As demand for sustainable solutions grows across all sectors, the UK Alliance for Sustainable Chemicals and Materials (UK-ASCM) aims to position the UK at the forefront of global efforts to create environmentally responsible and economically resilient supply chains.
The UK chemicals and materials industry underpins 96% of all manufactured goods, making it indispensable to sectors like healthcare, food, energy, and technology. As a critical enabler of green growth, this sector has the potential to generate over £544 billion annually by 2050, supporting high-quality jobs and bolstering local economies across the UK. The UK-ASCM is committed to harnessing this potential by driving innovation, promoting circular carbon feedstocks, and reshoring production to enhance domestic resilience.
“With the formation of the UK-ASCM, we have a unique opportunity to make a positive impact on the UK’s economic future, our environment, and our communities,” said Dr Jen Vanderhoven, COO of the Biobased and Biodegradable Industries Association (BBIA). “Sustainable chemicals and materials are essential to achieving a net-zero economy and securing our industrial strength in a competitive global market.”
This Alliance is supported by a diverse network of partners, including the Institute of Sustainability and Climate Change (ISCC) and the Innovation Centre for Applied Sustainable Technologies (iCAST). It is dedicated to addressing the complex challenges facing the sector, such as the need for sustainable feedstocks and a circular economy. Through collaboration and shared expertise, UK-ASCM members will advance solutions that reduce dependency on fossil resources, enhance resource efficiency, and promote sustainable innovation across the industry.
"Through the ISCC, we are advancing impactful research in sustainable chemicals and materials by bringing together over 80 academics and training the next generation of leaders in tackling critical sustainability issues. Our unique innovation centre, iCAST, enables us to translate ground-breaking research into commercial solutions for over 120 high-growth, clean tech companies. The UK ASCM underscores the essential role of universities and innovation hubs in driving sustainable chemical innovation, and represents a pivotal opportunity to accelerate the UK’s transition to a fossil-free future," said Professor Matthew Davidson, Executive Director of the ISCC and iCAST.
The UK-ASCM represents a broad coalition, including industry giants, cutting-edge research institutions, and innovation centres, each dedicated to reshaping the UK’s chemicals and materials industry for a sustainable future. The Alliance is committed to fostering green growth, supporting regional development, and making sustainable materials accessible to all sectors of society.
As the global economy increasingly turns toward sustainable solutions, the UK chemicals and materials sector has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to lead the way. With strategic investments and collaborative innovation, the UK-ASCM aims to elevate the sector’s role in national and international sustainability efforts.
To achieve this step-change, UK-ASCM urges the UK government to:
- devise a long-term roadmap and a stable policy environment to enable investment in research, development, commercialisation and manufacture of sustainable chemicals and materials, to benefit communities across the UK and achieve green economic growth
- work with the chemicals and materials sector to ensure the UK landscape supports this growth, from feedstocks to infrastructure and skills, to ensure the development of resilient UK supply chains
- develop and implement policies shaping markets to enable the UK’s transition to sustainable chemicals and materials, including the leveraging of public procurement to create demand for sustainable chemicals and products manufactured in the UK