We are committed to creating value for our shareholders through both our business operations and our value chain. This means being a future-proof, sustainable investment for capital providers, who look for growth in our company value.
ESRS SBM-2
We create sustainable value across three key areas: minimizing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks; maximizing positive impacts on society and the environment (including aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals); and leveraging sustainability as a business driver to enhance financial returns.
Transparent communication
Transparent and open communication of accurate financial and relevant non-financial information to shareholders and the financial markets (‘investors’) is crucial for us. All information in this category is readily accessible to the public via our website. We engage with investors not only through the Annual General Meetings but also through events such as our Investor Days, teach-in events, roadshows, conferences (both in-person and virtual), and individual meetings.
We reach out to both financial and ESG advisors who cover our company on behalf of their financial market clients. This group includes brokers, credit rating agencies, proxy advisors, shareholder representative organizations, and ESG rating agencies. We greatly value our investors’ feedback, which is regularly reviewed and evaluated at the meetings of the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors.
Updating investors on our progress
We consistently keep our analysts and investors informed about the progress of the merger between DSM and Firmenich, along with our business, financial, and ESG performance. We do this through roadshows, conferences, and one-on-one meetings. In February 2024, we organized a teach-in event in Princeton, USA, as a follow-up to the teach-in held in Geneva, Switzerland in November 2023. All these events provided an opportunity to highlight the seamless integration process, both operationally and culturally, through examples drawn from our Business Units. We gave numerous presentations and demonstrations, showcasing our commitment to delivering essential, desirable, and sustainable solutions.
In June 2024, we hosted a Capital Markets Day in Paris, in which we updated our stakeholders on the progress of our strategy, sustainability ambitions, and financial and sustainability targets. In the same month, we introduced our ESG Sustainability Factbook, a valuable resource for investors and ESG rating agencies. This comprehensive guide provides detailed insights into key ESG performance indicators.
Engaging with the market about sustainability
We are committed to expanding our positive impact on people, climate and nature, while also ensuring sustainable financial returns for our investors. We work to stay at the forefront of sustainability reporting and ensure we comply with required current and future requirements from the relevant regulating authorities. These include the EU Sustainable Finance Action Plan, the EU Green Deal, the EU Taxonomy, the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, and the Swiss Code of Obligations.
In 2024, we engaged with our investors and their representatives on sustainability topics such as the solutions we bring to market to reduce carbon emissions and protect nature and biodiversity. On the social side, we ran initiatives about promoting human rights in all aspects of our business, ethical conduct, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I), including how we collaborate on initiatives that promote social justice and equality. We also engaged on governance-related topics, including how we secure compliance with all relevant laws and regulations. Emerging topics in our discussions with investors include how we securely utilize digital tools, including artificial intelligence.
We actively participated in projects with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and engaged with the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change to develop a net-zero transition plan, including the Nature Action 100 Global Investor Engagement initiative. Additionally, we collaborated with ShareAction, an organization dedicated to enhancing responsible investment standards through direct investor engagement. In terms of governance and stewardship, we engaged with Ethos in Switzerland and Eumedion in the Netherlands.
In 2024, we continued our engagement with leading ESG ratings and benchmarks advisors to the financial sector, including Sustainalytics, MSCI, Moody’s-Vigeo, and ISS-ESG, as well as with Bloomberg and Standard & Poor’s.
