DSM

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Royal DSM N.V.
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Quick Facts
TypePublic
sectorChemistry
Headquarters (Benelux Organization)Heerlen, Netherlands
Year of Origin1902
Emissions (All Scopes)13.24 megatons of CO2 (2020)
Total Revenue8,106 billion EUR (2020)
Stock ExchangeAmsterdam
Key People
  • Geraldine Matchett (Co-CEO & CFO)
  • Dmitri de Vreeze (Co-CEO & COO)
Number of Employees23127
SubsidiariesDSM has 89 associates and 4 joint ventures [1]

Royal DSM N.V., stylized as DSM, was originally established in 1902 by the Dutch government to mine coal reserves in the Southern Province of Limburg.[2] Nowadays, DSM is a science-based company specializing in Nutrition, Health and Bioscience.[3] In 2020, their total Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were 13.24 megaton. Their energy efficiency improved by 5.7 percent.[4] At the time, their revenue was 8.1 billion euro’s.[5] Compared to 2019, their net profit reduced from 764 million to 508 million in 2020.[6] DSM has received an A rating for their climate change strategy from CDP. [7] Worldwide, DSM employees work at over 200 sites in almost 50 countries.[8] In 2020, the company employed a total of 23 127 people.[9] DSM's balance sheet value was 14.4 billion euro in 2020.[10] Its shares are listed on Euronext Amsterdam.[11] DSM is currently headquartered in Heerlen, Netherlands but will move to Maastricht, Netherlands at the end of 2023.[12]

Company Structure

Koninklijke DSM N.V. (Royal DSM) is a company limited by shares listed on Euronext Amsterdam. It is managed by a Managing Board together with an Executive Committee and an independent Supervisory Board. Members of the Managing Board and the Supervisory Board are appointed (and, if necessary, dismissed) by the General Meeting of Shareholders.[13] Owners of DSM shares are primarily USA, UK or European-based.[14]

DSM's sectors include nutrition, materials, innovation and corporate activities.[15] DSM was originally founded by the Dutch government and has remained a Dutch company ever since, which is why it is headquartered in the Netherlands.

Board of Directors

Managing Board[16]
Name Function Remuneration x1000 EUR
Geraldine Matchett Co-CEO & CFO 1,003,625
Dmitri de Vreeze Co-CEO & COO 1,003,625

This number excludes the value of shares owned by both Co-CEOs. Together, Geraldine and Dimitri hold about 136,891 euro worth of DSM shares.[17]

Executive Committee

Executive Committee[18]
Name Function
Philip Eykerman President DSM Food Specialties and Corporate Mergers & Acquisitions
Helen Mets President Materials Cluster
Patricia Markeley President DSM Innovation Center
Cristina Monteiro President Group People & Organization

In the case where the management board works with an executive committee, the first should inform the supervisory board about the remuneration of the members of the executive committee.[19] However, it seems like this information is not accessible in DSM's annual report.

Supervisory Board

Supervisory Board[20]
Name Function Remuneration x1000 EUR (2021)
Thomas Leysen Chairman 113.33
John Ramsay Deputy Chairman 101.17
Rob Routs Chairman 53.65
Pauline van der Meer Mohr Deputy Chair 41.15
Eileen Kennedy Member 98.75
Carla Mahieu Member 49.73
Erica Mann Member 91.75
Pradeep Pant Member 101.75
Frits Dirk van Paaschen Member 99.71

Accountant

The external auditor of DSM is KPMG.[21]

Main Activities

DSM business groups are divided in Nutrition, Materials and Innovation Center. Nutrition comprises Animal Nutrition, Human Nutrition, Food and Beverage, and Care and Health. The Materials cluster comprises Engineering Materials and Protective Materials.[22] DSM innovation center is a science-based research center focusing on long-term innovations outside the scope of current mainstream business.[23] DSM specializes in fine chemistry and bioscience.

