PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Solvay announces the certification of its Halifax, UK manufacturing site in accordance to the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) guidelines. Halifax joins sister sites in Zhenjiang and Zhangjiagang, China and Itatiba, Brazil in achieving the RSPO Mass Balance accreditation which is highly coveted by its home and personal care customers. Solvay aims at having all its global business unit Novecare sites using palm oil and palm kernel oil derivatives worldwide to be certified by the end of the year.
In line with Solvay Way, Novecare’s sustainability ambition is structured around four main principles: build partnership with our customers, innovate for consumers’ well-being, save natural resources and share value. In this context, RSPO certification is an important feature of Novecare’s commitments. Its priority is to purchase sustainable raw materials and to meet the traceability requirements of its customers to:
- select the suppliers engaged in the transformation of the palm value chain;
- help suppliers to progress responsibly (i.e: support POIG* initiative...);
- promote the conservation and the restoration of High Carbon Stocks areas;
- engage our customers to increase the proportion of RSPO certified ingredients.
Solvay uses palm oil and palm kernel oil derivatives to manufacture specialty surfactants and help its customers to develop innovative formulations that enter into body cleansing, skin care and hair care applications. Novecare is now able to offer its customers RSPO Mass Balance certified palm-based ingredients from Europe, Asia and Latin America. This certification enables Novecare to control purchases and sales of RSPO certified palm oil and its derivatives, which will be also audited by an external and independent party. Solvay is a member of RSPO since 2011.
Beyond RSPO certification, Novecare is engaging in specific projects to help smallholders to develop good agricultural practices to increase yields while preserving the environment and ending deforestation. Building both on its experience with other small landowners projects such as the “Sustainable Guar Initiative” in India and its agro-chemistry know-how, Novecare will start field trials this year with its Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizer solutions. The technology can positively act to promote sustainable yields while limiting greenhouse gas emissions derived from nitrogen-based fertilizers.
Solvay Way – “doing business, being responsible” – is our CSR approach. Because sustainable chemistry means respecting people and the environment, we act as a responsible player taking into account and meeting the sustainable challenges faced by our various stakeholders. By 2025, Solvay commits to generate 50% of revenues with solutions addressing the challenges of sustainable development.
*POIG: Palm Oil Innovation Group
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Solvay Novecare offers solutions based on specialty surfactants, polymers, amines, solvents, guar and phosphorus derivatives for the agrochemicals, coatings, home & personal care, industrial manufacturing, and oil & gas industries. Novecare strengthened its surfactant position with the successful acquisitions of US-based personal care manufacturer the McIntyre Group, China’s leading amines and surfactants producer, Feixiang Chemicals and lately with Sunshield Chemicals Limited, an Indian surfactants producer. Based in Cranbury, New Jersey, Novecare employs more than 3,300 professional and operates 28 production sites and 7 R&D centers around the world.
An international chemical and advanced materials company, Solvay assists its customers in innovating, developing and delivering high-value, sustainable products and solutions which consume less energy and reduce CO2 emissions, optimize the use of resources and improve the quality of life. Solvay serves diversified global end markets, including automotive and aerospace, consumer goods and healthcare, energy and environment, electricity and electronics, building and construction as well as industrial applications. Solvay is headquartered in Brussels with about 30,000 employees spread across 53 countries. It generated pro forma net sales of € 12.4 bn in 2015, with 90% made from activities where it ranks among the world’s top 3 players. Solvay SA (SOLB.BE) is listed on Euronext in Brussels and Paris (Bloomberg: SOLB.BB - Reuters: SOLB.BR).
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