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Synthomer Snapshot
Sustainability is at the core of how we work, think, operate and innovate.
We’ve made a public commitment to reach net zero by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement. And our Vision 2030 targets have set us some ambitious objectives across multiple areas of sustainability. But we want to go even further – for our business, our customers and their consumers, and ultimately society itself.
In many regions, the call for sustainability is driven by regulation. Our customers also have their own sustainability objectives to meet. However, we see sustainability as one of the main drivers of innovation. Sustainable products and processes are a critical way we can add value for customers, because consumers are increasingly demanding higher and more meaningful sustainability standards.
Whatever the drivers, we can help. We’ve developed new capabilities to enable the design of biodegradable products, and we’re exploring how we can increase our use of bio-based raw materials. We already use them in several of our products and they could play a big part in our lower-carbon future. At the same time, by optimising or redesigning our manufacturing processes, we can help make our plants safer and more efficient while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Products with sustainability benefits
We’ve set ourselves a target that 60% of our new products will have defined sustainability benefits, including:
Eliminating ingredients of concern
Reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions
Reducing water consumption
Reducing waste generation
Reducing or eliminating hazards in our products
Improving product end-of-life management
Enabling sustainability benefits in downstream use.
Many of our products already have sustainability benefits built in. For example, more than 80% of our products consist of water-based dispersions which eliminate the VOCs associated with solvents. At the same time, our innovation teams are meeting needs for formaldehyde-free, biocide-free or lower-VOC applications, and developing biodegradable, bio-based or industry-compostable products to support circular economy approaches to sustainability.
Sustainable processes
The way we produce and manufacture our products is also a key area where we can drive greater sustainability, and we have teams dedicated to finding new opportunities in our processes.
For example, in Malaysia, our innovation teams have adapted our systems to harness the heat created by the chemical reactions that lead to polymerisation in our nitriles product, and use that heat in the production process. This has reduced the need for steam with no impact on the performance of the end product.
Sustainable operations
We have several sustainability targets that relate to our operations, including the use of renewable energy and reducing our water use. We have already reached and exceeded our target of using 80% renewable energy in our operations. One major step towards that was closing our only coal-fired power station at a plant in the Czech Republic, and our investment at this site will also reduce water requirements by 23%.
Human sustainability
People are at the centre of everything we do at Synthomer, so we work hard to pursue equality and safety in our business. Building a sustainable and diverse pipeline of talent for our business is a core component of our approach to human resources. And we have strict targets and expectations around workplace safety in our sites which have already proved successful.
We extend these standards to our suppliers’ businesses too. For example, we ensure our supply chains adhere to strong policies relating to modern slavery, human trafficking and conflict minerals, and we conduct due diligence on suppliers in parts of the world where human rights may be more at risk.
We’ve made a public commitment to reach net zero by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement. And our Vision 2030 targets have set us some ambitious objectives across multiple areas of sustainability. But we want to go even further – for our business, our customers and their consumers, and ultimately society itself.
In many regions, the call for sustainability is driven by regulation. Our customers also have their own sustainability objectives to meet. However, we see sustainability as one of the main drivers of innovation. Sustainable products and processes are a critical way we can add value for customers, because consumers are increasingly demanding higher and more meaningful sustainability standards.
Whatever the drivers, we can help. We’ve developed new capabilities to enable the design of biodegradable products, and we’re exploring how we can increase our use of bio-based raw materials. We already use them in several of our products and they could play a big part in our lower-carbon future. At the same time, by optimising or redesigning our manufacturing processes, we can help make our plants safer and more efficient while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Products with sustainability benefits
We’ve set ourselves a target that 60% of our new products will have defined sustainability benefits, including:
Eliminating ingredients of concern
Reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions
Reducing water consumption
Reducing waste generation
Reducing or eliminating hazards in our products
Improving product end-of-life management
Enabling sustainability benefits in downstream use.
Many of our products already have sustainability benefits built in. For example, more than 80% of our products consist of water-based dispersions which eliminate the VOCs associated with solvents. At the same time, our innovation teams are meeting needs for formaldehyde-free, biocide-free or lower-VOC applications, and developing biodegradable, bio-based or industry-compostable products to support circular economy approaches to sustainability.
