Hel en lenius, Tekn Ca o ik
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Joel Sv
Elis aM
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John Fa
HMG er, ld
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SUSTAINABILITY
Five on Five Interview: Sustainability According to the Industry Players
W
elcome to the first of a series of interviews on the role of sustainability
as they were cost savings. Fast forward to the current decade and you
within the coatings industry. Ever more present in almost every
cannot miss companies screaming out from the rooftops regarding their
press release or corporate communication, we wanted to dig deep to
sustainability credentials.
understand sustainability and what it represents to our sector.
But is this the real deal? Are companies finally taking the issue seriously?
The most popular definition of sustainability is that from the Brundtland
ipcm®, in a series of interviews with senior figures from within the coatings
Report of 1987, which stated: “Sustainable development is development
industry, found everyone to be very open and sincere on the topic: each
that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of
company may be at a different point in their sustainability journey, but we
future generations to meet their own needs”.
happily found that the topic was a very high priority for everyone.
Ever more important, environmental sustainability within all industries
Below, in the first of a three-part interview, you can find the answers to the
is set to have a fundamental role if we are to slow or reverse the
first five questions from five senior industry contacts. There is no wrong
environmental impacts of global warming.
or right answer and we believe the comparison makes for a great read as
The late eighties and early nineties saw companies eager to promote the
well as being thought provoking.
“greenness” of their products as a marketing lever. From the mid-nineties
A new feature within the ipcm® magazines, this section aims to provide
until recently, green issues, while not forgotten, seemed no longer to be a
an interesting read with the long-term hope that if we can showcase
priority for most industries. While there are some very notable exceptions,
sustainability best practices then maybe, one day, one of these will be the
most green initiatives during this time were truly probably only financed
inspiration for another organisation to make a difference.
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N. 29 - 2019 APRIL - ipcm® Protective Coatings