Government

DSM has a royal status.[24] DSM did not receive government implemented NOW-support during the corona-crisis.[25]

Paris Agreement until Today

According to DSM, their scope 1 & 2 market-based GHG emissions improved by 25% compared to their 2016 baseline.[26] The year by year GHG efficiency improved with 8,6% in 2020.[27] However, in the same report it is visible that scope 3 emissions have actually increased since 2019.[28]

In 2021, the Koninklijke DSM received an A for both their progress on Climate Change and on Water Security. In order to obtain this rating, DSM had to meet several criteria including the verification and reportage of both Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. Reporting on Scope 3 is not one of the main criteria.[29]

Financial Results since 2015

This table shows the financial situation of DSM since 2015.

Financial situation
Year Revenue Profit Dividend
2015[30] 8.9 billion EUR 92 million EUR 297 million EUR[31]
2016[32] 7.9 billion EUR 629 million EUR 296 million EUR[33]
2017[34] 8.6 billion EUR 1.8 billion EUR 320 million EUR[35]
2018[36] 9.3 billion EUR 1.1 billion EUR 365 million EUR[37]
2019[38] 9 billion EUR 764 million EUR 414 million EUR[39]
2020[40] 8.1 billion EUR 508 million EUR 423 million EUR[41]
2021[42] 9.2 billion EUR 1.68 billion EUR 421 million EUR[43]

Scandals and controversies

Controversy DSM's food-supplement and methane-reducer 'Bovaer'

In 2019, DSM proudly introduced their product Bovaer, a food-supplement for cows with which their methane emission reduces by ~30%.[44] Considering the fact that the agricultural sector is responsible for 10.3% of the emissions in the EU, and 70% of that originates from livestock farming, this invention comes at a good time. However, critics fear that the implementation of Bovaer will prove very costly to farmers. Additionally, using Bovaer to reduce existing methane emissions instead of actually drastically lowering the amount of livestock in the European Union seems like a short-term solution. Besides that, the emission of nitrogen will continue, as well as the deforestation resulting from the soy-plantation for cow feed. Additionally, the problem of reducing biodiversity will not be addressed.[45]

DSM finances climate skeptic Frits Böttcher

DSM is found to have financed the climate skeptic and professor emeritus Frits Böttcher. In total, DSM donated an amount of 85,000 guilders to him. With this money, Böttcher constructed a 'fierce attack' on the preserving climate science thinking at the time. This attack is referred to as his CO2-project which lasted from 1990 to 1998.[46]

DSM's participation in ABDUP

ABDUP is one of the Netherlands' oldest lobby-clubs. Its participants are AkzoNobel, Shell, Unilever, Philips and DSM.[47] Despite acting under the radar for the most part, a 2019 Wob-request showcased that ABDUP still very actively lobbies in favor of certain laws. Most specifically, research conducted by journalistic platform Follow the Money found that DSM is amongst one of the commissioners and financers for a 2018 report influencing the abolition of the dividend tax.[48] In the report itself, this wasn't explicitly mentioned, despite that being against the Dutch Code of Conduct for Academic Practices.[49]

Current Emissions

DSM total emissions in all scopes over 2020 were 13,2 megaton CO2.[50] 1,24 megaton of this belong to scope 1 and 2, and the remaining 12 megaton can be accredited to scope 3. DSM's goal for scope 3 is an 'intensity reduction' of 28% by 2030.[51] DSM wants to improve energy efficiency by at least 1% annually until 2030. In 2020 their energy efficiency has improved by 5,7%.[52]

Scope 1 & 2 market-based GHG emissions improved by 25% compared to the 2016 baseline. As mentioned, their total scope 1 & 2 emissions were 1,24 million tons CO2eq in 2020. This was an increase in comparison to 2019 due to inorganic growth and increased production volumes. The year by year GHG efficiency improved by 8,6% in 2020.[53] Contrarily to their plans, DSM's scope 3 emissions rose in 2020 by 0,4 megaton. This was due to increase in purchasing volume and a shift in more carbon-intense raw materials.[54]

DSM improved performance in volatile organic compound (voc’s) to air emission by 74% in 2020.[55]

