Symrise

No leading practices were identified for the company in the governance and strategy measurement area.

No leading practices were identified for the company in the environment measurement area.

No leading practices were identified for the company in the nutrition measurement area.

No leading practices were identified for the company in the social inclusion measurement area.

Sustainable development strategy
Symrise discloses that it has undertaken a materiality analysis for identifying and prioritising its most relevant sustainability topics. The company aligns these with four thematic blocks it has developed: environmental protection (Footprint), employees and society (Care), raw material sourcing (Sourcing) and sustainable innovations (Innovation). The company discloses time-bound targets for its most relevant sustainability topics and reports progress against them. However, it can improve its performance by covering sustainability topics which address all three benchmark measurement areas, environment, nutrition and social inclusion.

Governance and accountability for sustainable development
Symrise discloses that it has a Sustainability Board which sets sustainability objectives and which are subsequently implemented by the relevant divisions. The company confirms that overall responsibility for the company’s sustainability strategy lies with the highest governance body, whereby sustainability objectives are a component of individual goals for all senior executives, including members of the Executive Board. Symrise also states that topics from the area of the sustainability strategy that are part of the company’s remuneration policy, particularly towards environmental and social issues. However, it is not clear if this policy also covers nutrition related targets, presenting an opportunity for the company going forward.

Stakeholder engagement
Symrise discloses that it conducted multiple engagement activities with its stakeholders in 2019. However, there is a lack of evidence that the company integrates the outcomes of these activities into its sustainability strategy. Neither does the company specify its process for identifying relevant stakeholders, presenting an opportunity for the company for future reporting.

Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions
Symrise has a target to reduce scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions and to increase the eco-efficiency of emissions by more than 60% by 2025, compared to a 2010 baseline. Symrise also reports progress against this target on a yearly basis. However, there is room for the company to strengthen this target by aligning with a science-based 1.5-degree pathway.

Water use
Symrise has set a target to increase the efficiency of water consumption at all production sites in arid regions by 15%, between 2018 and 2025. The company reports progress against this target. It also engages with its suppliers to reduce water withdrawals in its supply chain and discloses the engagement activities. However, the company’s target only covers certain areas where it operates. There is room for the company to improve by expanding the target to cover all its operations and supply chain.

Food loss and waste
Symrise discloses that it is involved in the Champions 12.3 10x20x30 initiative to halve food loss and waste by 2030. However, it does not disclose any quantitative evidence of reducing food loss and waste across its own operations at the group level. The company could further improve by setting a time-bound target and providing evidence that it is reducing food loss and waste across its operations also.

Availability of healthy foods
Symrise reports on activities to reduce sugar content in final products, describing the use of vegetables, herbs or other plant-based ingredients to improve the nutritional profile of the products. However, the company is yet to disclose quantitative evidence regarding these activities, presenting an opportunity for the company going forward.

Accessibility and affordability of healthy foods
The company does not disclose a commitment to address food insecurity by improving the accessibility and affordability of healthy and nutritious foods.

Food safety
The company shares that more than 91% of its production sites are certified at least in accordance with ISO 9001 as well as a standard applicable to the food industry (ISO 22000) or animal feed industry. However, it does not provide evidence that 100% of its own operations are certified to a food safety scheme recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). There is room for the company to improve by aiming for fully GFSI-recognised certified operations and applying this to its supply chain also.

Farmer and fisher productivity and resilience
Symrise is involved in programmes in India together with Mars and GIZ to help mint farmers improve sustainability and manage their farms more sustainably. The initiative aims to increase productivity, reduce water consumption and improve farmers’ overall income. In addition, self-help groups have been set up to empower women, in part through increased economic participation and opportunities. However, the company has an opportunity to measure and disclose the outcomes and impact of its activities.

Forced labour
The company is committed to eliminating forced or compulsory labour in its own operations and supply chain. It also states that it not only tolerates the appointment of employee representatives and the right to collective agreements such as collective bargaining agreements, but it also sees this as the active participation of employees in corporate decisions. However, the company does not provide evidence that it forbids the retention of workers’ documents and restrictions on freedom of movement. Furthermore, there is insufficient evidence that the company has a monitoring process that covers 100% of its own operations and supply chain.

Land rights
While the company commits to recognising and respecting the legitimate tenure rights related to the ownership and use of land of local communities, it has an opportunity to disclose a commitment that requires the same of its suppliers.

While Symrise commits to respect human rights, the company lacks disclosure and commitments across all other topics related to respecting human rights. This includes a lack of disclosure on its grievance mechanisms for both workers and external parties as well as how the company approaches potentially affected stakeholders. Moreover, there is a lack of disclosure on the company’s due diligence system for identifying and assessing human rights risks and impacts in its operations and supply chain.

Symrise is committed to supporting collective bargaining, ensuring health and safety, promoting workforce diversity, and gender equality and women’s empowerment. However, it can improve its disclosure on all these topics by providing more metrics to support its statements. For example, Symrise should disclose how it monitors the health and safety performance of its business relationships. Moreover, the company does not provide sufficient evidence that it pays a living wage and respects working hours.

Symrise discloses commitments on all the key metrics in the ethical business domain. However, it can improve its disclosure regarding responsible tax, anti-bribery and anti-corruption, and responsible lobbying and political engagement. For example, the company could describe the process on how it identifies its bribery and corruption risks and impacts in specific locations or activities covering its own operations.