T H E V I NYL I N S T I T U T E ’S 2020–2023 S T R AT E G I C P L A N
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L E T T E R F R O M T H E V I ’S P R E S I D E N T & C E O For nearly 40 years, the Vinyl Institute has been the voice of the leading manufacturers of vinyl, vinyl chloride monomer, vinyl additives and modifiers. Our industry, along with every other, has seen great changes over the years, from product innovations and technology advancements to an increased focus on sustainability. No matter any challenges we’ve faced, we, and the entire industry, continue to advance. We continue to protect our 350,000 workers at almost 3,000 facilities. We work to grow our current footprint above our current $54 billion impact on the U.S. economy. And we continue to promote and protect PVC as the material of choice for diverse products that enhance the quality of life. Together, we shape the future of the vinyl industry. After many strategic conversations among staff, members, and trusted industry advisors, we’ve reached this roadmap that will guide us for the next several years. We are very proud of this strategic plan in which we commit our energies to several major activities spanning seven strategic objectives. I am confident that, at the completion of this strategic plan, we will have built a foundation for substantial industry innovation and see continued performance improvement. This plan presents the vinyl industry’s path forward, and I hope you will join us. Sincerely,
Ned Monroe President/CEO
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P U R P O S E O F T H E S T R AT E G I C P L A N The Vinyl Institute (VI) has a long history of creating and implementing long-term strategic plans that provide value to our members. We do this because we must help drive the PVC industry forward. As government, public opinion, and even technology profoundly affect the way we work, strategically understanding the coming changes is more important than ever. Building upon the 2016-2019 Strategic Plan and VI’s strong current strategy, the 2020–2023 strategic planning effort assessed opportunities to drive additional member value and continue to position the organization for long-term success. Capitalizing on our industry’s momentum and energy, we will continue to value our association allies and their unique market niches. We see an amazing opportunity to build additional collaboration and bring compounded value to our industry partners and their members. Beginning in February 2019, with input from many vinyl industry stakeholders from across the value chain, this effort began by surfacing data and perceptions about current and projected industry trends, disruptors, and collaboration opportunities. And after a 1.5-day planning meeting in May 2019 with nine volunteer leaders, four consultants/guests, and five senior staff, more than 50 potential major activities emerged. Over the next several months, these major activities were prioritized using a return on investment model. Then a second pass viewed these opportunities using an organizational positioning model. The outcomes are listed in this plan. The Executive Committee, Board, and members will continue to lead the Vinyl Institute’s efforts in implementing this 2020–2023 Strategic Plan and will ensure that its objectives and goals are relevant to the vinyl industry’s evolving needs both domestically and globally.
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T H E V I NYL I N S T I T U T E 2020 – 2023 S T R AT E G I C P L A N Mission: Together, we shape the future of the vinyl industry. Vision: Vinyl is the material of choice for diverse products that enhance the quality of life. Value Premise: VI leads collaborative thinking that promotes growth, innovation, and corporate stewardship across the vinyl value chain. CO R E VA LU E S: T H E F O U N DAT I O N F O R T H E V I NYL I N S T I T U T E’S W O R K
Integrity: The VI continually seeks to represent the vinyl industry’s interests in a manner that is respected for its honesty and transparency. Open Communication: The VI embraces the diversity of views and encourages dialogue to reach a more enlightened outcome. Passion: The VI brings together people who are driven to improve the vinyl industry’s overall performance and to represent the industry’s interests across diverse stakeholders. Competence: The VI is composed of quality people who consistently strive to be the best at what they do in representing the vinyl industry’s interests. Evidence-Based Science: The VI is committed to evidence-based science about vinyl products and their benefits and impacts. Working to Make a Difference in the World: The VI represents vinyl resin producers and other manufacturers throughout the vinyl value chain that produce products and services that are sustainable and that enhance the quality of life. S T R AT E G I C O B J E C T I V E S: To achieve the Vinyl Institute’s Mission/Vision/Value Premise
Advocate: Provide Best in Class Policy Advocacy, Regulatory and Standards Interface and Legal Guidance Engage:
Promote a Positive Image, Defend the Industry, Engage End-Users and Increase Visibility
Steward: Champion Sustainability Initiatives Through Continuous Improvement, Collaboration and Communication Innovate: Convene Industry Thought Leaders and Provide a Platform for Supply Chain and Technology Innovation Inform:
Enable Vinyl Industry Growth by Providing Actionable Industry Data Analysis
Develop: Build the Workforce of Tomorrow Perform: Drive Organizational Excellence Responsive to Member Needs
Advocate
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2020 – 2023 S T R AT E G I C O B J E C T I V E S A N D G OA L S Objective 1
Advocate: Provide Best in Class Policy Advocacy, Regulatory and Standards Interface and Legal Guidance
Advocacy is a fundamental function of the Vinyl Institute. Representing its members’ interests at the international, federal, state and local levels of government, and with codes and standards organizations. It is essential to ensuring that laws, regulations, codes, and standards are appropriate to foster the continued use and growth of vinyl products in meeting the needs of society. VI is highly regarded for the effectiveness of its advocacy through its work to establish a best in class advocacy platform.
