SITTARD, THE NETHERLANDS, October 9, 2018 – As a global leader in the chemical industry, SABIC plays a prominent role in the European Petrochemical Association’s (EPCA) annual meeting in Vienna from 7-10 October. The company’s Vice Chairman and CEO, Yousef bin Abdullah Al-Benyan, launched proceedings with a keynote address to an international audience of senior petrochemical industry executives, government officials and other dignitaries and stakeholders. In his address, Mr Al-Benyan focused on global sustainability challenges, the rise of ”Smart Cities” and SABIC’s strategy to advance sustainability solutions.
The Smart Cities concept is a response to the challenges faced by people living in densely populated urban areas: improving quality of life through reduction of CO2 emissions and waste, optimizing resources and energy consumption through the development of energy efficient buildings and home appliances, and increasing use of renewable energy.
As a demonstration of SABIC’s commitment to this vision, the company has already made a fully sustainable home a reality, with its ‘Home of Innovation’ in Riyadh’s Techno Valley. A single-family, demonstration home with a ‘net-zero’ energy balance – so generating equal amounts of energy as it consumes – it is SABIC’s template for comfortable, modern and sustainable living. Awarded a LEED Platinum rating from the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED), the SABIC designed and built residence is the most energy and resource-efficient building in the Middle East.
“As a global leading company at the vanguard of the petrochemical industry, SABIC believes that successful companies of the future must integrate business with sustainable values,” said Al-Benyan.
Since SABIC’s inception over 40 years ago, when it was founded to create valuable uses for the waste gases being flared into the atmosphere as a by-product of petroleum production, sustainability has been a core value of the company and is, today, a pillar of SABIC’s 2025 strategy. With its commitment to deliver increasingly stronger performance in both environmental and social responsibility, SABIC was earlier this year selected by the Saudi government to represent the country’s private sector at the United Nations’ (UN).
As a key sponsor of EPCA 2018, SABIC also hosted the attendees’ dinner on the opening day.
