The UK Chemical Industry Celebrates its Achievements and Looks to the Future
Behind many new medicines or scientific breakthroughs is an army of professionals who work in the UK’s thriving chemical and pharmaceutical sector. At the annual Chemical Industry Awards Dinner, the industry came together to celebrate the people and the businesses that are making a difference in all of our lives.
National life would simply be impossible without the UK’s chemical and pharmaceutical industry. From lifesaving medicines to construction materials, transport to food production, the industry has a profound impact on every aspect of our daily lives.
The work of those who are striving to develop new cutting-edge products is often invisible to the public and policymakers. However, in laboratories and factories across the nation, it is this army of experts that is striving every day to unlock new approaches that will help shape the future.
Every year, the Chemical Industries Association (CIA), the national voice of chemical and pharmaceutical businesses in the UK, brings together leaders from across the industry to celebrate the achievements of the past year and to look forward to the future.
With awards for sustainability, diversity, efficiency, innovation, and a host of other areas, the evening provides an opportunity to recognise the critical work that the sector delivers for the nation. For full list of winners please visit 2024 Winners | ciaawards | Chemical Industries Association.
This year’s awards dinner took place after a challenging period for the industry – affected like so many others by COVID, supply chain issues, labour shortages, and high inflation.
But as Steve Elliott, CEO of the CIA told guests, in the face of those challenges the industry had proved itself to be incredibly resilient. It has continued to innovate, changing both what it does and how it works to help address some of the major challenges that the UK faces. That spirit of resilience and innovation was reflected in the quality of the shortlists for the 2024 awards.
“Thank you for some stunning entries,” Elliott told the event during his introduction. “For the third year running, we have a record number, with an especially strong showing in the categories for innovation, manufacturing, and resource efficiency. Tonight shows what we can do, even when the surrounding policy and funding environment works against us.”
The chemical industry has shown itself not only adaptable to respond to major disruptions but also to continue to evolve to reflect the changing needs of customers and society. That is not simply about the vital work that takes place in laboratories. It is also reflected in the changing culture of the workplace, with an increased emphasis on the importance of operating responsibly, sustainably, and inclusively.
The first award of the night reflected this shift, with the prize for Responsible Care taken by GSK Ulverston which impressed the judges with positive leadership, effective employee engagement, and the comprehensive support provided to local communities.
That wider impact on people and places was an emerging theme of the evening. It is indicative of an industry that continues to embrace its broader role in delivering added value in the places where it operates. It was a similar story when it came to the Sustainability Award – one of the most hotly contested categories on the night.
With sustainability high on the public and policy agenda, the Sustainability Award recognises businesses that have demonstrated excellence in sustainability, through their policies, products, manufacturing processes, and supply chains.
The prize went to London-based Synthomer PLC, with judges struck by the way that the business has integrated sustainability goals across all aspects of its operations. The progress the company is making in achieving those goals has led to widespread recognition both within the sector and from many external organisations.
And Synthomer is not alone in adapting to meet some of the challenges that society faces. Across the board, there were many other strong examples of the way that the UK chemical industry is driving new approaches that can not only deliver essential products for the nation but also shift to a way of working that reflects the changing needs of society.
At the heart of this is a commitment to innovation, which continues to be the engine that drives the industry forward. The vital importance of innovation was highlighted by Zen Cai, Site Director of GSK, which sponsored the Award category.
“We recognise the power of innovation to get ahead of issues that matter for society,” Cai told guests. “That’s why we’re proud to have sponsored this award.”
The Innovation Award attracted a record number of entries, with the sheer volume and quality of entries creating a real challenge for a judging panel looking for “out of the box” thinking.
The winner on the night was Manchester-based Dow Polyurethanes which has successfully harnessed emerging AI technology to save resources and slash development time.
However, if businesses like Dow Polyurethanes are to maximise the benefits of new technologies and approaches such as AI, then there must be a new generation of leaders that understand the challenges and opportunities that arise. The Young Ambassador Award provided an opportunity to celebrate the next generation of sector leaders who will help the UK’s chemical industry step into a very different future.
Claire Francis from Scientific Update, which sponsored the Young Ambassador Award, was impressed by the quality of talent that she and other judges saw during the judging process.
“This award encourages the next generation of chemists to think about what really matters in the chemical industry and what key part they can play in it,” she said. “Through the application and judging process, it was wonderful to meet so many talented young people and encourage them to achieve their career aspirations.”
Francis presented the award to Jonathan Vincent, Process Engineer for INEOS Electrochemical Solutions. Judges were impressed by Vincent’s passion and dedication to advancing the chemical industry, and in particular his commitment to driving innovation, fostering talent, and promoting sustainability.
The final award of the night was the prestigious CIA Company of the Year Award. This award is given to the business that has demonstrated outstanding growth and a sustained contribution to the UK economy over the last 2 years. This year it was awarded to GSK with judges highlighting the way the business has demonstrated continued growth in challenging times as well as continuing to invest in their UK sites from R&D facilities to production.
On a night of celebration of past achievements, Steve Elliott was also keen to ensure that the industry also remained focused on the future. For that to happen, he told guests, will require leadership from politicians, to put in place a UK industrial strategy that reflects the uniquely important role that the chemical industry plays.
However, what the evening demonstrated is that the foundation for that increased potential contribution is already in place.
“I say proudly and regularly to Government, politicians, regulators, the media, and many others, ‘What an industry and what a story’,” Elliott concluded. “Thank you for what you have done, for what you are doing, and for what I know you will continue to do for your company, your industry, and for this country.”
View full list of winners here https://www.cia.org.uk/ciaawards/2024-winners
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