Activities • Use strategies and tactics to protect and defend the PVC industry, based on legislative positions approved by the VI Board of Directors. • Develop and implement comprehensive state and federal advocacy plans. • Prioritize the legislative and regulatory issues to be addressed at the state and federal levels. • Create targeted advocacy communications plans that include offensive and defensive messaging. • Implement grassroots strategy and programs to influence policymakers at the state and local levels. • Cultivate relationships with state and local organizations that can advocate on issues relevant to the vinyl industry. • Strengthen the vinyl industry’s overall direct engagement with key elected officials in coordination with vinyl product associations. • Elevate the vinyl industry’s codes and standards monitoring and engagement process.
Engage
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Objective 2 Engage: Promote a Positive Image, Defend the Industry, Engage End-users and Increase Visibility
Communications, outreach, and dialogue with key stakeholders are fundamental to the success of the Vinyl Institute’s efforts to effectively represent the VI members’ interests. In conjunction with allied vinyl product associations, the VI will develop industry-wide communications designed to establish a dialogue with influential individuals, companies, and organizations affecting the use of vinyl products in key market sectors. The VI will promote the significant performance improvement that has been achieved by the vinyl industry, highlight further improvements that are being pursued, and underscore the beneficial applications of vinyl products. Through this dialogue with key stakeholders, the VI will also identify the needs and expectations of customers of vinyl products.
Activities • Develop and implement a proactive industry messaging campaign that promotes and advocates for the industry. • Prioritize audiences and implement communications efforts showcasing the benefits of vinyl products in coordination with allied vinyl product associations and the Vinyl Sustainability Council. • Survey general perceptions of key audiences to determine themes and messaging for strategic communications plan. • Produce a communications toolkit with elements relevant for all members of the value chain to use. • Expand VI’s social media platform to promote and protect the benefits of vinyl products and challenge misrepresentations levied against the industry. • Enhance VI and VSC member communications by providing relevant and timely news on developments affecting the industry.
Steward
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Objective 3 Steward: Champion Sustainability Initiatives Through Continuous Improvement, Collaboration and Communications
Every day, we see society committing itself more and more to sustainability principals, the Vinyl Institute included. VI members are committed to providing products and services that enhance the quality of life today and for future generations. To support this commitment, VI will continue to advance its industry-wide sustainability initiative for its members and their customers in order to further enhance employee safety, environmental protection, and public health, along with optimizing energy and water use, and advancing the recycling of preconsumer and post-consumer vinyl materials.
Activities • Create and implement a comprehensive communications strategy and toolkit that promotes the sustainability of PVC and the efforts of the vinyl industry to key stakeholders. • Survey general perceptions of key audiences to determine themes and messaging for sustainability communications. • Form a task force to provide guidance on communications efforts. • Increase membership of the Vinyl Sustainability Council and expand the adoption of the +Vantage Vinyl™ program. • As +Vantage Vinyl grows in credibility, assess the need for a productlevel sustainability initiative. • Collaborate with thought leaders to identify opportunities to accelerate post-consumer vinyl recycling. • Convene industry partners to develop a roadmap for assessing emerging technology to retain or enhance vinyl’s utility after its first useful life.
