Our purpose
Our purpose — to empower the world with the essential innovations to thrive — evokes how we use our passion and proven expertise in science and innovation to create sustainable solutions for the complex challenges facing our world. Over the course of DuPont’s existence, we have proven repeatedly that the most valuable and enduring business outcomes are the ones that are beneficial to society and help the planet thrive.
This website, along with the content in our 2020 GRI Index, constitutes DuPont’s annual sustainability report. The content is organized around our nine 2030 Sustainability Goals, and our case studies are in a sortable Sustainability Story Hub. We’ve prepared this report in accordance with the GRI Standards: Core option. This report also adheres to the SASB Resource Transformation - Chemicals (RT-CH) Standard. It covers DuPont activities from January 1, 2019 until December 31, 2019, unless otherwise noted.
In addition to this online report, we published a PDF of our full Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and Sustainability Accounting Standard Board (SASB) responses, which contains descriptions of our management approaches and, in some cases, expanded data sets. You can read that GRI Index, along with our external assurance letter, certificates of conformance, past reports, and our responses to the CDP Climate Change and CDP Water Security questionnaires, in our Sustainability Publications archive.
Executive Letters
Executive statement from the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ed Breen
Executive statement from the Chief Technology and Sustainability Officer, Alexa Dembek
In 2018, the DowDuPont Specialty Products Division, now DuPont de Nemours, conducted a materiality assessment to determine the strategic sustainability priorities for the specialty products businesses.
We polled customers, investors, suppliers, NGOs and internal stakeholders representing each of our businesses, to find out which topics they thought DuPont’s new sustainability strategy and 2030 Sustainability Goals could potentially address. After evaluating their feedback, we cross-referenced that list with the key issues identified in our previous materiality review conducted in 2015, as well as topics covered in the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework, the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) and Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) standards.
At DuPont, we regularly engage with civil society organizations around the world, and we’re active in multiple sustainability initiatives. Through our memberships in industry organizations we’re collaborating to point the specialty products industry in an increasingly sustainable direction
Read how we're making progress against our 2030 goals
Our Goals:
INNOVATE
Delivering Solutions for Global Challenges
Align 100% of our innovation portfolio to meaningfully advance the UN SDGs and create value for our customers
Delivering Solutions for Global Challenges
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Enabling a Circular Economy
Integrate circular economy principles into our business models considering lifecycle impacts in the markets we serve.
Enabling a Circular Economy
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Innovating Safer By Design
Design 100% of our products and processes using sustainability criteria including the principles of green chemistry.
Innovating Safer By Design
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PROTECT
Acting on Climate
Reduce greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions 30%, including sourcing 60% of electricity from renewable energy by 2030, and deliver carbon neutral operations by 2050.
Acting on Climate
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Leading Water Stewardship
Implement holistic water strategies across all facilities, prioritizing manufacturing plants and communities in high-risk watersheds; and enable millions of people access to clean water through leadership in advancing water technology and enacting strategic partnerships.
Leading Water Stewardship
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World-Class Health and Safety
World-Class Health and Safety
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EMPOWER
Accelerating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Become one of the world’s most inclusive companies, with diversity well ahead of industry benchmarks.
Accelerating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
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Cultivating Well-Being and Fulfillment
Create a workplace where employees report high levels of well-being and fulfillment.
Cultivating Well-Being and Fulfillment
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Building Thriving Communities
Improve over 100 million lives through targeted social impact programs.