Solvay
2020 Integrated Report

Key figures

Rhovanil® Natural CW (pictured)

Our Rhovanil® Natural CW is the natural vanillin reference for food and flavor applications. Bio-sourced from natural raw materials, it provides the pure and sweet vanillin note characteristic of vanilla.

We are a science company whose technologies bring benefits to many aspects of daily life. Our innovative solutions contribute to safer, cleaner, and more sustainable products found in homes, food and consumer goods, planes, cars, batteries, smart devices, health care applications, water and air purification systems.

Our Group seeks to create sustainable shared value for all, notably through its Solvay One Planet plan crafted around three pillars: protecting the climate, preserving resources and fostering better life. Founded in 1863, Solvay today ranks among the world’s top three companies for the vast majority of its activities.

Solvay around the world

€8.9bn

Net sales

+23,000

Employees

110

Industrial sites

20

Major Research & Innovation Centers

64

Countries

  • Europe
  • North America
  • Latin America
  • Asia & Rest of the world

Net Sales

Net sales (pie chart)

Employees

Employees (pie chart)

Industrial sites

Industrial sites (pie chart)

Major Research & Innovation Centers

Major Research & Innovation Centers (pie chart)

Research & Innovation

1,950

Employees

291M

R&I effort

15%

New sales ratio*

77%

of expected R&I revenue from “Sustainable solutions”**

* % of products / applications < 5 years,

** according to our SPM methodology

Solvay strategic objectives

  • Financial indicators (2020 versus 2019)
  • Social and Environmental Indicators
    (2020 versus 2018)
  • Climate
  • Resources
  • Better life

Underlying EBITDA

1,945

In € million

–13.9% organic basis1

Greenhouse gas emissions5

10.1

Million tons C02eq.–20% constant scope

Sustainable solutions (SPM)

52%

% of Group sales+2 pp

Free cash flow to Solvay shareholders from continuing operations2

963

In € million

+58.8%

Solid fuels

27

Petajoules–18%

Non-recoverable industrial waste

70

Thousand tons–27%

Pressure on biodiversity6

107

–12%

Intake of freshwater

313

Million m3–5%

ROCE3

6.9%

–1.2 pp

Dividend

3.754

In € per share

Stable

Circular economy7

5%

% of Group sales based on circular raw materials or energy+1 pp

Medical treatment accident rate8

0.40

Per million hours worked–26%

Women in mid & senior management

24.6%

+0.9 pp

1: Organic growth excludes forex conversion and scope effects.
2: Free cash flow to Solvay shareholders is the free cash flow after payment of net interests, coupons of perpetual hybrid bonds and dividends to non-controlling interests. This represents the cash flow available to Solvay shareholders, to pay their dividend and/or to reduce the net financial debt.
3: Return on Capital employed,
4: Recommended to the Shareholders meeting on May 11, 2021,
5: Total greenhouse gas emissions, scopes 1 and 2,
6: in number of animal or plant species potentially impacted in one year. ReCiPe method for biodiversity impact assessment,
7: Circular economy indicators are still in the development phase, in the frame of the Circulytics® approach, co-developed with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation,
8: Rate of accidents with medical treatment, with or without work stoppage; employees and contractors