Check out your Company Bowl for anonymous work chats.
Human progress and Essential Chemistry have been deeply connected in Bulgaria for millennia, a legacy that directly shapes our modern responsibilities. Near our site lies Provadia-Solnitsata, one of Europe’s oldest salt production centers built more than 7,000 years ago. Salt was essential then, and it still is. Today, that relationship continues at Devnya, where natural resources are transformed into soda ash and bicarbonate that power essential value chains, from construction and automotive to solar panels and batteries. Marking the latest stop on our Executive Leadership Team Roadshow, our CEO, Philippe Kehren, made his first visit to the site in his new role. He joined Nicolas van der Heyden, Managing Director Solvay Sodi AD, and the local team to review our energy transition. Securing these vital supply chains means tackling our environmental footprint directly. While we are working to move away from coal, the industrial-scale alternative does not yet exist. As Philippe noted, progress starts by facing industrial realities exactly as they are and moving forward anyway, finding solutions and making steady progress where it is possible. By honoring the history that brought us here while engineering a transparent path forward, the Devnya team is proving that sustainable progress is built on realistic, accountable action.
At our Devnya plant in Bulgaria, students from the Varna High School of Chemistry stepped inside an industrial site and saw chemistry come to life. What they knew from textbooks suddenly became something real, operational, and meaningful. Inside the plant, they explored how chemistry works at scale, from digitalized control rooms to the role of soda ash in everyday products like glass and solar panels. These visits do more than explain processes. They help bridge the gap between education and industry, making future career paths feel tangible and within reach. Because understanding how something works can change how you see your future. It’s a different way of bringing science closer to reality.
At our Devnya plant in Bulgaria, students from the Varna High School of Chemistry stepped inside an industrial site and saw chemistry come to life. What they knew from textbooks suddenly became something real, operational, and meaningful. Inside the plant, they explored how chemistry works at scale, from digitalized control rooms to the role of soda ash in everyday products like glass and solar panels. These visits do more than explain processes. They help bridge the gap between education and industry, making future career paths feel tangible and within reach. Because understanding how something works can change how you see your future. It’s a different way of bringing science closer to reality.
Our Annual General Meeting was an important opportunity to reconnect with our Shareholders and reaffirm our direction. Over the past year, we adapted and moved forward with focus, strengthening our company and preparing for the future. Solvay remains essential to many industries and everyday applications. We stay committed to supporting more sustainable solutions and driving long-term progress globally. Our guidance is unchanged. Discipline remains our priority, supported by strong fundamentals, a solid operating model and dedicated teams. We are proud of the strong support from Shareholders, with over 90% approval across all resolutions, including the dividend, remuneration report and Pierre Gurdjian’s re-election.
Leadership matters most when it shows up on the ground. Last week, our Executive and Global Leadership Teams met employees across North America, touring sites and labs, hosting town halls, and listening to those behind Solvay’s Essential Chemistry. They saw progress in digital tools, circularity trials and strong safety cultures, including 35 years accident-free at Longview, and met external stakeholders in Mexico. Staying close keeps decisions grounded and ambition aligned as we build what’s Essential for Generations.
At Solvay, strategy comes to life on the plant floor. From the industrial hubs of Voikkaa and Jemeppe to the innovation centers of Shanghai and Zhenjiang, our leadership recently engaged with the teams driving our 2026 goals. Whether it was CEO Philippe Kehren and Peroxides Business President, Carlos Silveira celebrating nearly 1,600 accident-free days in Finland, or General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, Lisa Brown exploring how AI and digitalization are transforming our operations in China, the mission remains the same: connecting global vision with local expertise. This journey highlights a powerful blend of heritage and technology, where refreshed plants in Belgium meet the digital resilience of our teams in Liyang. By fostering open dialogue - from diverse shift teams to collaborative local ecosystems - we ensure our leaders stay close to the heartbeat of the business, working together to build a better company For Generations.
You don’t see it, but it changes everything. Across our sites, the deployment of connected industrial sensors is changing how decisions are made. Real-time monitoring allows teams to anticipate issues, reduce downtime, and improve energy efficiency. Together with IMI, more than 5,000 sensors are already in place across 25 sites in 11 countries. Building on this momentum, the plan for total deployment is 9,000 by 2027. These connected devices, often referred to as Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, continuously measure vibration and temperature on critical equipment. It’s a shift in how plants run: from fixed maintenance schedules to decisions based on real-time data. Less guesswork > Fewer breakdowns > More reliable operations > Because digitalization only matters when it improves how things work on the ground.
Solvay is honored to be recognized by Global Capital, receiving the 2025 Investment Grade Sustainability-Linked Loan (SLL) of the Year award alongside RWE. What makes this more than "just another loan"? This recognition highlights a key step in our financial strategy and a core component of our For Generations sustainability program. While many SLLs focus on Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions, we chose to go further by embedding Scope 3 into our credit facility KPIs. Scope 3 is notoriously difficult to track and even harder to control. By linking our borrowing costs directly to verified progress across Scope 1, 2, and 3, we are moving beyond intent and into accountability. We are grateful to our coordinating banks, BNP Paribas and Bank of America, for their partnership in aligning our capital structure with our decarbonization roadmap. Through these performance-linked incentives, our lenders actively support our journey and reinforce our collective commitment to achieving these ambitious sustainability goals.
In La Rochelle, six hectares of unused land are transforming into a thriving sanctuary through Solvay’s RE-TERRE biodiversity project! Instead of mechanical mowers, a flock of 80 sheep now manages the landscape through eco-grazing, while a newly planted micro-forest of over 1,200 trees provides a lush canopy for the future. By adding specialized nesting spaces and shelters, we’re ensuring local wildlife has a permanent place to call home. This wasn’t just a corporate initiative - it was a team effort, with more than 80 employees and partners recently getting their hands dirty to plant trees and bring this vision to life. It’s a powerful reminder that when we give nature the space it needs, it will always return the favor.
We are proud to become the official partner of the Belgian Rugby Federation 🏉 a collaboration rooted in our For Generations sustainability roadmap and its "Better Life" pillar. By supporting the men national teams including Rugby 7, the under 20 teams and the referee community, we are fostering inclusion and creating a lasting positive impact in the communities where we live and work. Attending a match with the federation, our CEO Philippe Kehren felt a clear connection between an ultimate team sport such as rugby and the collective strength required to achieve a common goal. This partnership honors the humanistic vision of our founder, Ernest Solvay, by investing in social progress and collective well-being. Together, we’re pushing forward. For the game, for the community, and for generations to come.
