Deloitte and dsm-firmenich Partner for Sustainable Food Production

Deloitte announced a new partnership with dsm-firmenich to promote sustainable food systems. The collaboration aims to create and expand solutions that help the environment. By partnering with businesses, the companies plan to introduce long-lasting strategies and improve transparency throughout the food industry.

The partnership will leverage dsm-firmenich's Sustell, a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform designed to measure the environmental impact of animal protein production. The platform uses data from the feed and farm sectors to provide accurate assessments, serving as a baseline for measuring improvements. Sustell helps organizations reduce their environmental footprint by identifying impact hotspots and modeling interventions across different scenarios.

Deloitte will extend the reach of Sustell, ensuring that vital economic information flows from processors and consumer goods providers to feed producers, farmers, and integrators. They will advise businesses on using the platform, applying insights to operations, and preparing environmental, social, and governance reports. This collaboration aims to bridge gaps in the value chain, connecting various players to achieve meaningful sustainability improvements.

“The food industry needs holistic value chain transparency to make better choices and transform to future-proof business models,” said Jorg Schalekamp, Partner at Deloitte Netherlands. “This collaboration will help leaders in the agricultural sector access the precise, real-time data and insights that they need to embed sustainability considerations into their operations, contributing to a virtuous cycle that can drive both a profitable agriculture sector and a more sustainable global food system.”

Animal farming is responsible for 14.5% of human-derived greenhouse gas emissions, with the agriculture sector being the largest contributor to global methane emissions. International regulations are increasingly scrutinizing the agriculture sector, with the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive among the emerging requirements for improved environmental impact transparency from farm to plate. This pressure for sustainable practices has food producers seeking solutions to reduce emissions, nitrate pollution, water usage, and biodiversity impacts while optimizing raw material use.

“Sustell’s approach makes precise, tailored environmental accountability the new normal across the animal farming industry,” said Dr. David Nickell, Vice President of Sustainability & Business Solutions at dsm-firmenich. “It is the standard that can help open the door to commercial opportunities by driving customer demand, enabling grants and preferential development finance, opening new income streams through carbon credits and data royalties, and lowering environmental impact. Our critical, on-the-ground insights on animal feed and farming, coupled with Deloitte’s global leadership and cross-sector knowledge, will help unlock the missing ingredients needed to create a greener food ecosystem for everybody.”