Sustainable processes
The way we produce and manufacture our products is also a key area where we can drive greater sustainability, and we have teams dedicated to finding new opportunities in our processes.
For example, in Malaysia, our innovation teams have adapted our systems to harness the heat created by the chemical reactions that lead to polymerisation in our nitriles product, and use that heat in the production process. This has reduced the need for steam with no impact on the performance of the end product.
Sustainable operations
We have several sustainability targets that relate to our operations, including the use of renewable energy and reducing our water use. We have already reached and exceeded our target of using 80% renewable energy in our operations. One major step towards that was closing our only coal-fired power station at a plant in the Czech Republic, and our investment at this site will also reduce water requirements by 23%.
Human sustainability
People are at the centre of everything we do at Synthomer, so we work hard to pursue equality and safety in our business. Building a sustainable and diverse pipeline of talent for our business is a core component of our approach to human resources. And we have strict targets and expectations around workplace safety in our sites which have already proved successful.
We extend these standards to our suppliers’ businesses too. For example, we ensure our supply chains adhere to strong policies relating to modern slavery, human trafficking and conflict minerals, and we conduct due diligence on suppliers in parts of the world where human rights may be more at risk.
We produce high-performance, highly specialised chemical products and solutions that bind the modern world together through the broadest range of everyday applications.
Working with over 6000 customers, we help bring thousands of products to life – from adhesives to coatings, construction, and speciality healthcare applications.
Our chemistry is all around you. On your walls, under your feet, even wrapped around your lunch. It’s in the hygiene products that protect us and the infrastructure that supports our economy.
Innovation and sustainability inside
We’re here to create innovative, sustainable solutions that benefit customers and society. It’s this purpose that’s helping us to grow, by turning ambitious ideas and technology into material reality every day, we’re growing fast.
Through our specialised emission-reducing formulations, we’re not only helping to meet essential consumer needs. We’re delivering solutions that are better for the planet too.
As the demand for more sustainable products grows stronger, so does our drive to be more agile, ingenious and forward-looking. It’s what we call sustainable innovation.
An evolving company
Our roots stretch back to 1863, but we’ve never stopped evolving. In that time, we’ve transformed from a diversified chemical company to specialised polymer solutions provider, underpinned by our sustainability vision.
We’re FTSE250 listed and have been in the FTSE4Good index for 10 years. We have been recognised with the London Stock Exchange Green Economy mark in 2021 and 2022, awarded to companies who earn more than 50% of their revenues from products and services that contribute to environmental objectives. Today our market capitalisation is £1 billion. In 2021, our revenues were £2.3 billion and EBITDA £522.2 million.
We’re proud to employ more than 5,000 people working across Europe, North America and Asia from more than 40 manufacturing sites and four Centres of Excellence.
Working with over 6000 customers, we help bring thousands of products to life – from adhesives to coatings, construction, and speciality healthcare applications.
Our chemistry is all around you. On your walls, under your feet, even wrapped around your lunch. It’s in the hygiene products that protect us and the infrastructure that supports our economy.
Innovation and sustainability inside
We’re here to create innovative, sustainable solutions that benefit customers and society. It’s this purpose that’s helping us to grow, by turning ambitious ideas and technology into material reality every day, we’re growing fast.
Through our specialised emission-reducing formulations, we’re not only helping to meet essential consumer needs. We’re delivering solutions that are better for the planet too.
As the demand for more sustainable products grows stronger, so does our drive to be more agile, ingenious and forward-looking. It’s what we call sustainable innovation.
An evolving company
Our roots stretch back to 1863, but we’ve never stopped evolving. In that time, we’ve transformed from a diversified chemical company to specialised polymer solutions provider, underpinned by our sustainability vision.
We’re FTSE250 listed and have been in the FTSE4Good index for 10 years. We have been recognised with the London Stock Exchange Green Economy mark in 2021 and 2022, awarded to companies who earn more than 50% of their revenues from products and services that contribute to environmental objectives. Today our market capitalisation is £1 billion. In 2021, our revenues were £2.3 billion and EBITDA £522.2 million.
We’re proud to employ more than 5,000 people working across Europe, North America and Asia from more than 40 manufacturing sites and four Centres of Excellence.
