At Solvay we are committed to optimizing the use of our resources to reduce our impact on the planet. Our new G.R.O.W. business strategy and our sustainability program are aligned with the powerful trends driving growth in our end-markets. And our Solvay ONE operating model helps us work more efficiently and effectively together to achieve our Purpose and create the greatest shared value for society, our employees, our customers and our shareholders.
Resources we use
People
More than 100 nationalities. 47% of our employees are located in Europe, 18% in Asia and the rest of the world, 26% in North America and 9% in Latin America. 8% work in Research & Innovation.
24,100 Employees
23% of women
Financial
We have invested €826 million of Capex from continuing operations and €336 million in our Research & Innovation activities.
€7.7 bn Equity attributable to Solvay share1
€5.4 bn Underlying net debt
Naturalresources
Our energy costs represented €611 million. Excluding energy, the Group overall raw materials expenses amounted to circa €2.7 bn.
123 pjEnergy consumption
435 M m3Total water intake
How
we win
How we
create value
Our businesses are closely aligned to powerful trends that drive growth in our end-markets
Materials
Unique high-performance polymers & composite technologies
Providing solutions for sustainable mobility, lightweighting, CO2 and energy efficiency
35% of Group EBITDA2
Chemicals
World-leaders in essential chemicals to daily life
Lead in chemical intermediates through scale & technology, developing applications & industrial innovation for optimized costs
38% of Group EBITDA2
Solutions
Unique formulation & application expertise
Customized specialty formulations for surface chemistry & liquid behavior, maximizing yield and efficiency and minimizing eco-impact
27% of Group EBITDA2
Where
we create value
Value we create
Customers
Employees
Investors & Shareholders
Environment
Suppliers
Local communities
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Providing Sustainable solutions to Customers
Helping customers save water
Our Capterall® wastewater treatment received a Solar Impulse Efficient Solution label in 2019. Safe and easy to use and cost-effective, it reduces consumption of fresh water by plants by allowing its reuse for other purposes. Only 2.5% of water on earth is fresh water and most of it is difficult to access so conservation and recycling efforts are taking on greater urgency, as is treatment and reuse of waste water.53%Net sales with Sustainable solutions
33%Net Promoter Score
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Caring for and empowering our employees
Ensuring the well-being of our employees
3,000 colleagues took the new e-learning program on Well-being at Work (WBAW) launched in 2019 for all Solvay employees, following the – highly appreciated – training provided to managers. Our burnout observatory, a pillar of our WBAW program continued its work on identifying the key risks to define preventive actions. 77 Sites and 18,078 employees are covered so far, with China highly active in training, assessment and deployment.0.443Occupational accidents per million hours worked
9.3%Employee turnover
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Delivering return & profits to Investors & Shareholders
€2.3 bnUnderlying EBITDA
€606 MFCF to Solvay shareholders from continuing operations
€3.75per shareDividend 2019 recommended4
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Reducing our environmental footprint
Raising awareness of local biodiversity
In 2019, Solvay Way added a new practice on biodiversity. Focused on our manufacturing processes, it supports sites in identifying and managing their impact on local biodiversity. Sites first identify if they are close to and may impact a protected area or areas with high biodiversity value. If so, they must assess and monitor their impact. The new practice covers 4 GBUs and 26 sites.-5% Greenhouse gas emissions5
86.6thousand tonsIndustrial hazardous waste
Air emissions
6.2thousand tonsNitrogen oxides
2.9thousand tonsSulfur oxides
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Strengthening collaboration with suppliers
Partnering for lower CO2 emissions
Solvay’s Coatis GBU partners with Brazilian haulier Cavalinho, a core supplier for the transport of our raw material and finished goods. Using the REDD* mechanism, Cavalinho has acquired 16,500 hectares of Amazonian forest for preservation and replanting. These green areas capture all the CO2 emitted by the company, allowing its compensation for the next 20 years. Through this partnership, Solvay offset 17 KT of CO2 from transportation in 2019.38,500Suppliers
625Core suppliers
*REDD = reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation
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Supporting our local communities
Sustainable guar in India
Solvay is partnering with its customers L’Oreal and Henkel and NGO TechnoServe to encourage sustainable guar cultivation practices in Bikaner, India and so increase farmers’ revenues. Over 7,300 farmers have been trained in 36 villages. Women are also empowered through training on hygiene, health, and nutrition and supported in creating kitchen gardens. Furthermore, over 60,000 trees have been planted to fight sand movement and soil erosion in the fields.47%Employees involved in local societal actions
1 excluding hydrid bonds
2 excluding the contribution from corporate and business services
3 Rate of accidents with medical treatment, with or without work stoppage
4 Recommended to the Shareholders meeting on May 12, 2020
5 (scope 1 & 2) at constant perimeter vs. Y-1