DSM has set itself the target of reducing the total number of recordable injuries by 50% between 2005 and 2010. This target covers both DSM personnel and personnel of contractors that work on DSM premises. In 2007 the total number of recordable injuries per 100 employees was 0.82, compared to 0.95 in 2005, a reduction of 14% in two years. By continuing our attention and consistently executing our programs we expect to achieve our ambitious 2010 target of 50% reduction compared to 2005.

Nevertheless, on 11 April a fatal incident occurred. A contractor employee at DSM Nutritional Products Premix Argentina was fatally injured during cleaning activities. It became clear that no effective Lock-Out/Tag-Out (LOTO) procedure (disconnecting the electrical power) had been applied. The fatality has triggered a global initiative to check and improve our practices on Lock-Out/Tag-Out as well as other essential practices related to operations and maintenance.

In 2007, 18 cases of work-related illness were reported, compared to 16 in 2006 and 19 in 2005. In 2007 all sites checked the completeness of their risk assessment with regard to exposure to substances. As a result, actions were defined to further streamline the systems and improve the quality of information on hazards. Against the background of the new REACH legislation in the European Union it was concluded that in the coming 10 years DSM will have to participate in the registration of some 500 substances that occur in our products and intermediates. DSM has approached 1,200 suppliers to start communication about their intentions regarding the registration of the substances in the products they supply.

DSM has set itself environmental targets for 2010 on the basis of the principle that all our plants, wherever they are in the world, should comply with at least the same environmental standards as in the European Union or the United States. In addition, DSM aims to achieve a 5% cut in its overall waste volume compared to 2005 and to eliminate the landfilling of hazardous waste.

In 2007, based on findings in pilots, the target for the reduction of energy use was doubled from 1% to 2% per year. Significant steps in 2007 towards the realization of our environmental targets were the reduction of dust emissions at the DSM Anti-Infectives site in Zhangjiakou (China) and the reduction of waste water at the DSM Fibre Intermediates site in Nanjing (China) and the DSM Food Specialties site in Seclin (France). At the end of 2007 DSM Agro realized process modifications that will enable the reduction of N_²O emissions. This project will reduce DSM’s worldwide greenhouse-gas emissions by 15%, which is in line with our 2010 target. Overall we made good progress in 2007 towards achieving our challenging environment related reduction targets for the period 2005-2010.

For more information please visit www.dsm.com, section Sustainability.