Trinseo sets out 10-year sustainability goals

Berwyn, Pennsylvania – Trinseo wants to substantially change how the company does business during the next decade.

The Berwyn-based synthetic rubber and speciality chemicals maker is out with a set of 15 sustainability goals aimed at a variety of issues, including climate change and the company's products and work force.

In revealing the goals, Trinseo said it "believes it's high time to embark on an ambitious, measurable and achievable longer-term sustainability journey."

Word of the sustainability effort comes as Trinseo celebrates its 10th anniversary. The company is giving itself another 10 years, until 2030, to reach the goals.

The goals are broken into five categories: climate change, sustainable products, supplier responsibility, responsible operations and sustainable work force. Trinseo looked for guidance from within its organisation as well as from customers and suppliers in establishing the list.

"Given the many challenges our industry and society face, we believe that we must strive to be a driver of sustainable solutions," Walter van het Hof, global industry affairs and sustainability leader at Trinseo, said in a statement. 

Trinseo, he said, has a responsibility to help make the world a better place “by solving significant problems with our technologies and promoting a culture that is true to our core values."

Regarding climate change, the company wants to reduce both direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2030 on the way to a 35% reduction by 2035. 

Indirect emissions include those created from the generation of electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the company.

Trinseo also wants to reduce waste generation by 15% and eliminate all waste going to landfills by 2030. The freshwater intake reduction goal is 20% by the same year.

In the personnel department, the company seeks to achieve gender balance by 2030 by filling 50% of open jobs with women. Trinseo also wants to double the percentage of women in senior management and executive positions to 40%.