CSO Insights: Why consumer goods giant P&G wants to reinvent the business case for sustainability

In this episode of the All Things Sustainable podcast, we're talking to Procter & Gamble's Chief Sustainability Officer, Virginie Helias. The global consumer goods giant has a market capitalization of more than $343 billion and its products include household staples like laundry detergent, diapers, toothpaste and shampoo. Virginie explains how P&G is navigating sustainability challenges, including cutting emissions in its supply chain, current economic and geopolitical headwinds, and changing customer behavior. "We need to reinvent the business case," Virginie says. "We need to create new tailwinds and the new tailwinds will be, first, innovation that delivers superior value. And for us, that means where sustainability becomes an amplifier of performance." The interview took place on the sidelines of The Nest Climate Campus, where the All Things Sustainable podcast was an official media partner during Climate Week NYC 2025. This interview is the latest installment in our CSO Insights podcast series, where we interview CSOs around the world about how they're navigating the changing sustainability landscape. The sustainability space has been through enormous transformation in recent years and CSOs have a front-row seat to this evolution. Listen to other episodes in the CSO Insights podcast series: CSO Insights: How auto giant General Motors is driving EV adoption CSO Insights: Singapore's biggest bank on the 'business imperative' of climate action CSO Insights: How a big Malaysian bank balances climate, nature, human rights and economic inclusion CSO Insights: How sustainability pullback is playing out in Southeast Asia Learn about the Global Carbon Markets Conference from S&P Global Commodity Insights taking place in Barcelona shortly after COP30. This piece was published by S&P Global Sustainable1 and not by S&P Global Ratings, which is a separately managed division of S&P Global. Copyright ©2025 by S&P Global DISCLAIMER By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. Any unauthorized use, facilitation or encouragement of a third party's unauthorized use (including without limitation copy, distribution, transmission or modification, use as part of generative artificial intelligence or for training any artificial intelligence models) of this Podcast or any related information is not permitted without S&P Global's prior consent subject to appropriate licensing and shall be deemed an infringement, violation, breach or contravention of the rights of S&P Global or any applicable third-party (including any copyright, trademark, patent, rights of privacy or publicity or any other proprietary rights). This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties. S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.