Braskem, Dow Europe and Royal DSM Emerge on Top at Chemical Week Sustainability Award

19 November 2020, London, UK: IHS Markit, a world leader in critical information, analytics and solutions, today announced the winners of the inaugural Chemical Week Sustainability Awards, a virtual event that honors the chemical industry’s best sustainability efforts.

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The Chemical Week Sustainability Awards judging panel—comprising 13 judges with a variety of experience from companies across the chemical industry value chain, including Chemical Week editors and IHS Markit experts—selected the winners from 75 submissions by nearly 40 companies.

“As the industry faces critical times, supplying products fighting COVID-19—from advanced materials to healthcare ingredients—Chemical Week’s team thought it imperative to recognize the important work companies are doing building towards a more sustainable future,” said Lyn Tattum, IHS Markit vice president and publisher of Chemical Week. “Each category received compelling applications, with the Best Sustainable Product category generating particular interest.”

“Going through the entries, judges came across exceptional examples of how companies are incorporating sustainability into operations, product development and strategic planning, underscoring the importance of the topic for the industry’s future,” Tattum said.

Braskem SA, Dow Europe GmbH and Royal DSM were the winners for the three categories at the Sustainability Awards 2020:

• Best Sustainable Product – recognizing sustainable products that have the most meaningful impact on environmental or sustainability performance
  • Winner: Dow Europe GmbH for their RENUVA™ Mattress Recycling Program, which seeks to reduce waste by giving polyurethane (PU) foam from end-of-life mattresses a new life and enabling a circular economy for polyurethanes.
• Best Sustainable Initiative – for chemical makers publishing a sustainability or ESG report, recognizing the overall quality of sustainability-related metrics, overall impact of sustainability and environmental factors, social and governance metrics, transparency and disclosure.
  • Winner: Braskem for its biobased sugarcane polymer production, which captures carbon dioxide and contributes to reducing CO2 emissions. Braskem is the largest producer of biopolymers worldwide. 
• Best Sustainable Program – recognizing sustainability initiatives that have the most meaningful impact on sustainability or ESG performance
  • Winner: Royal DSM for weaving sustainability and circularity into its corporate DNA via its product portfolio and corporate strategy. DSM Resins & Functional Materials (DSM R&FM;) has replaced ‘Chemicals of Concern’ in its production while developing new sustainable technologies, such as water-based, powder, plant-based and UV technologies. DSM R&FM; also divested its solvent business to underline its commitment.

The Sustainability Awards 2020 is part of Chemical Week’s Chemical Industry Financial Outlook & Sustainability Forum, an online event looking at the financial, operating and strategic challenges the industry will face in the year ahead, focusing on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues.