Chemicals Group

1. Introduction 2. The challenge 3. The business case 4. The solution 5. Impact on SDGs 6. Our Highlights 7. News & Insights 8. Related Resources 9. Our members

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Introduction

In 2018, leading WBCSD chemical company members, together with the ACC and Cefic published the SDG Roadmap for the Chemical Sector.

This step-by-step methodology provides clear guidance on how the chemical sector can contribute to change across the spectrum of the SDGs, unlocking their value by actioning key impact opportunities.

Today, the WBCSD Chemicals Group supports its members in advancing their ambitions on the SDG Roadmap, providing greater coordination across the business solutions within WBCSD

The challenge

The chemical sector due to its complex interactions across value chains faces a very diverse set of sustainability-related challenges.

For the sector to overcome these complexities and fully unlock the potential of the solutions greater pre-competitive collaboration amongst industry peers will be required.

The business case

The Chemicals Group is uniquely positioned to drive sustainable solutions across value chains, to influence cross-sectoral system transformation.

A sectorial approach is crucial to overcoming challenges where knowledge sharing and standards setting are key transformational drivers (e.g. portfolio sustainability assessment (PSA), human rights, metrics). WBCSD provides this platform for prominent chemical companies to lead, leverage, collaborate and accelerate the transition to a more sustainable future.

The solution

The Chemicals Group:

Provides a pre-competitive platform to identify and address sustainability topics specific to the sector and operations. This promotes a fair environment, encouraging greater collaboration where early adoption is rewarded and drives transformation by elevating the sector as a whole.
Offers insights into the latest benchmarking and sustainability trends relevant to the sector. Supporting its members to identify risks and anticipate solutions, ensuring the group remains at the forefront of sustainability.

Impact on SDGs

The scale and diversity of the industry provide it with widespread opportunities to contribute to the realization of the SDG agenda by 2030.
In order to maximize the sector’s contribution to the agenda, it is necessary for the sector to prioritize the SDGs where it has the most influence or the most ability to drive innovation, transformation and impact through leveraging its role in the value chain.