Innovate
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Objective 4 Innovate: Convene Industry Thought Leaders and Provide a Platform for Supply Chain and Technology Innovation
Innovation, including research and development is an ongoing priority in every industry and is critical in the PVC industry. Exponential innovation can often be facilitated by collaboration, and in the coming years, VI will provide a platform for thought leaders who will work to solve problems. We will identify and work with industry experts to lead strategic conversations around emerging issues to help create new solutions to barriers. Doing so, the VI will provide market intelligence, education and other programs to stimulate and accelerate industry growth.
Activities • Convene thought leaders, work groups, and appropriate member forums for industry leaders to come together to drive continuous performance improvement and foster innovation. • Advance an industry-wide approach to code and standards development processes to improve the effectiveness of technical advocacy. • Anticipate supply chain issues and establish an industry working group to develop a plan for issue resolution through networking and collaborative research. • Stimulate compilation of technical/scientific research and data into an interactive knowledge repository. • Establish awards programs that recognize significant achievements and performance improvements around vinyl industry impact categories and the areas of health, safety, and environmental improvement performance. • Conduct compelling educational programming (technical, scientific, health, safety, environment, codes, etc.).
Inform
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Objective 5 Inform: Enable Vinyl Industry Growth by Providing Actionable Industry Data Analysis
The vinyl industry cannot grow alone, so the Vinyl Institute will partner with knowledgeable industry leaders and other associations to aggregate important data and add interpretative value, while also making this information widely available for use by the value chain. By consolidating this information, the VI and its partners will be better able to analyze materials, products, and market needs over time to drive continuous improvement.
Activities • Partner with industry associations to leverage existing industry data per product sector. • Catalogue and use global data to help inform key audiences, identify gaps in information, and drive continuous improvement. • Develop a central repository of science-based information categorized by theme/topic to be used in messaging. • Identify common themes for wide-spread industry support.
Develop
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Objective 6 Develop: Build the Workforce of Tomorrow
Growth in the vinyl industry’s workforce is continuously needed. With hundreds of thousands of jobs available in manufacturing in the U.S., the VI will raise awareness and engagement with younger generations and provide opportunities for our members to grow the vinyl industry labor pool.
Activities • Determine collaboration opportunities with vinyl associations and other business associations. • Determine workforce needs of each member company and broadly promote opportunities. • Work with the PVC industry and other groups to help recruit workers into the industry. • Work with other groups and allied organizations to develop content and infrastructure to support education of new-to-industry team members. • Create a digital mentorship program to educate members new to the industry.
Perform
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Objective 7 Perform: Drive Organizational Excellence Responsive to Member Needs
Organizational excellence in meeting member expectations is imperative to the effectiveness of the Vinyl Institute. The VI will continue to strive to improve its overall support for its members by employing top quality talent, embracing personal and professional development, establishing processes and procedures that meet and exceed member expectations, and seeking best in class practices that further enhance the VI’s representation of the vinyl industry interests.
Activities • Develop a roadmap and performance goals for implementing this strategic plan. • Build member participation by maximizing opportunities for collaboration. • Survey members and non-members about their perceptions of the VI and prepare engagement plan based on the results. • Research interest in developing an electronic platform for VI members and allies to collaborate on pressing issues. • Regularly report progress and challenges under the strategic plan to VI members and the overall vinyl value chain. • Ensure that VI staff and consultants are appropriately aligned and prepared to effectively carry out this strategic plan. • Continue to build participation in the Vinyl Institute, the Vinyl Sustainability Council and other VI groups, supporting collaboration throughout the vinyl industry on key areas of this strategic plan. • Periodically assess the landscape and adjust the goals as needed to meet member needs.
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