SABIC (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; www.sabic.com) a global leader in the chemical industry has today launched its Sustainability Roadmap aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), outlining ambitious targets relating to resource efficiency, climate change, the circular economy, food security, sustainable infrastructure, and preservation of the environment.
The ‘SABIC Sustainable Development Roadmap 2019’, which forms both part of the company’s 2025 strategy and supports its overall sustainability program, spans the organization’s entire value chain from sourcing more sustainable feedstock, improving energy efficiency across operations, increased focus on sustainable product and process innovation, to advocacy and fostering collaborations to mobilize multi-stakeholder action. The roadmap not only articulates SABIC’s holistic approach to sustainability, but outlines the company’s inspiring new initiatives that will make significant contributions to the UN’s SDG targets, as well as providing growth opportunities for the business.
The petrochemical sector plays a fundamental role in industry and society. It is diverse, complex and far-reaching, touching virtually every aspect of our lives through the creation of intermediates to support a vast array of industrial and consumer-based products. Spanning the automotive, transportation, packaging, healthcare, personal care, agriculture and construction industries – among many others – companies such as SABIC are uniquely placed to make exceptional and wide-ranging contributions to many SDGs.
SABIC has notably committed to reducing its energy consumption, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and water usage intensity by 25% by 2025 from 2010 levels and has recently announced that it is scaling-up a pioneering world-first process to return mixed plastic waste back to the original polymer to help drive the circular economy.
From the 17 SDGs developed by the UN, SABIC has identified 10 as strategic focus areas where it can make the greatest positive impact: Zero Hunger; Clean Water and Sanitation; Affordable and Clean Energy; Decent Work and Economic Growth; Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; Sustainable Cities and Communities; Responsible Consumption and Production; Climate Action; Life Below Water; and Partnerships for the Goals.