Danone qZERO®
Sustainability Score
France Founded in 1919, Danone was born from a simple yet powerful idea: using nutrition to nurture health. Rooted in a spirit of innovation and care, Danone began with the first yoghurts sold in Barcelona’s pharmacies and grew into a global leader, touching millions of lives through food and drink that support wellbeing.
Throughout its journey, Danone has stayed true to its original purpose — bringing health through food to as many people as possible. This unwavering commitment has inspired decades of innovation, from pioneering plant-based nutrition to advancing research into early life and medical nutrition.
Today, Danone continues to blend its rich heritage with a forward-looking vision, investing in responsible practices and embracing new ways to protect people and planet alike. Every product is a step towards healthier lifestyles and a healthier world, building a future where good food truly means good for all.
Danone business sustainability position is above average compared to other companies in the Food Manufacturers & Producers.
Danone positioning within the Food Manufacturers & Producers
Danone positions itself as a business that aims to link food production to health, nature, and long-term value. Compared with many Food Manufacturers and Producers, it places visible focus on areas such as responsible sourcing, packaging reduction, and improving the nutritional profile of its products.
On environmental topics, Danone communicates goals to reduce emissions, support regenerative farming practices, and design packaging that can be reused, recycled, or composted. These are important steps, although their real impact depends on consistent progress across the full product life cycle — from farm to shelf.
On social factors, the brand highlights partnerships with farmers, commitments to fair working conditions, and access to healthier food. This reflects a broader shift in the sector towards more transparent and responsible sourcing, though outcomes can vary by region and supplier.
In terms of governance, Danone is often recognised for integrating sustainability into its business model, including certification approaches and public reporting. For consumers, this can signal stronger oversight, but it remains important that all claims are clear, evidence-based, and regularly updated to reflect real performance.
Overall, Danone presents a more structured and forward-looking approach than many peers. For shoppers, this means there is a clearer intention to reduce impact and improve product quality — while still requiring ongoing transparency to ensure claims remain meaningful and easy to understand.
Danone delivers a wide range of nutritious products that support healthier lifestyles at every stage of life. Its portfolio includes essential dairy and plant-based foods, early life nutrition, specialised medical nutrition, and natural mineral waters. Whether offering yoghurt, plant-based alternatives, or products designed for specific dietary needs, Danone’s brands such as Actimel, Alpro, and Evian are trusted companions in everyday wellbeing. Each product is designed with the belief that eating and drinking should be healthy, joyful, and accessible to all.
Danone is committed to making healthier, more sustainable choices available to everyone. The company works to keep prices fair while improving the environmental footprint of its products, from farm to table. Through responsible sourcing, resource-efficient production, and investing in local communities, Danone finds ways to lower costs without cutting corners on sustainability. By prioritising eco-designed packaging, renewable energy use, and regenerative farming, Danone brings to market products that are better for people and the planet, without putting a strain on consumers’ budgets.
Danone’s approach brings together how food is made, how it supports people, and how it respects natural resources. The brand focuses on improving how ingredients are grown and sourced, working with farmers to encourage practices that protect soil, water, and wildlife, while helping farms remain productive for the long term.
Across its operations, Danone plans to lower emissions by improving energy efficiency, increasing the use of renewable energy, and reducing waste. Packaging is another key focus, with actions aimed at using less material, increasing recycled content, and designing packs that are easier to recycle or reuse.
Water is especially important in Danone’s work, particularly in areas where it is scarce. The company reports actions to reduce water use and protect local water systems, though the scale of impact can vary by location and progress.
For people, Danone highlights partnerships with farmers and suppliers to support fair working conditions and more stable incomes. It also places emphasis on offering products that support healthier diets, alongside programmes that aim to improve access to nutrition in different communities.
To support these actions, Danone publishes regular updates on its progress and sets measurable goals. This level of transparency can help consumers understand what is being done, although it remains important that all claims are backed by clear evidence and reflect real improvements over time.
Danone sets out a clear direction for reducing its impact on the natural world, with visible commitments across farming, packaging, water, and energy use. The company reports actions to improve how raw materials are sourced, including support for farming practices that protect soil health, reduce pressure on land, and help safeguard wildlife.
There is also a strong focus on packaging and waste. Danone shares plans to reduce the amount of material used, increase recycled content, and make more of its packaging suitable for recycling or reuse. Alongside this, the business highlights efforts to lower emissions across its operations and supply chain, supported by changes in energy use and production processes.
Water remains a key priority, particularly for its bottled water brands and in regions where water is under stress. Danone reports programmes to manage water use more carefully and protect local water sources, although outcomes can vary depending on geography and ongoing implementation.
At the same time, some areas appear less consistent across the full business. Day-to-day environmental management, including energy efficiency and compliance, can vary by region. Protecting biodiversity and managing land use across complex agricultural supply chains also remains a longer-term challenge, especially in dairy production.
Overall, Danone presents a structured approach with clear areas of action. For consumers, this means the brand is taking steps to reduce its impact, while continued progress and transparent reporting are important to show how these actions translate into real, measurable improvements over time.
Danone presents a clear commitment to people across its workforce, supply chain, and the communities it reaches. The company highlights programmes focused on learning and development, helping employees build skills and grow over time. It also reports actions to support inclusion and equal opportunities, aiming to create a workplace where people feel respected and valued.
