Collaboration, innovation & leadership at the 2025 Global CGF Summit
June 20, 2025 – Last week, the 2025 Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) Global Summit brought together over 1,000 senior leaders from retail and manufacturing. Hosted in Amsterdam, the Summit showcased how collaboration and innovation can accelerate positive change for industry action pre-competitively in the face of economic, social and environmental disruption.
The Summit opened with a warm welcome from CGF Managing Director Wai-Chan Chan and Board Co-Chairs Frans Muller, President & CEO of Ahold Delhaize, and Dirk Van de Put, Chairman & CEO of Mondelēz International. Together, they reflected on the coalition’s progress over the past two years and emphasized the importance of continued collaboration to address shared global challenges – from sustainability to consumer trust.
A standout moment was the keynote speech by Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, who highlighted the central role of financial wellbeing for individuals in business success. She cited the Netherlands’ National Coalition for Financial Health, which aims to halve the number of financially vulnerable households by 2030, as a leading example. She urged companies to adopt similar efforts, focusing on early detection of financial stress and offering support to employees. Queen Máxima also called for stronger collaboration in building circular economies, referencing initiatives like the CGF’s Food Waste and Plastic Waste Coalitions, and spotlighted Dutch innovators such as InstockMarket and Avantium for their work in reducing waste and developing bioplastics.
CNN journalist and geopolitical analyst Fareed Zakaria brought a broader lens to the Summit, describing how the post-Cold War rise of globalization, technology, and social mobility has sparked not just growth but also cultural and political backlash. He pointed out that the biggest divides today aren’t between left and right, but between open and closed mindsets – shaped by education, geography, and worldview. Zakaria warned of the growing pressure on liberal democracy, and encouraged leaders to focus on deeper thinking rather than constant reaction. “Don’t confuse motion with progress,” he said – a reminder especially relevant in today’s fast-moving world.
Day two of the event turned attention to pressing social and environmental issues. Former UK Prime Minister Theresa May, now Chair of the Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking, joined IGA CEO John Ross in calling on companies to embed Human Rights Due Diligence throughout their supply chains. Sessions highlighted how predictive commerce and AI-driven customer journeys – showcased by Walmart International, Accenture, Nestlé, JD.com, and Ocado – are transforming retail. Carter Roberts, WWF US CEO, also emphasized the need to redesign the global food system, while the launch of CGF’s Climate Transition Coalition underscored industry momentum on climate action.
On day three Albert Heijn took the spotlight. Sonja Boelhouwer, Chief Operating Officer, and Noortje van Genugten, VP Products Operations, gave an energizing presentation on how Albert Heijn is using technology to promote healthier eating. They shared innovations such as dynamic markdowns to reduce food waste, the Scan & Kook (Cook) feature to inspire quick healthy meals, and Steijn, a new AI-powered assistant helping customers make better food choices.
Ahold Delhaize , CEO Frans Muller and CSO Alex Holt also participated in live (podcast) interviews with Omni Talk Retail. Frans highlighted the company’s focus on scalability and innovation to enhance customer experience and sustainability while Alex shared her knowledge on how retailers can implement sustainability practices on a large scale. Frans, together with Claude Sarrailh, CEO Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia, attended the Going for Gold lunch where they heard from Olympic athletes and discussed the parallels of what is needed to drive change and innovation both in sports and the business world. Frans also attended the Inclusivity Lunch where practical learnings on creating better accessibility for consumers with a disability were shared.
Launch of the Common Data Framework
Another key highlight from the Summit was the launch of The Consumer Good Forum’s Common Data Framework. With retailers using different metrics, formats and methodologies, the framework offers retailers common standards to help reduce inefficiencies and align industry efforts in data collection, particularly surrounding emissions and deforestation.
The Summit concluded with the official leadership handover at CGF. Frans Muller and Dirk Van de Put passed the Co-Chair baton to Ramon Laguarta, Chairman & CEO PepsiCo, and Ken Murphy, Group CEO, Tesco. The CGF sincerely thank Frans for his dedicated leadership and the lasting impact he has made at the CGF. Ahold Delhaize remains fully committed to the Forum’s mission of driving positive change – together with our partners, for people and the planet.