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We are so inspired by the incredible engagement we saw during our first-ever Solvay Global Safety Week! Our teams from around the world came together with a renewed commitment to our shared goal of zero accidents. From our global executive leadership team actively participating in site activities to over 1,500 people playing the online Safety Game, the week was a powerful reminder that safety isn't just a policy - it's a core part of our culture. The heartfelt reasons shared on our Safety Wall, from family to walking the dog, showed that our commitment as an organization to safety is deeply personal. This event reinforced that safety is essential and a conversation we must keep alive every day. Thank you to everyone who made this week a resounding success.
👷No protection = no innovation. In our production sites, research centers, and corporate offices, nothing starts without the right equipment. Safety Week started at Solvay this Monday like every other week here - with safety and integrity at the heart of everything we do. Stay tuned as we share an inside look at the powerful lessons learned from next week!
A safe and efficient workplace is built on more than just rules. We believe it's about the power of Operational Discipline. We spoke with Massimo Fedeli, Peroxides Industrial Operations & Innovation Director, to learn how this approach is protecting our teams, the environment, and infrastructure: ✅ A new standard for safety: This is about consistently applying robust standards from start to finish. It's the driving force behind manufacturing excellence, improving safety and efficiency. ✅ Safety is personal: Operational discipline means strictly following the rules - no exceptions. For leaders, this means "walking the talk" and making our Solvay Life Saving Rules a personal commitment. ✅ Beyond the rules: When a safety issue arises, we stop the unsafe work immediately. Then, we perform a deep root cause analysis to ensure the problem never happens again. What are your thoughts on making safety a personal commitment?
During the second edition of "UFABC for Girls" at our Santo André unit in Brazil, we brought together bright, young students with our engineers to inspire the next generation of STEM. The day was filled with hands-on experiences and powerful conversations. Here's what we learned: Lessons in leadership and innovation: The highlight was a panel of six engineers who shared their personal journeys. They spoke about overcoming obstacles and the importance of resilience. Their message was clear: women can not only succeed in male-dominated fields but also lead and innovate, creating real solutions for a better future. The power of practical experience: Behind-the-scenes look at our factory and labs demystified the chemical industry. This immersive tour showed participants the practical application of their academic knowledge and the variety of career opportunities available. It's one thing to learn about engineering; it's another to see it in action! This event reinforced the importance of empowering young women. We believe that by investing in the next generation, we're building a more sustainable and equitable future for everyone.
🌱 From sparking scientific curiosity to launching careers, we're passionate about opening doors for the next generation. Do you know all of our initiatives that help young talents learn and find their path? Whether it’s through immersive camps during the CERN x Solvay program, international awards for young chemists with the IUPAC, as well as our summer internships, summer camps or our graduate program, we are all in for STEM education. A big thank you to all the mentors and young minds involved in each edition, you make the future look bright!
We are happy to share an update on our second quarter results. In Q2, we delivered an underlying EBITDA of €230 million and €54 million in free cash flow. Our underlying EBITDA margin remained solid at 21%. We're pleased to report that our cost savings initiatives are progressing well, and we now anticipate exceeding our initial indication of €200 million in cumulated savings by the end of 2025. As previously communicated with our 2025 guidance update, the soft market environment continued into the second quarter. This was influenced by ongoing global tariff discussions, forex movements, and heightened geopolitical tensions, which led to a reduction in demand and a slowdown in order books, particularly visible in some soda ash end-markets and our Coatis business unit. It's important to note that our other businesses are performing in line with our expectations, despite current market pressures. We have what we need to navigate the current landscape and will continue to accelerate the transformation of the company.
We asked Alaa-eddine, one of our Cost Accountants, to describe his journey at Solvay in 3 emojis: 🌍: I have the opportunity at Solvay to work with global teams worldwide such as Korea, Belgium, Portugal, etc. 🧠: Because I work in finance, I need to focus daily on spreadsheets with precise figures. 📊: And finally, an endless learning curve, the adventure starts here! What about you? Let us know in the comments what would be the 3 emojis to describe your work 👇
⚽ What a fantastic display of teamwork, sportsmanship, and community at the Solvay tournament in Bernburg! This day truly brought our Solvay family together, showing how shared interests, like the love of the game, can bridge distances and strengthen bonds across multiple generations. Frank Zutz, Works Council Chairman at the Bernburg site, perfectly summed it up: “It was a true celebration of sport and community.” From the competitive yet fair matches to the impressive team spirit among each of our German sites, the energy was incredible. The tournament was a chance to make new contacts, reinforce our sense of togetherness, and prove that fun and remarkable performance know no age limits. The spirit of giving was also alive and well! We're incredibly proud that €1,000 was collected for "Mitteldeutsche Kinderkrebsforschung". This contribution will help sick children and their families, giving them the chance for a brighter future filled with fun and play. As Marc Siepen, Chairman of the General Works Council, emphasized, "The tournament in Bernburg has once again proven how playing sports together can bring people together across locations and promote team spirit." We couldn't agree more!
As we reached the end of Pride Month, we want to acknowledge that while June was a time for celebration, the spirit of Pride should be felt all year. 🏳️🌈 We are committed to fostering an environment where every employee feels empowered to bring their whole self to work, regardless of who they are or who they love. Supporting all types of families is also deeply tied to our beliefs. 🧑🤝🧑 This includes families like Pedro and his husband, Diego, who welcomed a child through adoption in July 2024. They met their son, Antônio, and started a beautiful new chapter. 🌈 With the support of our 16-week co-parental leave, Pedro was able to be fully present for this significant life event. We believe that all families deserve to be valued and that parenting should be supported with equity, respect, and affection. 💙 Every story at Solvay is unique and should be lived and celebrated with care and love. We are proud to stand with our LGBTQ+ employees and their families, not just this month, but always.
💙 World Wellbeing Week resonates strongly with our Better Life engagement From charity runs to the Wellbeing Games (where we landed 4th out of 57 companies! 🏅), it’s been all about having fun and showing what Health and Security means in our daily lives: staying safe, looking after our bodies and minds, and taking care of each other as a team. A big thank you to all the colleagues who joined the events around the world and made those moments such meaningful celebration of our spirit.
