DSM unveils positive environmental and health impact progress but admits “more needs to be done”

29 Mar 2023 --- Royal DSM has revealed the first audited results of its progress in helping to address urgent societal and environmental challenges linked to how the world produces and consumes food. DSM is one of the first companies in the consumer ingredients sector to make its societal impact explicit.

In the first full year since announcing a series of ambitious, measurable, long-term food system commitments, DSM’s initial findings provide a benchmark by which to measure improvement between now and 2030.

The company aims for accessible, affordable, healthy nutrition along with healthy livelihoods within planetary boundaries.

DSM’s food system commitments cover areas where it believes it can make the most significant positive impact and support UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Health for people
The company aims to close the micronutrient gap of hundreds of millions of people worldwide.

DSM states that one of its goals is to close the micronutrient gap of hundreds of millions of people worldwide.

Through the fortification for staple foods, public health initiatives, and emergency relief supplements, DSM has so far helped millions of society’s most vulnerable, many of whom are mothers and children with special nutritional needs. 

DSM has worked with partners, including the World Food Program, UNICEF, and Sight and Life, and will extend its impact as it targets helping to close the micronutrient gap of 800 million people by 2030.

The company’s vitamin C and D solutions, used in multivitamins and straight supplements, supported the immune systems of almost a third of a billion people worldwide in 2022. 

Health for planet
DSM is working toward a marked reduction in on-farm livestock emissions. Its animal feed solutions mean customers can reduce farm emissions, including ammonia from swine farming (by 20.0%), phosphorus eutrophication from poultry farming (by 6.8%), and greenhouse gases in dairy production (by 20.5%). 

By investing in scientifically- and economically-proven innovations such as feed enzymes and eubiotics, including VevoVitall and Digestarom and its methane inhibitor Bovaer, which gained various regulatory approvals around the world during 2022, DSM targets double-digit reductions by 2030.

Propelling plant-based
DSM believes it reached 62 million people with plant-based foods in 2022. It has a growing range of plant-based food ingredients.

DSM launched the Vertis range late last December, including the world’s first textured vegetable protein that is a complete protein, soy-free and gluten-free, as it targets reaching 150 million people by 2030.DSM believes it reached 62 million people with plant-based foods in 2022.

The company also supported the livelihoods of more than 60,000 smallholder farmers in 2022 through its Africa Improved Foods joint venture. With partners including World Vision, DSM helped maintain and improve farmers’ livelihoods across Rwanda and Sub-Saharan Africa. It is now developing new activities in greater Africa, Latin America, and South East Asia as it aims to reach 500,000 smallholders by 2030.

“The way food is produced and consumed currently contributes to major global challenges, such as climate change, malnutrition, and poverty. Urgent change is needed. Quantifying our impact provides a robust benchmark from which we can work toward our 2030 ambitions. We can now reassess if any targets can be revised upwards and, together with our partners, do even more to ensure accessible, affordable, healthy nutrition and healthy livelihoods within our planet’s boundaries,” says Geraldine Matchett, DSM co-CEO.

“The initial results are humbling – millions of people around the world already benefit from DSM’s scientific expertise and manufacturing prowess – but also make clear there is much more to be done,” she adds. 

Edited by Gaynor Selby