Total emissions since 2015 (in megaton CO2-eq.)
Year Scope 1 Scope 2 Scope 3 Total
2015[56] 0.6 0.5 14.9 16
2016[57] 1 0.5 19 20.5
2017[58] 1.5 (1&2) Unknown 21 22.5
2018[59] 1.23 (1&2) Unknown 11.3 12.55
2019[60] 1.17 (1&2) Unknown 11.6 12.77
2020[61] 1.24 (1&2) Unknown 12 13.24
2021[62] 1,21 (1&2) Unknown 11.7 12.91

Despite the targets set, emissions increased from 2015 to 2017. In 2018, emissions for end of life treatment of products (scope 3) decreased drastically, without much explanation.

Climate Policy and Plans

DSM tries to decouple emissions from economic growth and is committed to reach NetZero GHG emissions across value chains by 2050.[63] DSM wants to improve energy efficiency by at least 1 percent per year.[64] Since 2019, business growth projects must be GHG-neutral or else be compensated within the same business.[65]

DSM has the ambition to cut 30 percent of absolute emissions by 2030 (vs. 2016, scope 1 and 2) and reduce value chain emission per ton of product by 28 percent by 2030 (vs. 2016, scope 3).[66] DSM plans to do this by improving their operations, enable customers and partners to deliver sustainable solutions and advocate for the future they believe in.[67] Also, DSM plans to implement an internal carbon price of 50 euro’s per ton of CO2.[68] Through animal nutrition solutions DSM seeks to help with reducing direct and indirect GHG emissions.[69] However, one has to place footnotes to two of these initiatives. Firstly, carbon pricing alone is not sufficient to mitigate climate change.[70] Indeed, carbon pricing faces a multitude of major issues that prevent it from achieving sufficient decarbonization. Secondly, reducing methane emissions of the existing cows instead of drastically reducing the amount of cows and finding different and more encompassing solutions to GHG emissions released by livestock, is not enough.

DSM wants to apply an internal carbon tax of 50EU/t CO2eq to key investments, acquisitions and in management reporting.[71] Additionally, DSM wants to purchase 75% of all its energy used by 2030 from renewable sources.[72]

DSM commits to five drivers of circularity in order to reduce their scope 3 GHG emissions. * Reduce use of critical resources * Replace scarce, hazardous and potentially harmful resources * Extend the lifetime of products * design for recyclability * recover waste streams [73]

DSM has set up a CO2REDUCE plan to tackle upstream emissions in the value chain. DSM recognizes that only together with their partners they can reduce their scope 3 emissions. Currently, the CO2REDUCE plan includes alternative feedstock, sustainable products, supplier selection, energy efficiency, renewable energy, end-of-pipe solutions and circularity of the materials chain.[74]

Due Diligence

What still went wrong in ...

Yearly, DSM publishes a report outlining 'what still went wrong in [year]'.[75] In their 2021 report, DSM outlined multiple incidents that occurred. These include incidents involving falls, incidents during process interruptions and maintenance work, incidents due to flash fires/explosions, other health and safety incidents, incidents involving personal data and security incidents. DSM provides transparent data on these recordable injuries and reports the steps they took to respond to them.[76]

Conclusion

DSM is a Dutch bio-chemical company specializing in health, nutrition and bioscience. DSM makes a profit of over 500 million euro’s a year. Remuneration of top management is fairly higher than companies with similar revenue and profit numbers. The majority of emissions from DSM are in scope 3. DSM is invested in reducing their emission numbers and has made notable progress in scope 1 & 2.

DSM is committed to the targets in the Paris Agreement of 2015 but its scope 1, 2 and 3 targets fall short of 45% reduction by 2030 and its total emissions have risen between 2019 and 2020 instead of following a sharp reduction path that is needed to keep in line with the Paris Agreement.

References

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  3. https://www.dsm.com/corporate/our-company/our-purpose.html
  4. https://annualreport.dsm.com/ar2020/services/downloads.html
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  6. https://annualreport.dsm.com/ar2020/services/downloads.html p. 4
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