Beyond its own teams, Danone works with farmers and suppliers to improve livelihoods and promote fair working conditions. This includes long-term partnerships designed to support more stable incomes and responsible sourcing practices. The brand also shares initiatives aimed at improving access to nutrition, especially for more vulnerable groups, linking its products to wider community wellbeing.
Community engagement is another visible area, with ongoing investment in local programmes and partnerships. These efforts show an intention to create positive impact beyond products alone, although the scale and consistency of outcomes can vary by region.
At the same time, some areas appear less consistent. Customer experience — including how concerns, feedback, and complaints are handled — may not always match the strength of its wider social programmes. In addition, topics such as worker representation, labour relations, and human rights due diligence can vary across global operations and supply chains, reflecting the complexity of managing large, international networks.
Overall, Danone shows a people-focused approach with clear areas of progress. For consumers, this suggests a brand that is working to support both its workforce and wider communities, while continued transparency is key to understanding how these commitments translate into everyday experiences.
Danone sets out structured systems to guide decision-making, track progress, and share information. The company publishes regular updates on its performance, helping consumers and stakeholders see what actions are being taken and where progress is being made. This level of openness can support trust, especially when information is clear, consistent, and easy to access.
The business also shows signs of long-term planning, with sustainability considerations built into its overall strategy. This includes setting goals, monitoring progress, and linking performance to leadership oversight. These steps suggest that responsible business practices are part of how the company is managed, not treated as a separate activity.
At the same time, some areas appear less consistent. How the company prepares for and responds to risks or unexpected events is not always clearly visible, which can make it harder to assess readiness in more challenging situations. In addition, the business's engagement with public policy and external influence is not always fully explained, leaving questions about how these activities align with its broader commitments.
There are also signs that certain accountability areas, such as shareholder engagement and compliance practices across all markets, could be strengthened. In large global organisations, consistency is key, and differences between regions can affect how policies are applied in practice.
Overall, Danone presents a governance approach with clear foundations. For consumers, this means the brand is taking steps to be open and accountable, while continued clarity and consistency are important to maintaining trust over time.
Danone stands apart through its unique mission of bringing health through food to as many people as possible, while deeply respecting the planet. Its strength lies in combining science-based nutrition with strong environmental responsibility. Every Danone product is designed with wellbeing in mind, backed by a deep commitment to regenerative agriculture, low-carbon production, and eco-friendly innovation. As a certified B Corp™ in many countries, Danone offers shoppers clear reassurance: choosing Danone means choosing a brand that acts with care, transparency, and ambition for a healthier, more sustainable future for all.
Danone presents a clear intention to connect how food is made with how it supports people and the natural world. Across this review, the brand shows consistent action on sourcing, packaging, and nutrition, alongside efforts to improve how it works with farmers and communities.
For shoppers, this means Danone can be a more considered option in everyday food choices — especially when products provide clear information on sourcing, ingredients, and packaging. At the same time, like many global food brands, progress is still ongoing, and the real impact depends on how consistently these actions are delivered across all products and regions.
Looking ahead, the most important next steps are about depth and clarity: scaling responsible farming practices, further reducing packaging waste, and continuing to share clear, evidence-based updates on progress. As expectations grow, transparency and measurable results will matter more than broad claims. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
How to choose lower-impact Danone products
By choosing carefully, you help support better practices across the food industry — one product at a time.
Danone refers to a mix of business-level certifications and product, ingredient, or packaging certifications across its operations and supply chain. For shoppers, that matters because not every certification applies to every Danone product in the same way. The clearest approach is to look for specific, named certifications and check what part of the business or product they actually cover. Danone’s own sustainability pages say its framework is grounded in B Corp, while its reports also point to certified sourcing and site-level management systems.
Danone states that it officially achieved B Corp certification worldwide in 2025, with more than 200 legal entities certified in over 60 countries. This is a business certification, not a label that appears on every product pack.
Danone’s extra-financial data shows ISO 14001 certification across part of its production site network. This is a business-site certification for environmental management systems, showing that certified sites follow a structured approach to managing their environmental impacts.
Danone also reports ISO 50001 certification at some production sites. This is a business-site certification focused on energy management, helping certified sites improve how energy is measured, managed, and reduced over time.
Danone reports that its palm oil sourcing is covered by RSPO certification, with 95% of palm oil sourced in 2023 certified as RSPO Segregated and a further 3% as RSPO Mass Balance. Danone also says that, for non-dairy, 91% of palm oil was RSPO-certified in 2024. This is an ingredient certification, not a whole-product certification.
Danone’s forest and packaging materials reporting says its paper and board packaging uses recycled fibres or virgin certified fibres, including FSC, PEFC and SFI. This applies to packaging materials rather than to all products as a whole.
Danone’s forest reporting shows certified and verified soy in parts of its direct supply chain, including ProTerra Segregated, organic, and non-GMO verified soy. This is relevant to sourced ingredients rather than a blanket claim for every Danone product.
Danone reports cocoa certified under one or more programmes, including Rainforest Alliance, Organic, Fair Trade, and Fair for Life, and its forest policy states that it has used certification schemes such as Rainforest Alliance for direct cocoa purchases for more than a decade. These are ingredient-level certifications or sourcing programmes, not a universal product-wide certification.
Certification coverage can change as Danone updates its sourcing mix, site certifications, and reporting methods. For the latest view, it is worth checking Danone’s newest sustainability reports and product-level pack information, especially where a certification applies only to certain ingredients, sites, or markets rather than to the whole brand.
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