Royal DSM, a global purpose-led science-based company, today announces a series of new quantifiable commitments aimed to address urgent societal and environmental challenges linked to how the world produces and consumes food by 2030. Through investment in its (bio)science-based innovations, extensive partnerships, and advocacy activities, DSM aims to help deliver change to ensure accessible, affordable, healthy nutrition and healthy livelihoods within planetary boundaries. DSM’s new strategic food system commitments by 2030 are:
People
- Enable the micronutrient gap of 800 million vulnerable people to be closed
- Support the immunity of 500 million people
Planet
- Enable double-digit on-farm livestock emission reductions
- Reach 150 million people with nutritious, sustainable plant-based protein foods
Livelihoods
- Support the livelihoods of 500,000 smallholder farmers across value chains together with partners
These commitments support the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2, 3, 12 and 13. DSM is committed to continue to obtain reasonable assurance on its impact reporting including these new commitments as it plans to report its progress every year in its Integrated Annual Report.
Said Geraldine Matchett and Dimitri de Vreeze, Co-CEOs: “The way we produce and consume food as a society contributes to major global challenges, such as climate change, malnutrition and poverty. To solve this we need to collectively rethink our food systems from farm to fork. As a purpose-led global science-based leader in health, nutrition and bioscience, we’ve been playing our part and applied our resources and expertise to create positive change for instance through our food fortification and feed solutions for on-farm emission reduction. With today’s ambitious commitments we are taking a next step by making our societal impact explicit and measurable. We look forward to stepping this up, together with our public and private sector partners, to ensure accessible, affordable, healthy nutrition and healthy livelihoods within our planet’s boundaries.”
Health for People
During 2020, the number of people without access to adequate nutrition rose to 2.4 billion — roughly a third of the world’s population (UN FAO). Food poverty is also endemic in many of the world’s richest countries, as shown by the growing use of food banks. It is estimated that 2 billion people suffer from vitamin and mineral deficiency with COVID-19 highlighting the crucial role a balanced nutrition plays in supporting the body’s immune function.
Health for Planet
Food systems and the climate crisis are intrinsically linked. Not only is food production and consumption responsible for more than a quarter of all global emissions (IPCC report 2019), it’s also the first to be hit by the disruption of the planet’s natural ecosystems. Scaling up plant-based alternatives together with switching to more sustainable production of key animal proteins such as dairy, fish, meat, and eggs is needed to fulfil the nutritional needs of a growing global population.
DSM can help make a sizeable reduction in emissions from farms by changing the feed that animals eat every day. For instance, just a quarter teaspoon of its feed additive Bovaer per cow per day will consistently reduce enteric methane emission by approximately 30% – enabling a 10-12% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions per kilo of milk.
Healthy Livelihoods
Many people working in food supply chains – including farmers, traders, and factory workers – are unable to afford or have access to healthy food. Of the nearly 1 billion farmers in the world, more than 492 million live in extreme poverty. They need fair, steady incomes that will support their basic needs.
With these commitments, DSM builds further upon its purpose-led portfolio and strong ESG performance, exemplified by the recent acceleration of its science-based greenhouse gas reduction target. DSM is a CDP Climate Leader and was awarded an A score for its climate change disclosure. DSM holds a platinum sustainability medal from EcoVadis putting DSM in the top 1% of its industry. DSM has a top position in Sustainalytics, has an AAA rating from MSCI; has Prime Status with ISS-Oekom; and has a leading position in the rankings of Moody’s Vigeo Eiris. For more visit dsm.com
