About Solvay

Solvay currently places over 1,000 products on the market and produces safety data sheets (SDS) in 39 languages, as well as specific SDS for 63 countries. Product Stewardship programs give adequate information and technical assistance to customers, ensuring a good understanding of products and how to safely use and handle them. 

Each of our Global Business Units are responsible for ensuring that SDS are revised at least once every three years, or every time a substance undergoes significant modifications (from a regulatory standpoint for instance). Solvay manages product information centrally and as legislation continues to evolve the Group learns more about the conditions under which products are used, so as to record and assess any associated risks.

To make sure that customers are receiving new and updated Safety Data Sheets, and to limit the quantity of paper printed, Solvay uses an automatic system to send SDS by email. In 2024, this automated shipping function was activated for ~100% of Solvay sales. This automatic delivery of the SDS was successful for 97.8% of shipments, where Safety Data Sheets SDS were available for the delivery country and the customer’s email address was also available. When errors occur, corrections are done and the SDS are automatically or manually sent.

Solvay’s ambition is to create business value from product stewardship by providing safer and more sustainable solutions for our customers. Through our Product Stewardship programs designed to manage substances of concern, we take a proactive global approach to the review and management of hazardous substances in our products and processes. Taking this approach promotes the use of safer and more sustainable products. It also means we often take action to manage potentially harmful substances in advance of legislation, future-proofing our products against changes in regulations. Furthermore, this approach supports us in our ambition to develop and introduce sustainable solutions into the market.

To ensure the safety and sustainability of our products and the well-being of our customers and the environment, Solvay proactively anticipates and integrates evolving global chemical regulations, including but not limited to REACH, into our innovation and product lifecycle management processes, driving us to continuously meet compliance standards and shape a safer, more sustainable future.

Solvay has developed an extensive regulatory strategy covering all substances and mixtures manufactured and imported. In addition, Solvay regularly makes sure the registration dossiers submitted are reviewed periodically and, where needed, updated with the latest available information. Our proactive approach has been widely recognized, and the 2019 Cefic Responsible Care Award to Solvay Product Safety Management System (PSMS) is a tangible example of how we walk the talk with regard to product safety matters.

Solvay has a strict approach regarding restricted substances. These are not manufactured nor used as soon as a market ban/restriction is imposed by the competent authorities. On top of that, and with regard to substances of concern - and not yet subject to REACH (or any other) restrictions - we are actively mapping the use of said substances. This information is available in our Annual Integrated Report. At the same time, we are carrying out several R&D projects, to limit as much as possible the use of substances of concern and/or allow their replacement whenever technically possible.

Solvay is committed to safety, innovation, and ethical responsibility in product development. We strive to use testing methodologies that do not involve animals, reserving animal testing as a last resort when required by regulatory standards. All our studies adhere to international guidelines, including those set by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

To ensure ethical practices, Solvay established the Solvay Animal Care and Use Committee (SACUC), which consists of internal and external experts. This committee rigorously reviews all commissioned animal testing activities and evaluates our compliance with regulatory and voluntary commitments to minimize such testing. No animal testing is conducted for cosmetic purposes, and since 2012, Solvay has not commissioned any studies involving dogs, cats, pigs, or primates.

Solvay actively promotes the development of alternative methods to animal studies known as “New approach Methodologies” (NAMs)  to reduce the necessity for animal testing. In addition, Solvay is a member of the EPAA (European Partnership for Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing).

At Solvay, we care about our planet and are actively taking steps to reduce our environmental footprint to combat climate change and protect biodiversity. Our climate goals involve reviewing emissions across all operations and activities. We aim to reduce direct and indirect emissions - scope 1 and 2 - and address scope 3 emissions throughout our value chain.

We aim to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, with a 30% reduction in CO₂ emissions from our sites by 2030 (compared to 2021), through energy transition initiatives and process innovation. Our climate roadmap includes phasing out coal by 2030 where renewable alternatives exist and are feasible, innovating processes for energy efficiency and shifting to renewable energy sources. We are implementing various energy transition initiatives to reach these goals. 

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is a corporate climate action organization that enables companies and financial institutions worldwide to play their part in combating the climate crisis. 

