For Symrise, success means more than sales and profit. As we think long-term, we pursue an integrated corporate strategy and also want to make a contribution to climate protection, reduce the impact of our business activities on the environment to the best extent possible and meet our responsibility to employees and society. That determines our success and our goals.
2021 was dominated by several burdens and risks: The impact of the coronavirus pandemic continued to have a stranglehold on the world, natural catastrophes caused widespread damage and suffering, and international political tensions increased. For Symrise, the year was also not off to a good start: At the end of 2020, we were victims of a criminal cyberattack, which caused considerable disruption to business operations well into 2021. Taking all of this into consideration, we see the business results that we achieved in 2021 alongside all of our employees as a great success. Our sales grew organically by 9.6 % thanks to the contribution of all divisions and regions. With an EBITDA margin of 21.3 %, Symrise continues to be one of the most profitable companies in this industry. At the same time, we boosted our sustainability performance in many ways. Our five goal dimensions cover the requirements for non-financial corporate reporting in accordance with the CSR Directive Implementation Act (see Sustainability & Responsibility or www.symrise.com/sustainability).
We’re well on the way to reaching our goals for 2025. We’ve established and are consistently implementing concrete measures based on our integrated corporate strategy across all areas of our corporate activities. With annual growth of 5 to 7 %, we want our sales to be in the area of € 5.5 to 6.0 billion. The increase in eco-efficiency of greenhouse gas emissions by 63 % represents an important intermediate step toward our goal of becoming climate-positive across the Group starting in 2030.
BUSINESS
| Our 2021 track record | Notes | Goals for 2025 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9.6 % organic sales growth | We exceeded our goals and the forecast. | 5 – 7 % CAGR | We want to grow faster than the market overall. This allows us to gain market shares and increase the distance between us and smaller competitors. |
| 21.3 % EBITDA margin | We achieved our goals and continue to be one of the most profitable companies in the industry. | 20 – 23 % | We improve our profitability by continually increasing efficiency and optimizing the product mix. |
FOOTPRINT
| Our 2021 track record | Notes | Goals for 2025 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| + 11.3 % increase in eco-efficiency of greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 1 + 2)1 | We are fully on track to reach our 2025 and 2030 goals. | We were ahead of schedule in achieving our goal for 2020 of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 33 % compared with 2010. We have now set for ourselves the 2025 goal of increasing the eco-efficiency of emissions by more than 60 % compared to 2016.1 | We aim to be climate-positive by 2030, primarily by increasing energy and process efficiency at our production sites and by supporting high-quality and certified climate protection projects. |
| +4.0 % increase in eco-efficiency of greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 3)1 | Between 2016 and 2020, we were able to reduce Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 36 %. By 2025, we want to increase the eco-efficiency of emissions by more than 15 % compared to 2020.1 | Through process optimization and with the help of our suppliers and customers, we want to reduce greenhouse gas emissions all along our value chain. | |
| +34.8 % increase in eco-efficiency of the chemical oxygen demand in wastewater1 | We have almost halved COD at the Jacksonville site in the United States. | Increase the eco-efficiency of the chemical oxygen demand in wastewater by 4 % annually by 2025 or by a total of 60 % in relation to base year 2010.1 | We are increasing the yield of our products by changing our processes to sustainable methods. |
| +2.2 % increase in eco-efficiency of sensitive waste1 | The commissioning of an additional site in China caused us to just narrowly miss our goal. | Increase the eco-efficiency of sensitive waste by 4 % annually by 2025 or by a total of 60 % compared to base year 2010.1 | We will use exclusively sustainable packaging materials by 2025 and recycle over 95 % of the plastic we use wherever possible. |
| +7.2 % increase of water consumption in Egypt, India and Mexico | Due to a rise in production volumes of 13.7 %, water consumption has increased in arid regions. | Reduction of water consumption by 15 % at all production sites in arid regions (2018 – 2025). | We continually reduce our water consumption by using water-saving technology and raising awareness in our company of the importance of using less. |
INNOVATION
| Our 2021 track record | Notes | Goals for 2025 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16.7 % of sales from new product developments2 | We exceeded our target amount of > 15 % once again. | Each year we develop new products that are consistent with sustainability criteria, and these products account for a share of sales of more than 15 % over the past three years. | Networking the highly diverse areas of expertise of Taste, Nutrition & Health and Scent & Care |
SOURCING
| Our 2021 track record | Notes | Goals for 2025 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 72.7 % of our suppliers (90 % of the procurement volume) are assessed according to sustainability criteria.3 | 100 % of our suppliers (90 % of the procurement volume) are assessed according to sustainability criteria.3 | In preparation for Germany’s Supply Chain Due Diligence Act | |
| 83.6 % of strategic biological raw materials are derived from sustainable sources | 100 % sustainable sourcing of all strategic biological raw materials by 2025 | We aim for sustainability in the supply chain by continuing to strengthen our backward integration, intensifying cooperation with suppliers and initiating joint supply chain projects and programs. |
CARE
| Our 2021 track record | Notes | Goals for 2025 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 % women in the first management level | Temporary decrease due to the formation of the new Taste, Nutrition & Health segment, which reduced the absolute number of management positions. | Increase the percentage of women in the first management level to 30 % by 2025. | We believe in strong, diverse leadership and offer good advancement opportunities for women. |
| 38 % women in the second management level | Increase the percentage of women in the second management level to 45 % by 2025. | We promote the career development of women and provide them with freedom so they can balance career and family. | |
| 3.8 MAQ4 accident frequency | The MAQ rate increased this year and the set target was missed. | Industry-leading occupational safety < 1.5 MAQ |
Continuous implementation of a zero-accident culture through company-wide initiatives and training. To help improve occupational safety, we launched the Symsafe project in 2021. |