The story of DSM through the eyes of CEO, Feike Sijbesma

DSM CEO Feike Sijbesma on Inequality and Corporate Responsibility

Feike Sijbesma reflects on global inequality and corporate responsibility, arguing that companies must be profitable and also help improve society.

Unequal world / the moral question

He contrasts the wealth of the richest 1%—including those who consume and generate waste disproportionately—with the roughly 50% of the population living with far fewer resources. He questions whether this is fair.

Personal encounter

Sijbesma describes visiting places such as Somalia, Ethiopia, and Bangladesh with UN-linked work, witnessing extreme suffering. He recalls the moment a mother handed him her youngest child. Two words from the woman—“here with me” / “you know”—become a lasting motivation. He gained clarity that even if he “doesn’t know anything,” he must act because he knows what is happening.

Corporate transformation at DSM

He explains DSM’s shift from a heavily polluting, coal-related industry toward greener chemistry, later evolving into a bulk-chemicals focus and increasingly expanding into other areas.

• Big strategic decision: In the late 1990s, DSM debated moving to greener chemistry and acquired a major biotech company (described in the subtitles as entering DSM “voluntarily” as part of the acquisition).

Skepticism versus responsibility

Around 2008, during a global crisis that harmed share prices and profits, he faced shareholder pressure and internal doubts about whether the transformation was worth it.

• He insists that improving society and reducing harm is not charity, but part of responsible, long-term capitalism.
• He rejects the idea that leaving a better world is “not our task,” arguing instead that corporations and shareholders share responsibility.

The business case for doing good

He argues that DSM’s current strengths—nutrition and addressing malnutrition, responding to climate change through new energies, and supporting the circular economy—show that “doing well and doing good” can go together.

Long-term survival and legitimacy

He argues that if companies do not address major societal problems, they risk losing trust: employees won’t work for them, customers won’t buy from them, and they may lose their license to operate.

Personal motivation and legacy

Looking ahead to his own children and future reflection, he frames the mission as being able to say he acted responsibly—handing over the world in a better state than he inherited it.

Presenters / Contributors

• Feike Sijbesma (DSM CEO)