Solvay set ambitious climate goals to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and align with a well below 2°C trajectory, aiming to reduce scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 2030. While Solvay is unable to commit to the new SBTi framework of -1.5°C, this does not alter our overarching goals or the significant progress we have made to date towards our 2030 targets.

Solvay is dedicated to fully decarbonizing its operations (Scope 1 and 2) by 2050, with a target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and reducing emissions by 30% by 2030 vs 2021 baseline. We are also committed to tackle our scope 3 emissions, focusing on 5 categories with a -20% target by 2030 vs 2021 baseline.

To reach these milestones, we are prioritizing energy transition, energy efficiency, process innovation and global roadmap with our suppliers. Approximately 70% of our efforts are focused on phasing out coal by 2030 and transitioning to cleaner energy sources to significantly lower our carbon footprint. The remaining 30% centers on groundbreaking process innovations, such as reinventing the 160+ year old Solvay process.

At Solvay, we are aware of the interconnection of biodiversity with other environmental topics and affected communities. Solvay has a commitment to have 30% of its permeable land located near biodiversity sensitive areas under conservation and restoration with measurable positive impacts by 2030. 

Our global manufacturing sites have been assessed using the IUCN Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool (IBAT) and WWF's Biodiversity Risk Filter. We prioritized 16 sites, including Paulínia in Brazil, Rosignano in Italy, and Torrelavega in Spain, and are developing biodiversity roadmaps for each.

Our action plans aim to protect local ecosystems by gathering information on flora and fauna, identifying projects to protect biodiversity and support regeneration, developing nature-based solutions, and measuring their impacts, all in collaboration with local stakeholders.

Solvay is committed to protecting nature and resources through initiatives focused on reducing, reusing, recycling, and recovering waste. We have projects deployed at over 20 plants across the world to address non-sustainable industrial waste. 

Recycling is a key part of our approach, contributing to a circular economy and supporting sustainability goals like the European Green Deal. For example, we recycle over 80% of the residues from our SOLVAir® flue gas cleaning solutions into raw materials for our soda ash plants in Dombasle, France and Rosignano, Italy. In early 2024, we announced expansion of our recycling capacities. This will help Solvay’s plants to reduce the use of natural brine which contributes to resource conservation.

We are also forming partnerships to recycle waste more sustainably. At our plant in Paulínia, Brazil, we are working to recycle wastewater and sludges into bricks for the fertilizer industry. In 2023, we sent about 36% of our water treatment sludge to the cement industry for co-processing. Similarly, in Torrelavega, Spain, we recycled 35% of non-hazardous waste generated by our soda ash and bicarbonate activities with a local cement plant.

Solvay utilizes waste wood, which would otherwise go unrecycled, from industrial and demolition residues to generate steam and electricity at its Rheinberg soda ash and bicarbonate plant in Germany. This process has led to the plant being fully powered by locally sourced waste wood, replacing the use of fossil fuel.

At its Livorno site in Italy, Solvay launched the first unit of circular Highly Dispersible Silica (HDS), made with bio-based sodium silicate derived from rice husk ash. Solvay is focused on building the necessary ecosystem to bring circular HDS to market, working with stakeholders across the entire value chain.

Through these diverse and expanding initiatives, Solvay demonstrates a tangible commitment to the principles of the circular economy. By embracing innovative recycling technologies, forging strategic partnerships and creatively repurposing waste streams, Solvay is not only minimizing its environmental footprint but also actively contributing to a more sustainable future for its operations.

Ethical business conduct is a core element of our strategy for growth and success and incorporated in our company values. Ethical and compliant behavior is essential to our people and to how we do business at Solvay. Our Ethics & Compliance program and Code of Business Integrity are key catalysts of our company’s Purpose and are deeply embedded in our core beliefs and behaviors.

Create a sustainable impact: we challenge the status quo and we take accountability for everything we do in line with our commitments in ethics, safety and sustainability, which underpins our very Purpose: we are essential chemistry, making progress possible for generations.

Achieve more together: we embrace diversity, we trust and support each other, and recognize that our individual contributions have the greatest impact when we work together. By overcoming unconscious bias and accepting everyone for who they truly are, we can unlock the full potential of all our colleagues and create an environment in which everyone can thrive and succeed collectively.

