundamentally, the series examine the use of market-based solutions to fight poverty and illustrate how firms exercise their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Case A is positioned in December 2008, at a time when GDFL's model is clearly not performing. It gives an historical perspective on the joint-venture, and underlines the tension between the business' social and the economic aspects. Cases B and C are short follow-up cases designed to be distributed in class. , 2012 , Food company, poverty, nutritious food, social business, ethics, corporate social responsibility, marketing, corporate alliance, Bangladesh. , SnO (http://www.ccmp.fr/collection-hec-paris/cas-grameen-danone-food-limited-b-new-directions)

The cases examine how Danone, the leading French food company, and Grameen, Mohammed Yunus' organization, built Grameen Danone Food Limited (GDFL), the first "Social Business" ever co-developed according to the 2006 Nobel Prize winner principles. During an informal lunch with Mohammed Yunus, Danone CEO's Franck Riboud agreed to form a Social Business (SB) in order to fight children's malnutrition in Bangladesh. This hand-shake resulted in the construction of a small plant in Bogra, designed to produce "shokti-doi", yoghurt specifically developed for Bangladesh. The development of such a new organizational form is far from being smooth, however, raising legitimate questions about its true potential as a way to alleviate poverty. Although no definitive answer can be provided at this stage, the case series provide instructors with enough details to illustrate the pros and cons of social businesses. More fundamentally, the series examine the use of market-based solutions to fight poverty and illustrate how firms exercise their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Case A is positioned in December 2008, at a time when GDFL's model is clearly not performing. It gives an historical perspective on the joint-venture, and underlines the tension between the business' social and the economic aspects. Cases B and C are short follow-up cases designed to be distributed in class. , 2012 , Food company, poverty, nutritious food, social business, ethics, corporate social responsibility, marketing, corporate alliance, Bangladesh. , SnO (http://www.ccmp.fr/collection-hec-paris/cas-grameen-danone-food-limited-c-update)