Global industrial body charts green path for China's chemical industry

Aligning with China's green development goals, the Association of International Chemical Manufacturers, a global industrial organization, introduced its 2025 Sustainable Development Report at the China Chemical Industrial Park Development Conference in Jiaxing, East China's Zhejiang province, in late October.

Focusing on the theme of "Innovation in Chemical Materials and Green Value Chain Synergy," the document examines member companies' practical experiences, analyzing their pathways, driving forces and challenges in two core areas - material innovation and application, and green factory and value chain integration - through detailed research and case studies.

The report shows that 90.9 percent of surveyed companies consider a "corporate strategic vision" to be the core driver for promoting material innovation. Bio-based materials, high-performance polymers and new energy and recycled materials have become key focus areas for these companies.

These innovative materials show broad prospects in downstream applications such as automotive lightweighting, high-performance requirements in electronics and electrical appliances and green packaging, according to the Shanghai-based association.

Xia Fuliang, the association's chairman, said that amid the global movement toward a low-carbon economy, association's member companies are actively integrating leading global technologies and best practices into the Chinese market.

"From bio-based materials to chemical recycling, from zero-carbon factories to whole-chain carbon management, we are committed to translating 'green commitments' into 'green outputs' through concrete actions, thereby demonstrating our commitment to supporting China's dual-carbon goals," said Xia.

Tina Dai, the association's managing director, said this year's report clearly shows that policy initiatives, downstream customer demand, and intrinsic corporate strategy have formed a powerful synergy.

"As a bridge connecting multinational chemical companies in China with the government, the public, and various stakeholders, AICM remains committed to building platforms for dialogue and promoting experience sharing," she added.

The survey found that 50 percent of respondents have completed green factory certification. These certified facilities are achieving goals like "intensive land use, harmless raw materials, clean production, waste utilization and low-carbon energy" through means such as energy structure optimization, resource recycling and digital monitoring.

The association, which was founded in 1988 and comprises most major international chemical companies in China, has seen its member firms collectively contribute to the modernization and sustainable development of the country's chemical industry.