Danone Canada constantly seeks employee input in shaping its workplace culture. For instance, during the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, President Dan Magliocco reached out to Fiona O’Brien for her views. O’Brien sees that conversation as a turning point.
“Leadership listened to my advice about what decisions should be made and what I wanted to see and hear from the organization,” says O’Brien, director of marketing. “It was the first time in my career that anyone had asked me for my opinion on race in Canada or wanted to listen to me on the topic. It really was life-changing.”
The food and beverage company, one of Canada’s largest, listens to its employees in other ways too, O’Brien says. A prime example is its employee resource groups, launched in 2020 with the aim to drive impact and promote inclusive diversity among its workforce and communities. The three employee resource groups are 1DanONE, the company’s Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) group; PRIDE, its group for LGBTQIA2S+ employees and allies; and LIFT (Leading and Inspiring Female Talent), which aims to empower women employees.
Beyond educating employees and creating events to promote diversity, these employee-led groups seek to drive change in the community. For example, 1DanONE advances mentorship and professional development programs – both within Danone and in the community. PRIDE partnered with the company’s International Delight brand to amplify LGBTQIA2S+ voices through an ad campaign in support of Pflag Canada, which helps families understand and accept their LGBTQIA2S+ children.
“Using business as a force for good is at the core of what we believe,” says O’Brien, who leads the 1DanONE and PRIDE groups. “Not only do these employee resource groups work towards making our workplace better, but they also have a positive effect on the communities where we live and do business.”
This commitment is evidenced by the company’s status as Canada’s largest consumer-facing B Corp. This certification means Danone meets the highest standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability. “For Danone, that’s how we’ve operated since the beginning,” says Mélanie Lebel, the company’s vice-president, human resources. “To work at Danone means you are doing business in a socially, community and environmentally responsible way, and achieving great financial results at the same time.”
For Lebel, it is important to provide employees with an environment in which they can thrive, while feeling respected and valued. “If we aren’t going to take responsibility for the people working with us, who’s going to do so?” she asks.
This approach meant that when the COVID-19 pandemic began, Danone Canada immediately prioritized employee safety, food safety and business continuity. The company then turned its attention to providing clear communications to its employees, customers and other stakeholders.
“That was a time when the world outside was more uncertain than ever,” says Lebel. “The best we could do internally was to create as much certainty as possible. We ramped up our internal communications to keep our employees informed about our efforts to provide them with a safe workspace, to get their feedback and to simply listen to their concerns.
“Being people powered is one of the things that makes Danone so special,” she adds. “We have phenomenal products that are crafted by our employees. We have fantastic programs that are run by those same employees. My pride in Danone is related to its people and how they come together to form this great community that drives great results.”
