CIA's Vision of Sustainability
Our vision builds on CIA’s 2004 and 2010 Sustainable Development programmes and outlines some of our activities that contribute towards building a more sustainable future. A number of resources have been incorporated including CIA’s materiality assessment and the vision correlates with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. We continue to develop our collective approach to the Global Goals.
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Below is a snapshot of the UK chemical industry, which outlines some of the progress, contributions and challenges that lie ahead. This information is drawn from a range of sources including the Office for National Statistics, surveys, the European Patent Office, the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory.
The metrics below have been mapped to relevant United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and, where possible, also to corresponding specific SDG targets to demonstrate areas of potential contribution to the Global Goals.
Sustainable growth and innovation
1. R&D expenditure:
SDG Target 9.5:
Enhance research and upgrade industrial technologies
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In 2019, UK businesses invested £5.7 billion into chemical and pharmaceutical R&D, 34% of total manufacturing R&D investment and 22% of total UK business expenditure.
Chemicals and pharmaceuticals already account for 0.3% of Government’s goal to invest 2.4% of GDP into R&D by 2027. Pharmaceuticals account for 84% (£4.8 billion) with the remaining £0.9 billion focused on chemicals.
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2. GVA
SDG Target 9.2:
Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation
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In 2019, the UK chemical and pharmaceutical industry had a Gross Value Added (GVA) of £25.8 billion up 2.4% compared with 2018.
GVA from the chemical industry accounted for £11.2 billion with the remaining £13.6 billion coming from the pharmaceutical industry. Chemical and pharmaceutical GVA accounts for 13% of total manufacturing GVA and is the third largest contributor behind food and drink (16%) and automotive and aerospace (15%). UK chemical and pharmaceutical sales are estimated at £74.0 billion in 2020, up 5.4% in real terms compared to 2019 as chemical and pharmaceutical products were key in tackling the coronavirus.
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3. Patents:
SDG Target 8.2:
Diversify, innovate and upgrade for economic productivity. UN definition: Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors
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Between 2010-2019, 28% of UK patents granted for European-wide application were in the field of chemistry.
The top 5 categories, each accounting for over 10% of UK chemical patents were in organic fine chemistry, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, basic materials chemistry, and chemical engineering.
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4. Productivity:
SDG Target 8.2:
Diversify, innovate and upgrade for economic productivity. UN definition: Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors
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The 2019 UK chemical and pharmaceutical industry has a GVA per employee 82% greater than the manufacturing average and 92% higher than the working economy.
In regions such as the North West, chemical productivity is more than double that of the regional manufacturing sector and triple that of the regional working economy.
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Low carbon, circular economy
5. GHG emissions & energy efficiency:
SDG Target 7.3:
Double the improvement in energy efficiency
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Direct GHG emissions (scope 1) from the UK chemical and pharmaceutical sector decreased by 82% over the period 1990-2018, which is made more pronounced when considering that production increased by 40%.
Together, these trends result in a direct GHG emissions intensity reduction of 87%. However, the data suggests that at least some of the reduction can be attributed to loss of some production processes. Looking to the future, ~75% of UK chemical and pharmaceutical direct emissions are covered by public greenhouse gas targets, ~35% of emissions are covered by carbon neutral/positive commitments by 2025/2030/2050, and ~65% of our emissions originate nearby cluster decarbonisation projects.
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6. Waste recovered:
SDG Target 12.5:
By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse
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The proportion of England’s chemical industry waste sent for recovery more than doubled in the 15 years since 2004, rising from 19% to 47%.
Total waste production increased slightly during that period.
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7. Resource efficiency:
SDG Target 8.4:
Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10‑Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production, with developed countries taking the lead
SDG Target 12.5:
By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse
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In 2019, 73% of member sites set at least one target related to resource efficiency and an average of 4.8 targets set across all manufacturing sites, increasing from 4.5 in 2018.
Of these, nearly three quarters of the targets are being met or exceeded. Such targets include absolute and intensity improvements in energy, emissions, water, waste, raw materials and yields. Several members are in the process of establishing new baselines and setting targets following site changes. Resource efficiency targets of this nature are not always appropriate for all types of chemical manufacturing such as processes and products that are highly variable.
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Responsibility and stewardship
8. Lost time accident rate:
SDG Target 8.8:
Protect labour rights and promote safe working environments. UN definition: Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment
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CIA members - supported by Responsible Care - have reduced the rate of lost time accidents by almost 78% in the period 1992-2019.
This means that for every hour worked in 2019, there are 78% fewer lost time accidents than there were in 1992.
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9. Emissions to air:
SDG Target 3.9:
By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination
SDG Target 12.4:
By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment
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The UK chemical sector reduced emissions to air by an average of 87% between 1990-2019, across the five main National Emissions Ceilings (ammonia, nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, non-methane volatile organic compounds and particulate matter).
The rate of reductions has remained strong over the past three decades with an average decrease of 73% over 2000-2018 and 56% over 2010-2018. The chemical sector also contributes less to the total UK emissions for the same 5 pollutants than it did in 1990 (3.3% average) compared with 2018 (1.6% average).
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10. Hazardous waste:
SDG Target 3.9:
By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination
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Chemical industry hazardous waste produced in England decreased by 14% between 2013 and 2019, although there was a slight increase since 2004.
The proportion of hazardous waste sent for recovery has increased in recent years to 30% in 2019. Waste data fluctuates for several reasons including during periods of construction and decommissioning, as well as due to changes in classification of waste streams, making long- and short-term comparisons challenging.
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People and community
11. Gender diversity:
SDG Target 8.5:
Full employment and decent work with equal pay
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The chemical and pharmaceutical industry’s workforce is over 30% female, which outperforms manufacturing in general by around 8%.
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12. Employment:
SDG Target 8.5:
Full employment and decent work with equal pay
SDG Target 9.2:
Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation
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The UK chemical and pharmaceutical industry directly employs over 150,000 people with two thirds working in the chemical industry and the remain third in pharmaceuticals.
Chemical and pharmaceutical employees are highly skilled and on average earn 35% more than other manufacturing industries and 54% more than the average worker in the economy. R&D expenditure by UK businesses into chemicals and pharmaceuticals creates a full-time equivalent employment of 39,000 people.
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Figures correct as at May 2021
Related external resources:
Related CIA resources (updates to the below are available to members):