The 3rd edition of Solvay’s Citizen Day week will take place from October 11 to 16, 2021, with employees across all sites worldwide engaging in a variety of voluntary actions to help safeguard biodiversity.
How can chemical companies become hubs where biodiversity can thrive? That’s the mission of 23,000 employees with the kick off of Solvay Citizen Day. This week, Solvay’s production, research and administrative sites, with the help of more than 120 volunteers among its employees, will organize various biodiversity-related activities ranging from protection and restoration to training and awareness-raising.
Solvay employees will engage in site cleanups, tree planting, wildlife observation, landscaping to attract pollinators, and the creation of bird, insect and bat shelters. Employees will also have the chance to learn more about their local biodiversity, the threats facing it and the type of individual actions they can consider that can help it survive and thrive.
“I am proud of Solvay employees across the globe who are implementing many smart initiatives that will help biodiversity thrive,” said Solvay CEO Ilham Kadri. “Citizen Day is a fantastic opportunity to bond together and bring the best ideas to the table to help us reach our ambitious Solvay One Planet goals.”
Ilham Kadri, Solvay CEO
As the United Nations’ Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 15) gathers in October 2021, a 30% reduction of global pressure on biodiversity by 2030 will be on the table. Solvay has already made this commitment: as part of Solvay One Planet, the Group has pledged to reduce its pressure on biodiversity by 30% by 2030 in areas such as climate, terrestrial acidification, water eutrophication and marine ecotoxicity. This initiative is yielding results: Solvay’s pressure on biodiversity has dropped by 12% compared to 2018.
Solvay’s site in Paulinia, in Brazil, provides the most recent example that chemistry and biodiversity protection can go hand in hand. The site recently achieved Gold Certification from the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) – an international organization focusing on biodiversity conservation practices in the private sector. Solvay is the first chemical/textile company in Brazil to achieve such a rating and more sites could soon follow suit. In February 2021, Solvay had already announced its new membership to the WHC. Margaret O’Gorman, WHC President, recently highlighted how the WHC is “willing and happy to support Solvay and its Citizen Day in any way possible.”
Follow Solvay Citizen Day biodiversity initiatives on #solvaylife
Download the biodiversity factsheets
