Covid has contributed to an acceleration in conscious consumption. Sustainable alternatives to natural resources are sought by consumers who want to protect biodiversity and manage the impact of personal healthcare products. 

Can large organisations achieve this? DSM, a Dutch multinational corporation active in the fields of purpose-led company in Health, Nutrition & Bioscience , has been recognised by Fortune magazine for their contribution to changing the world. 

Gareth Barker, President Personal Care and Aroma Ingredients at DSM, says that the company has a responsibility to make the world better at a fundamental level: 

"Among all the things that we do at DSM, we are helping to fight hidden hunger - it affects a large proportion of the population. Things like vitamin and mineral deficiencies can create big problems for them. We have made them healthier and made their lives better. We believe in People, Planet and Profit existing in balance: you cannot have one without the other two.” 

The existential threat that climate change presents to human civilisation has driven sustainability to the forefront of the agenda. This is reflected in the DSM approach of placing the same emphasis on delivering on their people and planet responsibilities and ambitions as they do on meeting their financial targets. 

Basing their approach on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Barker says that companies need to think big if they wish to continue owning the space: 

“DSM cannot be successful in a society that fails. Sustainability has been put as a core to our purpose and is key to delivering future growth. DSM is a global purpose-led science company that specialises in nutrition, health and sustainable living. Because we are world leaders, we are influential and have big responsibilities.”

How does this approach play out in the real world? Emily Tellers, Regional Director EMEA Personal Care and Aroma Ingredients at DSM says that treating the people in the supply chain well and protecting the environment combines to make products that consumers want:

“Consumers increasingly expect that when they buy a cosmetic product that it doesn’t harm the environment. By using organic cultivation methods we protect natural sites from wild harvesting, protecting the biodiversity of flora.”

Tellers cites the DSM manufacturing plant in Switzerland which employs local people under excellent working conditions:

“We apply fair trade principles with the community of Swiss mountain farmers that grow our plants. Without these principles, many would face severe economic difficulties, threatening their way of life and forcing them to move out of the mountains. Products developed with biodiversity, sustainability and fair trade are definitely the way forward.” 

Respect for nature means understanding it, and as Rishabh Pande, VP Marketing and Innovation Personal Care and Aroma Ingredients at DSM says, working with the environment rather than exploiting it has produced new lines of valuable products:

“DSM today ranks as one of the top three industrial biodiversity technology companies in the world. We have over 150 years heritage in fermentation and biotechnology expertise and innovation. We have pioneered the biotech production of nutritional lipids, carotenoids and vitamins to name just a few things.” 

Do we also have a quote from Parand on the skin cancer and UV part? 

Understanding that we are part of the environment is a game-changer: Gareth Barker says that businesses are beginning to look further forward than the next quarter:

“With innovation, we are consciously looking at the footprint we leave behind. DSM’s purpose is to create brighter lives for all.” 

And that includes future generations.