Deliver excellence: we set high standards that enable us to grow, perform and create value in respect of our principles. We aim high with integrity!

Employees, business partners and other stakeholders can file anonymous reports about potentially unethical conduct through our confidential Ethics Helpline, available 24-hours a day in 19 languages.

Solvay is committed to promoting a workplace and supply chain where workers are treated with respect and dignity and free from modern slavery, human trafficking or other human rights violations.

At Solvay, we believe in fostering a world where human rights are not just respected, but actively championed. We implement due diligence processes, embedding commitment to preventing forced labor and modern slavery throughout our value chain. We assess risks and engage with our suppliers, not just to identify concerns, but to build a shared foundation of ethical practices.

As evidence of its commitment, Solvay complies with the internationally recognized human rights contained in the following standards and conventions:

• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

• The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,

• The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,

• The International Labor Organization’s (ILO) eight core labor conventions,

• The ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, and

• The Convention on the Rights of the Child

Moreover, Solvay adheres to the following standards outlining expectations of companies:

• The United Nations (UN) Global Compact,

• The ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles Concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy,

• The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises,

• The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and

• The Children’s Rights and Business Principles.

Solvay highlights its commitments in terms of human rights with the Solvay Code of Business Integrity, the UK Modern Slavery Statement, the Canada's Forced Labor and Child Labor Report for Solvay.

Solvay is fully committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a workplace where people belong, can bring their best selves to work, and are all treated fairly. Not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because people are at the heart of everything we do and make Solvay the company it is today — and for generations to come. Our employees are our most valuable asset.

We believe that our strength lies in the richness of our individual stories — our different backgrounds, life experiences, talents, and perspectives. Together, they shape not just our culture, but also the legacy and achievements we've built over more than 160 years.

Being fair to all means creating equal access to opportunity by recognizing the existence of advantages for some and barriers for others. It means promoting impartiality and equity within our procedures, processes, and the distribution of resources. This is reflected in our commitment to employee flexibility, including hybrid work arrangements and adaptable schedules when possible, as well as through support systems like Solvay Cares, which provides practical help in life’s critical moments.

We also nurture inclusion through our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), which give voice to underrepresented communities and help build connection and awareness across the organization.

We see inclusion as actively and intentionally engaging people with different identities and enabling them to feel valued, able to fully contribute, and welcomed within Solvay. We believe inclusion is most powerful when everyone — across all backgrounds and perspectives — feels a genuine sense of belonging and connection.

PFAS (Perfluoroalkylated and polyfluoroalkylated substances) represent a large and complex family of substances, characterized by their highly stable carbon-fluorine bonds, comprising thousands of different chemical compounds, each with different profiles, chemical properties and applications. 

Solvay recognizes the concerns around PFAS. Protecting the health and safety of our employees, neighboring communities and the environment has always been among our top priorities. This commitment is reflected in our responsible manufacturing practices at all our sites, which include efficient production processes and continuous efforts to reduce the impact on the environment. We continually invest in the best available technologies to ensure responsible manufacturing and emission reduction, and our operations are subject to strict regulatory oversight.

In December 2023, Solvay separated into two independent companies: Solvay, focusing on essential chemicals, and SYENSQO dedicated to specialty chemicals, including fluoropolymers like those produced in Tavaux (France), Spinetta (Italy) and West Deptford (U.S.). 

Solvay continued to produce one remaining PFAS (TFA, or trifluoroacetic acid) at its site in Salindres (France) until production was stopped in September 2024. TFA is still used as a raw material in the manufacture of derivatives with applications such as synthetic building blocks for pharma or agro and other basic chemicals at its plant in Bad Wimpfen, Germany.

According to a definition established by the OECD, TFA belongs to the family of PFAS substances, along with several thousand substances with different properties. TFA has been registered under the European Union's REACH regulation with relevant hazard and risk assessments. In-depth environmental and toxicological studies carried out by certified independent bodies have not shown accumulation in the human body, mammals or aquatic life. It is neither classified nor suspected as a carcinogenic substance.

Solvay places compliance at the heart of its operational priorities. Its sites are regularly inspected by the public environmental authorities and comply with evolving regulations applicable to its industrial activity.