Responsibilities and opportunities
This role brings with it
responsibilities and opportunities. DSM touches the lives of millions of
people every day. We have a unique chance to use our creativity, knowledge and
skills to positively affect society, benefiting our company by benefiting the
world in which we operate. Our 2007 Triple P
Report outlines our strategy for doing this and indicates dilemmas which
we have a duty to resolve.
Vision 2010
Our sustainability strategy is an intrinsic part of
our corporate strategy
Vision 2010 – Building on Strengths, which we have been implementing
since 2006. In September 2007, DSM announced the results of a strategic
interim review of its Vision 2010.
We are accelerating our transformation to become the leading specialist in the
fields of Life Sciences and Materials Sciences. Our technological knowledge
and strong market positions in these areas create excellent opportunities for
further growth and market-led innovation. By answering unmet market needs with
innovative new solutions, we will maintain our sustainable economic platform,
which is the precondition for discharging our duties as a good corporate
citizen.
Sustainability goals
Our sustainability goals underpin a
broader strategic thrust, which involves a yet sharper focus on
sustainability. We have raised the bar for ourselves. Over the last two
decades we have realized energy savings of 1% a year, which has brought
environmental benefits as well as cost benefits for DSM. This target has now
been increased to 2%. Our other sustainability goals have been confirmed: we
aim to retain our top-position rankings in SHE and sustainability, to become a
leading performer in Industrial or ‘White’ Biotechnology, to continuously
improve our eco-footprint, and to cultivate a more diverse, more international
workforce.
Safety performance
We seriously regret that, despite all our
efforts, we witnessed a fatal accident at our premix site in Argentina. It
once again convinced us of the essential role of safety in hardware,
procedures and behavior for all our operations.
Our safety performance, measured by total recordable injury rate, has improved
14% from 0.95 in 2005 to 0.82 in 2007. By continuing to focus our attention
and consistently executing our programs, we expect to achieve our ambitious
2010 target of a 50% reduction.
Achievements
2007 witnessed some important achievements in the
implementation of our sustainability agenda, most notably the establishment of
our partnership with the United Nations
World Food Programme to combat malnutrition. DSM provides technical and
scientific expertise and high nutrient products to improve the WFP food basket
through the addition of essential micronutrients. Providing sufficient
micronutrients helps a child’s mental and physical development today, but more
importantly supplies essential building blocks for a lifetime. By improving
their nutrition, the partnership will improve the lives of hundreds of
thousands of people around the globe.
DSM also became signatory of UN Global Compact
. We fully support its principles and are continuing to integrate appropriate
actions into our business activities.
These activities are complemented by business initiatives such as the
Nutrition Improvement Program and product innovations such as our joint
venture with Bühler to produce the enriched rice kernels NutriRice®. Other
exciting developments supporting our sustainability agenda include the new
breakthrough polymer PA4T, our work with waterborne resins, and our
personalized nutrition products such as InsuVital™ and Fabuless™.
Global trends
Our accelerated Vision 2010 strategic agenda
focuses on four global trends, which we have defined as
Climate and Energy (PDF: 469 Kb),
Health and Well-being (PDF: 429 Kb),
Functionality and Performance (PDF: 620 Kb) and
Emerging Economies (PDF: 522 Kb). Each represents a complex of growing
societal and environmental needs. They are discussed in detail in our Triple P
Report 2007.
Sustainable approach
Tailoring our approach to the needs of
people and the planet creates a strategy that is essentially a sustainable
strategy: we serve the needs of a continually evolving world by manufacturing
and selling sustainable products in the value chain – products which create
energy efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption and/or
waste for our customers. We will simultaneously pay considerable attention to
our working culture and further cultivate a diverse, multi-skilled workforce
that enjoys mutually productive relationships with its internal and external
business partners.
Sustainable existence
We cannot be successful, nor can we call
ourselves successful, in a society that fails. We must therefore work towards
a world in which everyone has a sustainable existence. I have always believed
that as individuals we should live not only for ourselves but also for other
people. This combination provides personal energy and it can lead to new ideas
and products that are better for the world. DSM is a commercial enterprise,
and we will of course always strive to make a good profit. But our aim must be
to make a profit by means of beneficial products and to leave a world which
enables future generations to further build upon our legacy.
Feike Sijbesma
Chairman of the Managing Board
