Global Climate Lead, DSM
DSM is a purpose-led global company in nutrition and materials, recognized by Fortune Magazine’s “Companies That Change The World” list. From 2015 onwards, I was its first Global Climate Lead. In a period of over four years I initiated and developed a strategic agenda along three pillars:
1) improving the company’s own footprint
2) enabling the same for customers through innovative products, and
3) advocating climate action.
To see how this approach was embraced as the foundation of DSM’s purpose, see this page.
I combined the roles of in-house climate activist, diplomat, change strategist and (board/CEO) advisor on sustainability. This included helping to develop the C-suite’s climate competence, the creation of new roles and mandates across functions, geographies and business groups, internal engagement, and innovation in the governance of the company.
Curious about what the 3-pillar approach meant in practice? Read on below.
Improve
To improve DSM’s own environmental performance, I successfully initiated and co-directed board-level (and organization-wide) commitment to:
DSM’s first internal carbon price;
DSM’s first commitment to 100% renewable electricity, with real progress delivered by functional teams in the first years already;
DSM’s first verified “climate science based” GHG emission reduction targets, covering the company’s own operations (Scope 1+2) as well as those of DSM’s suppliers (Scope 3). DSM is the first European company in its sector to set such targets, validated externally. They cover both DSM’s own emissions, and its suppliers’ emissions.
Enable
To support DSM’s many high-impact and climate-friendly innovations and existing products, I joined the project teams of various business groups. Here, I added value in a variety of ways: from stakeholder engagement input, to communications advice, to more technical climate expertise. I supported some of the company’s largest innovation projects, such as circular solar panel materials and biofuels, and an animal nutrition innovation (Bovaer®) that reduces cows’ methane emissions.
Advocate
To contribute to a well-informed, constructive dialogue and business movement on the subject, I also initiated a strategic, progressive, advocacy effort. For example, by
Representing DSM with partners like the World Bank Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition and the World Economic Forum CEO Climate Leaders Alliance (both founded and co-chaired by DSM’s CEO Feike Sijbesma) and a variety of global climate campaigns, initiatives, coalitions and (UN) climate summits;
Serving as the in-house expert on (and co-creator of) most corporate/CEO communications on DSM’s climate action agenda, such as company narratives, articles, speeches, videos, etc.;
Advising and co-creating various initiatives & campaigns, at the request of the CEO.
“Paulette initiated the role of Global Climate Lead in DSM. She developed it, and with her energetic style and passion, further advanced it with a lot of creativity and action. She has a deep interest in the challenges faced in today’s world and I appreciate how she anticipates these by creating a variety of new initiatives. She’s helped us at DSM with taking the next steps to halt the tremendous climate disruption ahead of us, while inspiring many more companies and individuals to do the same. I am grateful to her and for our close collaboration.”
“Paulette has been at the center of the movement of businesses stepping up on climate change to strongly influence political ambition. She brings endless energy, determination and creativity to everything that she does, as well as a shrewd understanding of the business issues at the heart of this disruptive issue which makes her both compelling and infectious. Few people have done more to shift the narrative from climate change being a problem for politicians to solve to it being the source of endless opportunity for innovative businesses.”
“Paulette is a fantastically passionate and effective professional, able to combine thought leadership with very ‘down to earth’ and pragmatic actions - a potent combination! And she’s a lovely human being as well, which makes work with Paulette very engaging and fun.”
Photo credit for the photo on paulette.earth/leader, leading to this case: Ermindo Armino