13th Annual GPCA Forum features first ever Sustainability Zone
As part of the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association’s (GPCA) new Sustainability Initiative, which this year was sponsored by ExxonMobil, the 13th edition of the Annual GPCA Forum featured its first ever Sustainability Zone.
Throughout the three days of the event, the zone offered delegates an opportunity to learn about the latest sustainability efforts, programs and achievements of chemical producers from the region, while presenting their own experience in creating sustainable chemistry.
GPCA member companies showcased the technologies, techniques and initiatives that they are implementing to support a more sustainable future.
Senior sustainability experts from Sadara Chemical Company shared their experience organizing a workshop entitled ‘Sustainability: The Way to Excellence’. They further highlighted the company’s efforts to develop chemical products that enable sustainability in our everyday life and protect the planet.
The role of plastics in the circular economy was highlighted by industry leaders at SABIC, who shared more insight into their Home of Innovation program and the importance of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for chemical producers in the region.
TASNEE presented about their Sustainability Management System as part of which they developed specific sustainability KPIs, addressing greenhouse gas emissions, energy and water consumption, and material loss.
Sahara Petrochemical Company showcased their achievements with regards to Responsible Care, their latest Corporate Social Responsibility programs, including GPCA Waste Free Environment, Let’s Walk campaign, Day with my Father, and more.
Other participants in the Sustainability Zone included Borouge, Sipchem and GPIC who also highlighted their environmental achievements and the role of sustainability in their day to day operations.
Besides meet and greet sessions, presentations and interesting discussions, the zone featured highlights of the GPCA Waste Free Environment campaign and an educational poster outlining the opportunities within the circular economy for the chemical industry in the GCC.
As an industry vital to the modern economy, it is essential that the chemical industry plays a central role in the global transition to a circular economy, increasing both energy and resource efficiency.
The GPCA Sustainability Initiative is aimed at demonstrating the chemical industry’s commitment towards achieving the Global Sustainable Development Goals and enabling a transition towards a circular economy.
In line with this year’s theme ‘Executing Transformation and Investing in Growth’, GPCA, as the voice of the chemical industry in the Arabian Gulf region, placed greater emphasis on the need for increased plastics recycling in order re-harness the utility of this valuable commodity.
Some of the ways in which this year’s edition of the Annual GPCA Forum was more sustainable this year include:
- ALL the event waste to go to a recycling facility
- Poken touchpoints to reduce the amount of paper required for event information
- Recycled water bottles to dramatically cut plastic waste