Making the world a better place to live in is our daily job. To achieve our purpose as a company and maximize the collective energy and abilities of our nearly 30,000 colleagues worldwide, we begin ‘at home’ – our workplace.
We bring progress to life for our individual employees, supporting their well-being by providing them with a healthy and respectful daily environment, and helping everyone in the company achieve their unique potential and make a difference.
This starts with absolute prioritization of our people’s safety and their physical and mental health, while our progressive culture supports diversity, equity, and inclusion. Here, four employees from our global teams share their stories about how they are working to foster well-being and bring our values to life within dsm-firmenich and beyond.
Our Stories
Safety, Health, Environment
Sylvain Rosset-Lanchet
Culture
catalysts
Oliver Stettler
Global
Vitality Office
Muriël Thijssen
Diversity, Equity
and Inclusion
Yu Peng
Safety, Health, Environment
Sylvain Rosset-Lanchet
What does Safety, Health and the Environment mean to you?
I firmly believe that Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) are the cornerstones for our lasting success that guide our decisions in multiple areas. Think of the capital projects to improve health and safety in our plants, all the way to the long-term environmental improvements needed to create a healthier planet for generations to come. I try to reinforce the trust and mutual understanding we have created with the operational teams on SHE topics. And I want to create a positive, proactive dynamic through sharing activities, to transmit knowledge and experience, and by encouraging our partners to do the same at safety moments, for example. All this helps to shape the leadership and safety culture that we want to live.
Without high standards and a strong passion for safety, health, and the environment, you can’t be a leading and inspiring organization. And it’s also a way of demonstrating respect for those who work at all our sites.
What steps were taken in 2023 to enhance safety?
2023 was a year of immense change. With the creation of dsm-firmenich, we had to redesign two company approaches and turn them into one fully aligned model. It turned out that the overlap in values, systems, and roles and responsibilities helped us tremendously in creating the new governance model for our organization. That allowed us to quickly identify our priorities going forward, such as creating aligned Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) standards and Life-Saving Rules for employee safety. We will be rolling these out in the coming months together with our partners in operations, in our labs and offices.
How do high SHE standards help us achieve our goals as a company?
Setting high standards conveys a strong message and delivers clear expectations. For example, our only acceptable ambition is to reach zero incidents. Our leaders need to embrace these high standards, communicating and cascading them throughout their organization to create engagement as well as operational discipline. And it’s also a way of having a common language across all our sites, demonstrating respect for the people who work there.
How can our colleagues make their own contribution to safety in the workplace on a daily basis?
Our employees are key in achieving our goals and working with our standards: they are the center of the universe for all our SHE systems. Their individual ownership and behaviors create a living system that evolves continually. With their feedback and personal commitment, we can create a true learning organization that lives by the motto “today was good and tomorrow will be better.”
Culture catalysts
Oliver Stettler
Now that we have celebrated more than 100 days as dsm-firmenich, what have been your most exciting achievements?
Presenting dsm-firmenich to our customers at the World Nutrition Forum on Day 1 was something unforgettable. I’m also particularly proud of our progress in Precision Farming in Animal Nutrition & Health (ANH), because it perfectly embodies how we shape the future. And, internally, taking on the role of a ‘culture catalyst’, I’m one of a group of young volunteers who have been tasked with sharing and bringing our new values to life. It’s exciting to join forces with such diverse and inspiring colleagues from around the world.
I'm incredibly excited about the future. The way we work together to bring progress to life is one of a kind.
What does ‘we bring progress to life’ mean to you?
It means much more to me than a company’s purpose. It’s a personal commitment in Animal Nutrition & Health – innovating to sustainably feed the world. I take immense pride in contributing to this cause, bringing my passion together with our customers’ needs for a sustainable and prosperous future.
Which of our company values most strongly resonates with you, and how do you embody it?
Definitely ‘Own the outcome’. Across work and life, we embody this value by pursuing progress. I try to navigate challenges with accountability and ensure that my actions align with our commitment to sustainable solutions. It’s about fostering a culture where outcomes matter as much as individual well-being.
