ICCA Publishes Sustainability Definitions and Safe & Sustainable Chemistry Principles
In 2023, the global community adopted the Global Framework on Chemicals (GFC) — a landmark United Nations framework with the vision of “a planet free of harm from chemicals and waste,” and the successor to the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM). Recognising the central role the chemical industry must play in delivering on this vision, ICCA has responded by launching three high-level global ambitions for 2030: advancing transparency on the safety and sustainability of chemical products, building capacity for the sound management of chemicals in at least 30 countries, and driving sustainability across the global chemical industry.
To translate this third ambition into action, ICCA is now publishing its first two flagship deliverables: the ICCA Sustainability Definitions and the Safe and Sustainable Chemistry Principles — concrete outcomes that give real substance to the industry’s global sustainability commitments, ahead of the first GFC International Conference (IC-1) in Geneva in November 2026.
Together, the new resources aim to:
- Establish a common language — providing harmonised definitions that can be used consistently by companies, associations, regulators, and other stakeholders worldwide.
- Set a shared direction — outlining the principles that should guide innovation, product stewardship, and responsible business practices across the global chemical industry.
- Support implementation of ICCA’s Sustainability Ambition — giving concrete content to the industry’s commitment to driving sustainability in the context of the GFC.
- Enable accountability and progress tracking — laying the groundwork for measuring and reporting industry-wide progress toward safer and more sustainable chemistry.
ICCA is also showcasing an interactive sustainability strategy game designed to bring these concepts to life for industry professionals and decision-makers, as well as a toolbox, a practical resource designed to help companies at all levels navigate key sustainability tools across product, portfolio, and corporate levels — stay tuned for more.
These documents will be presented at upcoming events and the IC-1 conference in November 2026. ICCA invites all stakeholders — companies, associations, policymakers, and researchers — to explore these resources, engage with the principles, and contribute to building a global chemical industry that is genuinely safe and sustainable.
