Sustainable development has been identified as a strategic priority of Cefic, the
European Chemical Industry Council. Recognising that the chemical industry’s
products and services can play a key role in enabling a sustainable society, the
industry association has initiated a range of activities to communicate about the
sector’s sustainability commitment and contributions.
In 2012, Cefic presented the 2050 sustainability vision of the European chemical
industry and published the sector’s first collective sustainability report. As next
steps, the vision is being translated into three objectives: sustainable operations,
sustainable products for society and attracting and maintaining investments in
Europe. These in turn are declined into action through further development of
methods and tools, such as sectoral sustainability metrics and practical guidance
on sustainability topics, and through industry flagship initiatives, i.e. major
projects that bring together several companies and organisations to address
sustainability challenges.

chemical industry; trade association; sustainability; Responsible Care®; performance