What excites you most when you think of the future of dsm-firmenich?
I'm incredibly excited about the future! The way we work together to bring progress to life is one of a kind. The career and development possibilities are endless and truly stimulating, offering a journey of continuous growth and innovation in a dynamic corporate landscape.
Global Vitality Office
Muriël Thijssen
What is the Global Vitality Office?
The Global Vitality Office was established in 2023 to empower each of us to make informed choices for a healthier lifestyle. We’re drawing on our extensive expertise in nutrition, health, and beauty, and reinforcing it by actively reaching out to our colleagues around the world with tools to help their well-being. With our global campaigns and frameworks, we’re establishing standards to focus on lasting prevention and health promotion across the company.
We bring together the strengths of our companies and work closely with Safety, Health & Environment, and Human Resources, these are extraordinary assets for progress in health and well-being.
Why does dsm-firmenich place such emphasis on the health and well-being of its employees?
We’re really trying to put our purpose into action for all our people by creating a culture of health at work. It’s a strategic priority that reflects our commitment to fostering positive choices for long-term health and creating a healthy work environment. And it’s a great challenge to take up with my 30 years of experience in occupational health. My team and I share a genuine passion for health and we genuinely want to make the healthy choice the easy choice at work. So at the end of the day, working at dsm-firmenich is healthy!
How do employees make use of the support of the Global Vitality Office?
Our next step will be collaboration with Global Vitality Ambassadors to form a network and learn from each other, helping us to keep our finger on the pulse worldwide. Our first opportunity was the #boostyourvitality platform, launched in 2023, which has a unique dsm-firmenich touch. We’re supporting health and vitality through personalized advice and education on immunity, vitality, and gut health, and offering employees dietary supplements with our top-quality dsm-firmenich ingredients at reduced prices.
We also expanded our partnership with Thrive Global, a leading behavior change company founded by Arianna Huffington. Thrive Global provides resources and interactive support to improve well-being that can also be integrated into individual workflows. This benefits all employees and it’s really valuable for reducing stress levels, reinforcing resilience, and helping to build a healthier work culture.
What are your key priorities?
To motivate and support our colleagues as much as possible and give them access to all our valuable information and events. In addition to our two first ventures, we’re planning a Mental Well-being Program for 2024, to build resilience and awareness, including among our leadership. I want to foster a workplace culture that encourages open conversations on the subject, backed by a sustained company-wide system to support employees.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Yu Peng
What is your job and what’s it all about?
I’ve been working at the company for over 15 years, and recently dsm-firmenich provided me with the opportunity to embark on a new career as the Quality Lead for the China Region in Taste, Texture & Health (TTH). It’s a great role that draws upon my extensive experience in both Taste and Ingredient Solutions.
Embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion unlocks strengths within us all. The emphasis on fairness gave me confidence in the equity of the selection process for my position and I felt free to express my ideas.
What does diversity, equity and inclusion mean to you and your teammates?
We have a highly diverse Quality team in TTH, encompassing a range of genders, ages, backgrounds, and life experiences. I feel dsm-firmenich is truly inclusive and empowers every individual to share ideas and achieve our full potential. I’m in an environment where everyone feels welcomed, respected, and valued for who they are.
Why is diversity, equity and inclusion so important?
Our world is changing profoundly, and our organization needs talents that address this complexity. Embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion unlocks strengths within us all. As a female leader, the emphasis on fairness in dsm-firmenich gave me confidence in the equity of the selection process for my position and I felt I could freely express some areas for improvement from a Quality perspective. Beyond work, as a mother of two, juggling home responsibilities with global meetings is indeed a challenge. Hybrid working has been instrumental in helping me manage the demands of both work and life, motivating me to bring together knowledge, perspectives, and experience for the team.
What are your hopes going forward for this inclusive workplace?
My goal is to further cultivate an inclusive culture that permeates everything we do. For example, by offering additional training and education to enhance awareness and understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion, fostering a strong sense of belonging and community among all.
