Sustainable
Development
Report

of the Belgian Chemicals, Plastics and Life sciences Industry

Challenges
Facts & figures
Sector initiatives
The Global Goals
Our commitments

→ Challenges

Industry in transition

The chemical and life sciences industry sees four key challenges to put sector and society on the path towards greater sustainability. As an industry in transition, the sector is committed to provide solutions for these societal issues.

→ Facts & figures

This report in a nutshell

How is the Belgian chemical and life sciences sector performing in terms of sustainability? Dive into the figures and discover how the sector continues to make progress on almost all indicators. With the clear ambition to do even better.

Jobs

Key provider of quality employment

95,500
direct jobs
220,000
indirect jobs
+6,500
jobs in last 5 years
20%of manufacturingindustry
Jobs

Key provider of quality employment

95,500
direct jobs
220,000
indirect jobs
+6,500
jobs in last 5 years
20%of manufacturingindustry
Training

Investing in people, investing in the future

58,900
people participate in formal continuous training
64% of all employees
in the chemical and life sciences industry
  • Agreement by social partners in the sector
  • Investing in competence centers with the social partners
Safety

Good places to work, safe and well remunerated

Only 2%
of the total number of declared occupational illnesses in Belgium
+ 18%
gross salaries compared to other manufacturing sectors
Nearly half
the accident rate recorded for the manufacturing industry
Diversity

Diversity high on the agenda

28.7%

of the total workforce in the chemical and life sciences industry (average of manufacturing industry is 23.1%)

27,423 women
23,2%

Women account for 23,2%  of all researchers in the sector
The social partners in the sector are committed to increase diversity and inclusion at work

Energy & Climate

Increasing energy efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions

+ 62%
energy efficiency compared to 1995
- 50%
greenhouse gas emissions since 1995
Energy mix
35% natural gas5% steam60% electricity
Acidifying & Organic emissions

Drastically reducing acidifying and organic emissions

Acidifying emissions
SO2 – NOx – NH3
- 59%
since 2001
(only 3% of the Belgian total)
Organic emissions
- 45%
since 2001
(only 8% of the Belgian total)
Industrial waste & packaging

Going circular

4%
0%
Only 4% of Belgian industrial waste
Almost 70% of all waste generated by the sector is being recovered
0%
Only 4% of Belgian industrial packaging waste
52% of packaging is reusable
Water use

Every drop counts in the chemical and life sciences industry

Only 6%
of the total water used by the sector is drinking water
89% Surface water6% Drinking water2% Ground water3% Other
-25%
The use of drinking water has been reduced with a quarter since 2011
Export

Number 1 export sector in Belgium

36%
of all Belgian export​
+25% since 2010

Number 3 in Europe for export
of chemistry & life sciences
40% of export outside EU

Innovation

Largest private investor in R&D

5.6 billion € in R&D expenses

Doubled in the last decade
Number 1 in Belgium: 2/3 of all industrial R&D expenses in Belgium

946 patent applications for chemistry & life sciences, a record high
40% of all Belgian patent applications
Highest share in the world for chemistry and life sciences in the number of patent applications
Taxes

A large contributor to the state budget

More than 5 billions € on taxes
The chemicals and life sciences industry contributes
56,000 € per employee to the state budget
(industrial average is 35,000 €)
Added value

A stronghold of the Belgian economy

20.8 billion € added value
36% of manufacturing industry in Belgium Well above the European average of 16%
Top 10
global companies

in the chemical and life sciences industry are located in Belgium

World ranking in sales
per inhabitant

Belgium is
number 1
in the world for chemicals,
number 4
for pharmaceuticals,
number 7
for plastics industry

→ Sector initiatives

Putting ambition into action

From creating even better work conditions to investments in energy efficiency, circular water use and the reduction of greenhouse gases. Discover how the companies of the chemical, plastics and life sciences industry in Belgium are stepping up their actions that contribute to a sustainable future.

→ SDG's

Our contribution to the global goals

essenscia and the companies of the chemical, plastics and life sciences industry in Belgium are strongly committed to play their vital part in reaching all of the Sustainable Development Goals developed by the United Nations. Together with governments, social partners, NGOs and civil society we are determined to make a significant contribution to a better and more sustainable future. 

→ Our commitment

Preface from the Managing Director

The report clearly highlights the willingness of the chemical and life sciences industry to respond to the societal expectations and articulates the pathways which might help us to get to the world we all want to live in.