32 | Tees Business
Double whammy - SABIC’s success in the
NEPIC Awards resulted in a £2,000 donation
to Children Challenging Industry.
A FORCE FOR
GOOD
SABIC’S COMMUNITIES
AWARD FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL
LEADERSHIP
By Dave Allan
Revealing the latest award success for SABIC in
recognition of their dedication to the community
and environment.
W
ith its UK headquarters here on
Teesside, global chemical giant
SABIC’s role in “making change
for the better” has been recognised by its
peers across the North-East.
The Wilton-headquartered company
received the FUJIFILM Diosynth
Communities & Reputation Award at the
13th annual NEPIC Awards organised by
the North East Process Industry Cluster at
Hardwick Hall.
The Communities and Reputation Award
was presented to SABIC in recognition of
being “a realistic force for good” through
an impressive range of community and
charity initiatives that has put the firm at the
forefront of corporate social responsibility
(CSR) activities.
As part of the firm’s prize, they were able
to donate £2,000 to Children Challenging
Industry, a project that inspires an interest
in science subjects among primary
schoolchildren.
The Communities and Reputation Award
is given to the NEPIC member company
that can clearly demonstrate an outstanding
communities and reputation campaign
across any aspect of social responsibility.
In the belief that responsible, caring
companies are in a privileged position to
help others and in turn be at the heart of
the local community, the award honours the
NEPIC member that is making change for
the better.
SABIC have made it their responsibility to
be at the heart of the local community. The
range of corporate and social responsibility
activity undertaken by their team over
recent years has been vast. However, with
the issue of plastic waste at the forefront
of the public conscience, the focus over the
past 12 months has been the environment.
Last year saw SABIC become one of the
founding members of the UK Plastic Pact,
a world-first initiative that aims to transform
the plastic packaging system in the UK, to
keep plastics in the economy and out of
the environment. More recently the firm
has become a founding member of the
End Plastic Waste Alliance, with $1.5bn
committed by 25 global companies over
the next five years to consider and improve
infrastructure, education, engagement,
innovation and solutions.
The team also supported local marine
waste activities; funding clean-up
Celebration - all of the NEPIC award-winners.
equipment, taking part in beach cleans and
engaging with representatives from Plastic
Free Communities. And SABIC was a major
partner of Redcar’s Festival of Thrift that
focuses on sustainable living.
SABIC also made a major contribution to
support the Environment Agency with the
flood defence work at Greatham Creek and
annually providing more than £80,000-worth
of water that is pumped on demand to the
wildlife reserve from SABIC’s North Tees
site.
The SABIC Education Liaison team
reached out to over 5,000 school, college
and university students during 2017/18
to talk about how plastics are made, the
benefits they bring, but also the importance
of reducing, reusing and recycling.
SABIC also sponsored NEPIC’s Small
Business of the Year Award, which went to
Reprotec in Durham.