DSM quantifies impact on delivering a healthier future for people, planet, and livelihoods

Royal DSM, a global purpose-led science-based company, reveals 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.

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 as the company seeks to ensure accessible, affordable, healthy nutrition along with healthy livelihoods within planetary boundaries.

DSM’s food system commitments cover areas where the company believes it can make the greatest positive impact and support the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2, 3, 12, and 13.

DSM is one of the first companies in the consumer ingredients sector to make its societal impact explicit, with KPMG providing the highest possible assurance opinion for non-financial data on the 2022 conclusions:

Health for People

Closing the micronutrient gap of 642 million vulnerable people in 2022

Through the fortification for staple foods, public health initiatives, and emergency relief supplements, DSM helped millions of society’s most vulnerable, many of whom are mothers and children with special nutritional needs. Working with partners including the World Food Program, UNICEF, and Sight and Life, DSM will extend its impact as it targets helping to close the micronutrient gap of 800 million people by 2030.

Supporting the immunity of 321 million people in 2022

DSM’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. The company continues to educate and inform about the vital role of micronutrients for a well-functioning immune system as it aims to support 500 million people by 2030.

Health for Planet

Enabling a marked reduction in on-farm livestock emissions in 2022

DSM’s animal feed solutions mean its 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 as well as its methane inhibitor Bovaer, which gained various regulatory approvals around the world during 2022, DSM targets double-digit reductions by 2030.

Reaching 62 million people with plant-based foods in 2022

With DSM’s growing range of plant-based food ingredients, the company enabled its customers to serve millions of people wanting nutritious, delicious, and sustainably produced meat, dairy, and fish alternatives in 2022. DSM launched the Vertis™ range in 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.

Healthy Livelihoods

Supporting the livelihoods of more than 60,000 smallholder farmers in 2022

Through its Africa Improved Foods joint venture and with partners including World Vision, DSM helped to maintain and improve the livelihoods of farmers across Rwanda and Sub-Saharan Africa. DSM is now developing new activities in greater Africa, Latin America, and South East Asia as it aims to reach 500,000 smallholders by 2030.

More information on DSM’s food system commitments, including how the results were determined, can be found here.

Geraldine Matchett and Dimitri de Vreeze, co-chief executive officers, DSM, commented, “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. 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 towards 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.”