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São Paulo, February 21, 2019 – Rhodia, a company within the Solvay Group, simultaneously secured three trophies at the 36th edition of the Eco Award, Brazil's premier business sustainability award. The award is an initiative by AMCHAM – the American Chamber of Commerce.
In the category of Sustainable Product and Service Innovations Pointing to Consumer Trends, Rhodia stood out with two awards related to the sustainable solvent Augeo® Clean Multi, created in Brazil from renewable sources, and the Angela Project, which is the greenhouse gas abatement unit installed at the company's Industrial complex in Paulínia, SP.
In the category of Companies That Stand Out in Incorporating Sustainability into Strategy and Management, Rhodia was awarded for its proprietary methodology SPM – Sustainable Portfolio Management, designed to analyze and support the management and development of sustainable products.
"Winning these AMCHAM awards is very significant because it recognizes the company's efforts in Sustainable Development. In the Solvay Group, we have created a Chemistry model that values innovation and sustainability in all its dimensions. The evolution of the chemical industry is directly linked to progress in these areas," says Daniela Manique, President of the Solvay Group in Latin America.
According to Daniela Manique, the company has heavily invested in sustainability initiatives. "We respect the planet and act to meet current and future demands of society, which requires more responsibility with natural resources from companies and individuals. The appreciation of renewable sources is in the company's 'DNA,' including in Brazil, where Rhodia – celebrating 100 years of activities in 2019 – pioneered the development of the alcohol-chemical route," says the President of the Solvay Group in Latin America.
Highlights:
Augeo® Clean Multi: This sustainable innovation, created in the company's Brazilian laboratories, is a solvent derived from renewable sources. It is low-odor, non-toxic, providing efficient cleaning power and solvency for industrial and household cleaning products. Due to its characteristics, Augeo® Clean Multi can dissolve water and oil-soluble dirt, helping the customer's formulation to clean effectively and improve its wetting ability.
It is also compatible with hydrophobic oils and waterborne dirt, holding dirt in suspension and preventing it from redepositing on the substrate. It has an appropriate evaporation rate to ensure effective dirt removal. Augeo® Clean Multi has been a sales success for the company, used in applications such as window and glass cleaners, kitchens, bathrooms, metal, floors, ovens, as well as multipurpose cleaners and Home Care Wipes products (towels, cloths, and moist wipes for cleaning).
The Angela Project: This is the nitrous oxide (N2O) abatement unit, one of the greenhouse gases, installed in Rhodia's industrial complex in Paulínia, SP. In continuous operation for 11 years, the unit has already eliminated about 60 million tons of CO2 equivalent. This total is equivalent to taking about 10 million fossil fuel-powered vehicles out of circulation.
This unit was built within the scope of the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol. It is the largest operating Kyoto-era project in Latin America, among the top 10 in the world, and has made a significant contribution to the carbon reduction goals of the Solvay Group and the Brazilian chemical industry.
The Solvay Group has set the global goal, by 2025 (based on 2015), to reduce greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 40% and have 50% of its revenue associated with sustainable solutions. In three years, it has reduced emissions intensity by 30%, and sustainable solutions already account for 43% of revenue.
In addition to greenhouse gas elimination, the installation of this unit has allowed the development of technologies and the training of specialized environmental professionals. At the same time, it generated revenue for the company through carbon credits, linked to the Kyoto Protocol, which ceased to exist at the end of the program in late 2012.
However, due to its environmental commitment and sustainable business, the Solvay Group decided to keep this unit in operation, bearing the operational costs alone, without economic return or any other benefit, reducing its competitiveness against imports that do not meet this requirement.
SPM - Sustainable Portfolio Management: This methodology created by the company combines strategy with sustainability, evaluating products and their applications to ensure that sustainable raw materials are part of an equally sustainable end product.
With a strong focus on the product life cycle, SPM uses cycle assessments to identify impacts in the chain, considering pillars such as sustainable energy, environmentally responsible materials, water use, and efficient processes. Essential administration processes, such as innovation, investments, and acquisitions, are also mandatory assessed by SPM before the company's management makes decisions.
[Click here](link to the video) to watch the video about the winning projects!
About Solvay Group:
Solvay is a company specializing in advanced materials and specialty chemicals, committed to addressing society's key challenges through chemistry. Solvay innovates and collaborates with customers in various global end markets. Its products and solutions are used in airplanes, cars, smart devices, medical devices, batteries, mineral and oil extraction, among many other applications that promote sustainability. Its lightweight and advanced materials enhance cleaner mobility, its formulations optimize resource use, and its performance chemicals improve air and water quality. Solvay is headquartered in Brussels and employs 26,800 people in 61 countries. Pro forma net sales were €10.1 billion in 2017, with 90% of activities in which Solvay ranks among the top 3 companies globally, resulting in an EBITDA margin of 22%. Solvay SA (SOLB.BE) is listed on Euronext Brussels and Paris (Bloomberg: SOLB: BB - Reuters: SOLB.BR), and in the United States, its shares (SOLVY) are traded through a Level 1 ADR program. In Brazil, Solvay also operates under the Rhodia brand.
Press Information:
About Solvay Group and Rhodia in Brazil
Press Express Communication - Roberto Custódio – roberto@pexpress.com.br
Marcela de Paula – marcela@pexpress.com.br
Tel. (55 11) 3284 5164 or mobile (55 11) 999 33 8148
