Ahold Delhaize and Pernod Ricard strengthen sustainability governance

Ahold Delhaize has appointed a Chief Sustainability Officer for its US business while Pernod Ricard has promoted its Sustainable Business Director to the role.

Ahold Delhaize USA, the US branch of international retailer Ahold Delhaize, has named finance veteran Marc Stolzman as Chief Sustainability Officer, just a few months after appointing Alex Holt to lead sustainability globally. 

Ahold Delhaize USA: Betting on financial expertise

Reporting to US CEO JJ Fleeman, Stolzman will oversee sustainability for the US business, which includes over 2,000 stores under brand names such as Food Lion, Giant, Hannaford and Stop and Shop. He will be tasked with aligning strategy and climate goals with Ahold Delhaize’s global sustainability ambitions, as well as US regulation. 

For the past five years, Stolzman was Executive Lead, Finance at Peapod Digital Labs – one of Ahold Delhaize USA’s click-and-collect brands. Before that, he served as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and then President of telco Kymeta Corporation and held CFO roles at retailers Zulily, Zumiez and Blue Nile, as well as Imperium Renewables. 

“As we work through important and complex sustainability efforts in the next several years, including eliminating carbon emissions, bringing to market healthier products, stopping food waste, reducing single-use plastics and more, Marc’s proven leadership and deep financial background will be instrumental in driving our ambitious goals,” said CEO Fleeman.

Pernod Ricard: From communications to operations

Meanwhile, wine and spirits group Pernod Ricard has announced several changes to its sustainability leadership team. 

The company has added sustainability oversight to the responsibilities of its Executive Vice President of Operations, Maria Pia de Caro, who now holds the role of EVP, Integrated Operations and Sustainability & Responsibility. De Caro is also a member of the executive committee. 

Noémie Bauer has also replaced Vanessa Wright as Chief Sustainability Officer, reporting to De Caro. Wright had been in the role since 2017, coming from a communications background, while Bauer has been working in the company’s sustainability department since 2011, most recently as Sustainable Business Director. 

The firm issued its first sustainability-linked bond, totalling €750 million, in 2022, and has a 2030 goal to cut Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 54% and Scope 3 emissions intensity by 50% – targets that are currently being assessed by the Science-Based Targets Initiative.