S P E C I A L O N RAW M ATE RI A L S , PIGMENTS, PA I NT & C O ATI NG TE CHNOLOGIES
SUSTAINABILITY
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elcome to the first of a series of interviews on the role of sustainability within the coatings industry. Ever more present in almost every press release or corporate communication, we wanted to dig deep to understand sustainability and what it represents to our sector. The most popular definition of sustainability is that from the Brundtland Report of 1987, which stated: “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. Ever more important, environmental sustainability within all industries is set to have a fundamental role if we are to slow or reverse the environmental
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Five on Five Interview: Sustainability According to the Industry Players
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impacts of global warming. The late eighties and early nineties saw companies eager to promote the “greenness” of their products as a marketing lever. From the mid-nineties until recently, green issues, while not forgotten, seemed no longer to be a priority for most industries. While there are some very notable exceptions, most green initiatives during this time were truly probably only financed as they were cost savings. Fast forward to the current decade and you cannot miss companies screaming out from the rooftops regarding their sustainability credentials. But is this the real deal? Are companies finally taking the issue seriously? ipcm®, in a series of interviews with senior figures from within the coatings industry, found everyone
to be very open and sincere on the topic: each company may be at a different point in their sustainability journey, but we happily found that the topic was a very high priority for everyone. Below, in the first of a three-part interview, you can find the answers to the first five questions from five senior industry contacts. There is no wrong or right answer and we believe the comparison makes for a great read as well as being thought provoking. A new feature within the ipcm® magazines, this section aims to provide an interesting read with the long-term hope that if we can showcase sustainability best practices then maybe, one day, one of these will be the inspiration for another organisation to make a difference.
For this first interview we were delighted to work with the following sector leaders: Joel Svendsen - President of Belzona Helen Mets - President of DSM Resins & Functional Materials John Falder - HMG Paints Managing Director Fredrik Calenius - TEKNOS Chief Procurement Officer Elisa Markula - Tikkurila CEO & Minna Avellan - Director, Communications and Investor Relations of Tikkurila
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N. 55 - JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 - international PAINT&COATING magazine
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