Feike Sijbesma, CEO and Chairman of the DSM Managing Board, commented: “We are proud to be once again amongst the global top leaders in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. We congratulate AkzoNobel on being named the leader in our industry. For Royal DSM, sustainability is not only a responsibility and a core value, but also an important business driver. By converting crop residue into advanced green biofuels, increasing solar panel yields and reducing the weight of cars we demonstrate every day that sustainability is an integral part of our business and a key differentiator for our customers.”
DSM aims to create value over three dimensions simultaneously; economically, environmentally and societal, named the Triple P approach (People-Planet-Profit). DSM’s business activities and results demonstrate this every day.
DSM’s so called, ECO+ products, of which the environmental impact is lower than competing mainstream products that fulfill the same function, are an increasingly important part of DSM’s portfolio. The share of ECO+ products in DSM’s innovation pipeline is on track to achieve the 2015 aspiration of 80%. The ECO+ share in our running business is today almost 50%, increased from around 30% in 2010.
Examples are our enzymes for the cheese, baking and beverage industries, making food products healthier whilst reducing the carbon footprint of their production. Increasingly DSM contributes with its activities to the sustainability drive in China.
The so called, People+ dimension, which DSM developed with 12 European Industry leaders in 2014, is now a broadly accepted methodology for assessing a product’s social impact throughout its life cycle. People+ products measurably improve the lives of end-users, employees and communities across the value chain.
An example of a People+ innovation are synthetic chains made of Dyneema® fiber used in harbors, meaning the harbor workers suffer less from back pain and injuries and experience less noise compared to using heavy steel chains.
DSM is also addressing its own environmental and carbon footprint by reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and becoming more energy efficient. DSM is on track to reach its aspiration for a 20% energy efficiency improvement in 2020. DSM will also achieve its aspiration of a (absolute) reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 25% by 2020, compared to 2008. DSM will formulate new targets by the end of 2015.