Celebrating 30 Years of Collaboration With the Sustainability External Advisory Council

By Eunice Heath

Through continued collaboration, we are helping to facilitate the world’s transition to a more circular economy.

Bringing diverse perspectives to the table is an important way to help us think critically and unlock new opportunities. This is especially evident in the world of corporate social responsibility, where robust thinking and dialogue help shape a more sustainable world. Dow’s Sustainability External Advisory Council (SEAC) is a good example of a long-standing advisory board that has shaped our sustainability journey for the past 30 years.

At its inception, it was a first-of-its-kind council in the petrochemical industry when launched in 1992 by Frank Popoff, former Dow CEO and chairman, and David Buzzelli, former board member and executive vice president of Dow. The SEAC provides an independent, outside-in perspective on critical issues relating to sustainability and environmental policies that impact both Dow and our global community, such as climate change, ecosystem services, circularity and sustainable chemistry.

These thought leadersrepresent the best in academia, government and non-governmental organizations, and bring together a diverse, global perspective on a wide variety of vital and current issues. This approach and diverse set of stakeholders enable us to best address global challenges to drive sustainable and inclusive growth.

As we look back on three decades of collaboration with the SEAC, the impact they have had on our Company is evident. Through their challenging and thought-provoking feedback, we have pushed boundaries and made strides in bigger and bolder ways.

Making an impact

Notably, the SEAC had a hand in shaping our decade-long Environment, Health, Safety, and Sustainability Goals. As we crafted our 2005, 2015, and most recent 2025 goals, the SEAC challenged us to be bold, to be ambitious, and to be a leader in sustainability. With the council’s guidance, each successive set of goals was elevated and designed to have broader reach and impact. For example, with our2025 Valuing Nature Goal，SEAC担任了一个响应委员会和思想合作伙伴，并帮助我们将自然纳入业务决策中。迄今为止，我们约有四分之三的方式，主要是通过避免的成本来提供10亿美元的价值，这些成本既适用于企业和生态系统。通过持续的合作，我们正在帮助促进世界向更循环经济的过渡。为此，理事会鼓励我们对自己的行动进行大胆的行动，并寻求新的伙伴关系，例如Alliance to End Plastic Waste.

What’s to come

As we pause to celebrate three decades of collaboration and growth with the SEAC, we’re also looking ahead. The SEAC will continue to bring external perspectives that will guide us through many aspects of sustainability, from policy and advocacy to regulatory frameworks, consumer dialogue and the financial view on sustainability. As in the past, we will continue to learn and benefit from their industry expertise. Because of and in partnership with the SEAC, we recognize our purpose to deliver a sustainable future for the world through materials science and in collaboration with our partners.

Eunice Heath, Corporate Director of Sustainability