Description/achievement of initiative
The European PVC industry commits to address five key challenges:- Work towards the more efficient management of PVC throughout its life cycle.- Help to ensure that persistent organic compounds do not accumulate in nature and that other emissions are reduced. - Review the use of PVC additives and move towards more sustainable additives systems.- Help to minimize climate impacts through reducing energy and raw material use, potentially endeavoring to switch to renewable sources and promoting sustainable innovation.- Continue to build sustainability awareness across the value chain and external stakeholders.
Implementation methodologies
In line with the Agenda 21 chapter 30 Strengthening the role of business and industry, the VinylPlus Voluntary Commitment has been developed bottom up with an open process of stakeholder dialogue. Five key sustainable development challenges have been identified for PVC, based on The Natural Step System Conditions for a Sustainable Society. VinylPlus considers the dialogue with all of its stakeholders and the involvement of an NGO as critical external friend a key factor for success.Specific Task Forces, composed of internal and external experts, provide guidelines and define approach and implementation tools to achieve the set targets.In this regard, it is of paramount importance a cradle to grave approach, involving the entire upstream and downstream chain from raw-material production to post-consumer waste. Sustainable consumption and production are only achievable looking at the entire life cycle of product and actively involving SMEs.With reference to the chapter V of JPOI, VinylPlus is cooperating with the EU new members and trade unions with the objective of raising health, safety, and environmental standards to higher levels and to harmonize sustainability goals. Furthermore, VinylPlus will engage in efforts to globalize the approach by encouraging similar voluntary initiatives elsewhere in the world.
Arrangements for Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer
As part of its commitment to promote its approach across the PVC industry worldwide, VinylPlus actively shares experience, knowledge and best practices with the other regional PVC associations at the global level in the bi-annual meetings of the GVC (Global Vinyl Council), as well as in other relevant conferences and events.
Coordination mechanisms/governance structure
VinylPlus is managed by a comprehensive Board representing all European PVC industry sectors (resin and additives producers, plastics manufacturers).A Monitoring Committee guarantees an independent evaluation of the initiatives undertaken in the framework of the Voluntary Commitment and gives guidance and advice. Open to external stakeholders, the Committee currently includes representatives from the European Commission, the European Parliament, trade unions and consumer associations, as well as representatives from the European PVC industry. The Monitoring Committee plays a fundamental role in ensuring VinylPlus’ transparency, participation and accountability.
Partner(s)
The European PVC industry value chain represented by the following four Associations: ECVM The European Council of Vinyl Manufacturers (
ECVM The European Council of Vinyl Manufacturers); EuPC The European Plastics Converters (
The European Plastics Converters); ESPA The European Stabiliser Producers Association (
The European Stabiliser); European Plasticisers, former ECPI The European Council for Plasticisers and Intermediates (
European Plasticisers).
Openness, transparency and accountability of VinylPlus are guaranteed by an independent Monitoring Committee composed of representatives from the European Commission, the European Parliament, trade unions and consumer associations, as well as representatives of the European PVC industry. A Progress Report audited by independent sources is published every year.
Progress reports
Goal 1
1.5 - By 2030, build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters
Goal 3
3.9 - By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination
Goal 4
4.4 - By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship
4.7 - By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development
Goal 5
5.1 - End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere
Goal 6
6.3 - By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally
Goal 7
7.3 - By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency
Goal 8
8.4 - Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production, with developed countries taking the lead
8.8 - Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment
Goal 9
9.4 - By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities
9.5 - Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending
Goal 12
12.2 - By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources
12.4 - By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment
12.5 - By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse
12.6 - Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle
12.7 - Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities
12.8 - By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature
12.a - Support developing countries to strengthen their scientific and technological capacity to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and production
Goal 13
13.1 - Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries
Goal 17
17.7 - Promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries on favourable terms, including on concessional and preferential terms, as mutually agreed
17.16 - Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the sustainable development goals in all countries, in particular developing countries
17.17 - Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships
Data, monitoring and accountability
2012/12/31
Engage with external stakeholders in the discussion of organochlorine emissions during 2012 and develop a plan to deal with stakeholder concerns.
2013/12/31
Risk assessment for the transportation of major raw materials, in particular VCM.
2015/12/31
Publication of the VinylPlus Status Report on Renewables.
2016/12/31
A Social dialogue commitment endorsed by the EU Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee for the Chemical Industry to be developed and included in the VinylPlus program.
2020/12/31
Publication of an updated Status Report on Renewables.
2020/12/31
PVC resin producers to achieve full compliance with the ECVM Industry Charters.
2020/12/31
PVC converters to report annually their gains in energy efficiency.
2020/12/31
Develop a methodology for the sustainable choice of additives for profiles and flexible applications.
2020/12/31
Develop a systematic framework methodology for the sustainable use of additives, taking into account the EU PEF concept.
2020/12/31
Organization of annual external stakeholder meetings, commencing in 2012.
2020/12/31
Promote VinylPlus approach within international PVC industry organizations worldwide.
31 Dec 2012
Development and launch of a VinylPlus label for PVC products. The aim of the label is to allow costumers/specifiers to better identify PVC products or solutions that contribute to sustainable development.
31 Dec 2015
Lead-based additives replacement in the EU-27.
31 Dec 2020
PVC resin producers to reduce their specific energy consumption, targeting a 20% reduction by 2020.
31 Dec 2020
Recycle 800,000 tonnes/year of PVC, including 100,00 tonnes/year with innovative technologies, by 2020.
Staff / Technical expertise
Academics and independent environmental scientists
Staff / Technical expertise
European PVC associations, PVC member companies
Other, please specify
NGO The Natural Step International, a sustainable development NGO, acting as ?critical friend?, sustainability mentor and capacity building expert for VinylPlus
Other, please specify
NGO The Natural Step International, a sustainable development NGO, acting as ?critical friend?, sustainability mentor and capacity building expert for VinylPlus
Other, please specify
The VinylPlus program is privately funded by the European PVC industry through the four associations ECVM, EuPC, ESPA, ECPI.
