Strategy
KPMG's sustainability strategy is focused on structurally embedding ESG considerations into every aspect of our business. Guided by our Impact Plan, we focus on four pillars, Planet, People, Prosperity, and Governance, to create long-term value for all stakeholders. Our ambitions are translated into clear goals and measurable targets, and progress is tracked and transparently reported.
At KPMG, sustainability is at the core of our business strategy. For an explanation of our business model and strategy and how our sustainability matters are included, see "Business model and strategy". The Impact Plan serves as the foundation for our ESG ambitions and ensures that ESG considerations are integrated into every aspect of our operations, decision-making, and client services. By aligning with KPMG International’s global approach and tailoring it to our local context, we aim to strengthen the quality of our work, uphold public trust, and create long-term value for our stakeholders.
In last year's report, the Dutch Impact Plan was presented as a transition plan under Climate change, focusing primarily on our climate-related ambitions. This year, we have repositioned the (Dutch) Impact Plan as our overarching strategic framework for sustainability. It now covers a broader range of ESG topics and is fully integrated into our business strategy, reflecting our ambition to embed sustainability structurally and for the long-term, rather than treating it as a separate transition project.
Many of the sustainability issues addressed in this statement are fundamental to our business model. We therefore view sustainability as an integral part of, not a tangential aspect to, our core business. Our strategy is operationalized through clear ambitions and measurable targets, reflected in our HR policies, learning programs, supplier standards, and client engagements. We also disclose our strategies on specific sustainability matters in the relatant topical sections of this sustainability statement.
Business model
Our business model is centered on providing professional assurance and advisory services. We primarily serve the Dutch market, with a presence in the following priority sectors: financial services; infrastructure, government, and healthcare; consumer and retail; energy and natural resources; and technology, media, and telecommunications.
At the end of the reporting period, we employed 4,294 employees across the Netherlands. We consider the Netherlands as a single region, given the nature of our services and the consistency of the sustainability matters we address across our offices. See section “Business model and strategy” in the management review for more information.
Evolution of our services
While there were no significant changes to our service portfolio in 2024/2025, we continued to evolve our offerings in response to two major transformations shaping our market and society: the sustainability transformation and the rapid adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Both developments influence how we work, how our services are designed, and what clients expects from us:
We are continuing to expand the sustainability-related knowledge and skills of our Assurance and Advisory professionals, as well as the organizational resources available to them. This enables us to optimize the support we provide to our clients in their transition toward a sustainable future (see “Consumers and end-users”). Many of our clients are directly affected by new and upcoming regulatory requirements, including the CSRD, and even those not officially in scope still face pressure from stakeholders to improve their sustainability performance. We see it as our role to support all our clients, regardless of their regulatory obligations, in meeting these expectations. Achieving this requires strong relationships with stakeholders, particularly our workforce. We invest in continuous professional development to ensure that our people are equipped to drive our business forward. Moreover, we apply a firm-wide approach of “watermarking” ESG: embedding sustainability considerations into all services and internal operations.
Regulatory developments such as the Omnibus regulation also directly affect KPMG’s own business model and services. The delay and downscaling of Wave 2 CSRD reporting, for example, has influenced our hiring plans. We are closely monitoring potential impacts on resource planning to ensure we remain agile in a still scarce talent market.
AI is becoming a defining factor in how we deliver services and create value. Beyond enhancing ESG-related offerings, AI transforms our approach to data analysis, risk identification, and reporting, and enables new propostions across all service lines. We are investing in advanced technologies forming strategic alliances, and expanding our Technology Advisory services to meet the growing demand of clients for AI-driven solutions. This positions us to help clients unlock opportunities and navigate risks in an increasingly digital and sustainable economy.
Compliance
At KPMG, we adhere to strict standards of compliance and ensure that our services align with local and international regulations. This commitment maintains our reputation as a trusted advisor in the Dutch market. For more information on how we embed regulatory compliance and risk governance, see the “Overview of our financial, strategic, operational, and compliance risks” table.
Value chain
KPMG’s value chain encompasses a wide range of activities, resources, and relationships, both upstream and downstream from our own operations. First, our services depend on the upstream assets we use to perform our core activities. These include vehicles, buildings, information technology (IT) equipment, and the global KPMG network of resources and services, including advanced IT-infrastructure and expertise in emerging technologies. Our relationships with key suppliers, such as providers of digital tools and equipment, are essential not only for maintaining our high service standards, but also for achieving our sustainability performance targets.
Our downstream value chain includes clients across various industries, who benefit from our firm’s advisory and assurance services; society at large, including citizens, the government, non-governmental organizations, banks and fiscal authorities and future generations, which benefit from the trust we generate through these services; and societal partners and regulatory bodies that represent end-users of our services, with whom we engage actively in order to maintain and improve the quality of our services. Ultimately, this supports our industry and helps our clients to comply with regulatory standards and advance their sustainability practices and reporting.