From Corporate Strategy to the Power of Collective Action: Nicolas Defauw on Building a Sustainable Future

"You can't just focus on shareholder returns; the future belongs to companies that embed sustainability into their core strategies." 

With over 30 years in executive roles across Procter & Gamble and now at Kinetic Consulting, Nicolas brings a wealth of insight into how companies can create both impact and value. We Make Change sat down with Nicolas as part of our ChangeLeaders series to discuss his journey from traditional business practices to championing sustainability, and how he’s helping organisations integrate purpose into their core strategies.

A Journey Towards Impact

Nicolas’s career began much like any other, focusing on traditional business goals—growth, profitability, and shareholder returns. But over the years, his perspective shifted, particularly after being confronted by the reality of the environmental and social issues facing the world. “I evolved because I got inspired by people who made me face reality”.

The first turning point was “a very simple but impactful movie from Al Gore, ‘An Inconvenient Truth’”, Nicolas shared. “It put us face-to-face with the reality of climate change.” Living in Asia with his family, Nicolas witnessed firsthand the damaging effects of unsustainable practices.  He also benefited from his wife’s, Patricia de Maere, early engagement with sustainability through her NGO J'aime ma Planète

"My wife moved with more speed and intentionality on this than I did,” he admitted, referencing her work in educating children on sustainability in Swiss schools. “I wanted to participate as well and make sure that we can contribute to a better outcome.” Nicolas joined her efforts a few years later by integrating sustainability into the corporate world.

From Procter & Gamble to Kinetic Consulting

Nicolas now leads Kinetic Consulting’s sustainability practice, where his role involves helping companies build business models that integrate sustainability without sacrificing profitability. “We help companies translate their sustainability goals into practical, actionable strategies that fit their corporate model and brand equity,” Nicolas explained.

At Kinetic, sustainability isn't treated as an afterthought—it is woven into every aspect of the business, from leadership training to responsible procurement. Nicolas’s team helps companies embed sustainability across all organisational processes, including recruiting, decision-making, and innovation.

Beyond “Plain Vanilla” ESG Reporting: Embedding Sustainability as a core value

One of the biggest issues Nicolas sees with companies today is the over-reliance on basic ESG reporting without real strategic action. “Most companies have goals, but not many have real strategies,” he said. “You’re much better off focusing on one or two big things where you can make a difference.”

For Nicolas, helping companies embed sustainability into their operations means moving beyond “plain vanilla” ESG reporting. It’s about making sustainability part of everyday decision-making, from leadership development to procurement.

"We give clients examples of best-in-class practices and help them embed sustainability into every aspect of their organisation,” Nicolas said. “It takes time, but it’s the only way to create true, lasting impact.”

The Challenges of Sustainable Growth: Between Shareholders and Purpose

With less than a decade left to achieve the SDGs, the pressure on businesses to contribute meaningfully has never been higher. But Nicolas notes that some companies still struggle with balancing shareholder expectations and sustainability goals.

“There’s been some negative pushback on ESG recently, especially over the past 12 to 18 months,” Nicolas acknowledged. This backlash can be attributed to a focus on short-term profitability in a difficult external world, and hence overlooking long-term sustainability and resilient business models.  The latter will ultimately enable delivering impact and creating value to shareholders.

Businesses that succeed in integrating sustainability often do so by anchoring their strategies in a strong sense of purpose. “Strong purpose and values will supersede all of the temporary pushes we get back.” One of his favourite examples is the Dutch chocolate company Tony’s Chocolonely, which was founded with the purpose of eradicating slavery in cocoa plantations. “They don’t just want to sell sustainable chocolate—they want to change the entire industry,” Nicolas explained. This kind of bold purpose, he believes, is the future of business.

Another example is a large European bakery group that Nicolas worked with. By gradually switching to regenerative wheat—wheat grown with minimal CO2 emissions and better soil health—they will be able to reduce their environmental CO2 impact by at least 30%.  This switch is enabled by close collaboration with farmers associations, and as such they support farmers in building a more resilient business model.  This example clearly shows how environmental and social sustainability can go hand-in-hand.

"These companies aren’t just winning today—they’re building resilient models that will make them leaders in the future,” Nicolas emphasised.

The Power of Collective Action: Engaging Employees in Social Impact

Nicolas believes that employees play a crucial role in driving sustainability within companies. “It often starts from the bottom up,” he noted, highlighting the energy and passion younger employees bring to the table. Companies that engage employees in sustainability efforts attract the best talent, which in turn drives better business results.

“The key is to connect externally,” Nicolas advised, “engage with other organisations and create a movement that you can bring back into your company.” He emphasised that employees who work in businesses with a clear social or environmental impact are often more motivated and fulfilled. “We Make Change is a clear example of this. The first time I participated in a Change Day I saw my colleagues being very eager to help, extremely positive in the meetings with the impact startups we are trying to help out to build a business. And I saw them in a much different light.”

“It’s not easy to bring a new mindset into an organisation that’s driven by other pressures,” he acknowledged. But by connecting with external networks and creating a movement within the company, employees can bring about real change.

Additionally, when employees are actively engaged in social impact initiatives, companies see tangible benefits. “It inspires them, connects them to something bigger than themselves,” Nicolas said. This kind of engagement not only boosts morale but can also lead to new business opportunities and innovations.

Final Thoughts: Individual Actions Matter

As we reflected on the possibility of change, Nicolas evoked the story of the hummingbird, a Quechua tale about the power of collective action which also inspired UN-Water’s campaign ‘Be The Change’. “The hummingbird carries one drop of water to extinguish a forest fire, and though others may doubt, it can make a difference. If we all do our part, we can create change. If all of us—eight or nine billion people—participate, change will happen.”

The message is simple but powerful: "You can’t do it alone,” Nicolas advised. “Bring people along with you, create a buzz, and then take that back to your company and create a movement. Join the movement, find your purpose, and work together to create a positive impact.”

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This is part of our ChangeLeaders interview series with impact leaders sharing their journeys, lessons and learnings. If you are a ChangeLeader we should interview, please email us at info@wemakechange.org.

Interview: James Sancto & Laura De Alba (We Make Change)
Article: Laura De Alba