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The company's Paulinia site is the first chemical site in Brazil to achieve Gold Certification
Paulinia, Brazil, September 27, 2021 – Solvay’s Sao Francisco Industrial Complex, in Paulinia, has received Gold Certification in biodiversity from the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC), a respected international organization focused on biodiversity conservation practices in the private sector. It is the first chemical/textile company in Brazil to achieve this rating.
WHC certification involved an inventory of the local fauna and flora. It identified 83 species of birds, mammals, fish, amphibians and reptiles. In addition, more than 90 plant species were cataloged by a specialized company hired for the project.
This inventory also showed that the Paulinia site is a shelter for the maned wolf, an endangered species, and a habitat for species such as the brown jaguar, the second-largest feline in the Americas, after the jaguar.
A committee of auditors from the WHC also evaluated eight projects run by the company in Paulinia, taking into account their relevance, measurable results, and community impacts. These projects were grouped into three categories: habitat, species and education.
"This certificate is a source of great pride to us. It is recognition of the pioneering practices adopted by Solvay to conserve the environment and sustainability, in harmony with the operation of one of the largest chemical complexes in Latin America. Only 15% of the complex's area of 16 million square meters is currently occupied by the company, including roads, administrative structures, and common areas. The area is dissected by the Atibaia River and Anhumas stream and is covered by Atlantic Forest vegetation, a habitat for dozens of species of fauna and flora native to the region, which find an oasis in the Sao Francisco Industrial Complex. The achievement is in line with Solvay Group's sustainability strategy which, as one of the ten goals of the company's ESG program, Solvay One Planet, has the target to reduce the pressure on biodiversity by 30%, by 2030”.
An oasis of biodiversity in a chemical hub
Solvay’s eight projects to protect biodiversity include:
Habitat
- Forests – Legal Reserve Project (2017 to 2031): involves the planting and management of 34,000 native seedlings, in 15 years creating a forest of 15.5 hectares. Before that, as a legacy of a production expansion project, the planting of 17,000 native seedlings between 2007 and 2009 formed a forest covering 8.3 hectares.
- Rios – Recmar Project: a project to recover the banks of the Anhumas stream, which dissects the site, with replanting of the riparian forest, totaling an area of 1,297 m2.
Species
- Mammals – capybara protection, with the installation of fences to prevent them from entering industrial areas that are dangerous for them, such as roads, tanks, and pipes.
- Reptiles and amphibians – a scheme to capture and relocate snakes and lizards found in the industrial plant in areas of preserved Atlantic Forest. The work is conducted by the Emergency Control team (firefighters) based on technical criteria and with appropriate tools.
- Other species – construction and maintenance of a clear pathway for the seasonal migration of aquatic fauna for reproduction. The structure includes a cover to prevent fish from being caught by predators.
Education
- Community awareness and engagement – Open Doors: visits by students and people from the community to the Paulinia unit are an opportunity to explain policies and good practices for the conservation of biodiversity on the site, and encourage engagement in the cause.
- Training session 1 - Innovate: a mentoring program in which professionals from the company advise students from technical schools. One of the thematic focuses is biodiversity conservation.
- Training session 2 - Education: a project in which professionals from the company train teachers from public schools, making the Paulinia unit a space for technical and scientific refresher courses for these educators. Sustainable development and environmental conservation among the themes for this socio-educational action.
About Solvay
Solvay is a science company whose technologies bring benefits to many aspects of daily life. With more than 23,000 employees in 64 countries, Solvay bonds people, ideas and elements to reinvent progress. The 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. The Group’s 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. Founded in 1863, Solvay today ranks among the world’s top three companies for the vast majority of its activities and delivered net sales of €8.9 billion in 2020. Solvay is listed on Euronext Brussels (SOLB) and Paris. Learn more at www.solvay.com.
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