The world is facing major challenges and chemistry can be a decisive key to shaping a sustainable future. As President of the German Chemical Society (GDCh), it is a matter close to my heart that we face up to this responsibility and lead the way.

I am therefore delighted to present our sustainability strategy to you today. Sustainability is not just a buzzword for us, but a guiding principle that we want to embed in all our activities. The aim of our strategy is to embed sustainability in all our processes at the GDCh. In doing so, we want to provide information based on our expertise and thus help to create solutions and contribute to sustainable action in science, business and politics.

The Executive Board has accepted the recommendations of the commission set up in 2024 specifically for strategy development and has created the necessary structures to effectively implement our sustainability strategy. In Prof Dr Herwig Buchholz, we have gained a proven expert as Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO), who will be responsible for implementing the strategy together with a new, high-calibre Sustainability Commission. Together with the CSO, this commission reports directly to the GDCh Executive Committee. The GDCh Sustainability Commission consists of representatives from various specialist groups and institutions and is the central part of the GDCh's sustainability governance.

Our mission for a sustainable future is ambitious, but achievable: We want to reduce our Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2040. We are also driving forward sustainable solutions for the circular economy and creating effective solutions for relevant environmental issues in our specialist groups. At the same time, we are committed to equal opportunities in science and education and provide balanced information on issues relating to sustainable chemistry.

In order to achieve these goals, we need the support and commitment of our members. I would therefore like to cordially invite you to support the implementation of our sustainability strategy. Together, we can make the GDCh a pioneer for sustainability in chemistry and develop solutions for a sustainable future.

Let us walk this path together and firmly anchor the values of sustainability in terms of environmental, social and governance in our organisation. I am counting on your support and look forward to working with you to lead the GDCh into a future worth living with sustainable measures.

We will be happy to approach you with relevant enquiries and offers in due course.

In 2024/2025, the sustainability strategy was developed by a strategy commission appointed by the Executive Board. The Executive Board adopted the commission's recommendations.

The aim of our strategy is to anchor sustainability in the GDCh. We want to use our expertise to provide information, create solutions and contribute to sustainable action in science, business and politics.

The Executive Board has created the necessary structures for implementation. With the appointment of Prof Dr Herwig Buchholz as Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO), a proven expert is taking over implementation together with a Sustainability Commission. This consists of representatives from various specialist groups and institutions and is a central part of the GDCh's sustainability governance.

In this way, the Executive Board is emphasising the importance of sustainability for the GDCh and reaffirming its desire to play a pioneering role in chemistry in order to develop solutions for a sustainable future.