The Provocateurs Episode 42 | Cécile Béliot: Business Without Sustainability Has No Future

Cécile Béliot is the first female CEO of Bel Group, known for iconic cheese brands The Laughing Cow, Babybel, and Boursin, as well as GoGo squeeZ fruit pouches. As only the second executive from outside the founding family to lead the 150-year-old company, she shares how she’s honoring legacy while driving transformation in today’s challenging environment – proving that companies can deliver both profitability and sustainability. Cécile defines sustainability through two interconnected pillars: social impact for providers (fair wages, financing the transition to regenerative farming) and facilitating healthy eating habits for consumers. To embed this vision at the company’s core, Bel transformed the Chief Financial Officer role into Chief Global Impact Officer – a bold move that changed how the entire organization thinks about performance and accountability. Cécile’s provocation to business leaders everywhere is simple but powerful. Put an "AND" in everything you do. Not short-term or long-term. Not purpose or profit. Companies that embrace the “AND” – managing the tensions rather than choosing sides – unlock innovation, collaboration, and the ecosystem transformation needed to thrive today and tomorrow. --- This podcast is part of an ongoing series of interviews with executives. The executives’ participation in this podcast are solely for educational purposes based on their knowledge of the subject and the views expressed by them are solely their own. This podcast should not be deemed or construed to be for the purpose of soliciting business for any of the companies mentioned, nor does Deloitte advocate or endorse the services or products provided by these companies.