DSM launches intelligent sustainability service to environmental footprint & profitability of animal protein production

NETHERLANDS, 10 May 2021: Royal DSM, a global science-based company active in Nutrition, Health and Sustainable Living, has launched Sustell — a first-of-its-kind intelligent sustainability service that delivers accurate, simple, and actionable farm-level solutions – to improve the environmental footprint and profitability of animal protein production.

Through Sustell, DSM is underlining its commitment to its strategic initiative We Make It Possible, which is driving a robust and achievable global transformation toward sustainable animal protein production. By leveraging digital and data-driven solutions such as Sustell, DSM is advancing its precision animal farming journey towards a brighter future.

DSM has developed Sustell together with Blonk, a recognized independent expert and leader in Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) and sustainability performance in the food and agriculture fields.

The Sustell service is built around a state-of-the-art Intelligence Platform that is connected to the Blonk APS-footprint tool, together with an ‘Expert Center’ made up of a team of DSM and Blonk experts in LCA, animal nutrition and sustainability.

The Expert Center partners with animal protein producers, assessing the baseline environmental footprint of their animal production using their actual farm and feed data rather than industry averages and proxy data sets, and then developing case-specific intervention scenarios known as ‘what-if’ models to make measurable sustainability improvements.

In this way, Sustell combines an advanced, powerful sustainability calculation tool that utilizes real farm data, with expert knowledge, tailor-made, practical solutions and business development projects to unlock the value of sustainability.

Sustell is a global service, built on validated protocols, calculation methodologies and proven processes that meet international standards. It provides accurate, globally recognized, comparable analyses and results of environmental impact assessments, interventions and improvements throughout the animal protein value chain:

•                      Compliant with the internationally recognized FAO LEAP (Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance) and Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR). Following calculation guidelines from IPCC, and in alignment with ISO 14040/44. Built on credible and sound food, feed and agriculture databases like the Agri-footprint database and GFLI (Global Feed LCA Institute).

•                      Covers the 17 largest agricultural producing countries in the world where the animal production systems can be defined in detail thanks to country-specific data.

•                      Analyses the environmental impact of 19 different categories including climate change, resource use, water scarcity, marine and freshwater eutrophication, ozone depletion, to name only a few, corresponding to impact assessment method Environmental Footprint 2.0. providing global recognition for the results.

By providing deep insights into farm-level emissions Sustell opens new possibilities for the wider value chain, including the ability to certify and incentivize sustainable farm practices. For example, retailers and financial institutions will be able to objectively manage the risks and opportunities relating to the environmental footprint of animal protein. In addition, Sustell enables farmers to accurately forecast the impact of sustainability measures on financial performance.

Hans Blonk, CEO Blonk Consultants & Blonk Sustainability Tools: “We are excited to be launching Sustell today alongside DSM – a truly intelligent sustainability service that is front and center to our mission at Blonk – to support organizations in addressing the challenge of making the global production and consumption of food more sustainable.”

David Nickell, VP Sustainability & Business Solutions DSM Animal Nutrition & Health: “Sustell achieves the seemingly impossible – simplifying the complexity of measuring, validating and improving the environmental sustainability of animal protein transparently, scientifically, farm by farm, system by system. Animal farming companies and the associated value chain, have, for the first time, a powerful solution to measure, compare and improve the sustainability of animal protein.”

Ivo Lansbergen, President DSM Animal Nutrition & Health: “To sustainably feed almost 10 billion people by 2050 within our planetary boundaries, we must apply new thinking, technologies and business models. Together, we must shift away from criticizing animal farmers for their environmental impact and instead help and support them by providing the tools and systems to improve the sustainability footprint of animal farming. In line with this ambition, Sustell™ is a first-of-its-kind service that will enable positive change for business and the environment – and help deliver on our purpose of creating brighter lives for all.”