I have worked in and around the chemical industry for forty years, first as an executive and now as an advisor and search partner to its leaders. Few industries have shaped my thinking as much, and few are as misunderstood.
For many years, the industry has responded to criticism rather than setting out its own purpose. It is right that we continue to reduce our footprint and improve our environmental performance. That work must continue. But we also need to speak plainly about something the public rarely hears. Chemistry sits behind almost everything people depend on.
This is not an industry on the sidelines. It is the engine room of modern life. Without chemistry, half of the world’s food supply would be lost to disease or spoilage. Many everyday medicines would simply not exist. Clean water would not reach households. Electronics, transport, renewable energy systems, construction, healthcare, and almost every part of the economy would grind to a halt. Much of what we call progress rests on chemistry.
People who dream of working for Nvidia, Apple, Tesla or OpenAI rarely consider the materials and processes that make these companies’ products possible. Catalysts, polymers, coatings, battery materials, additives, and the long chain of work done in laboratories and plants allow others to innovate. We stopped saying this clearly and the result is a gap in understanding.
We need to speak with confidence again.
The industry has kept its head down for so long that many assume it is either outdated or part of the problem. That silence has a cost. A sector this important should not feel the need to apologise for existing. It deserves the same recognition we give to industries such as automotive manufacturing, which rely heavily on chemical innovation in the first place.
This must change.
Political leaders need to be well-informed and clear-headed when setting direction for the economy. Industry leaders need to step forward, be visible, and explain in straightforward terms what chemistry makes possible and why it matters. A few prominent voices cannot carry this alone. They are too easily drowned by noise and misinformation. Industry associations also need to be more visible in public conversations, not just in private discussions.
Just as importantly, the sector must compete for talent. Its future depends on attracting people who want to work on important challenges. Chemistry gives them that opportunity. They can reduce waste, cut emissions, create cleaner materials, strengthen food systems, and improve the way industry operates. This is not an old or tired field. It is central to meeting the demands placed on every modern society.
We will need leaders who can bring scientific depth together with business understanding, technology, data and AI. Above all, they will need the ability to show how chemistry helps society progress.
Yes, the industry must continue to improve the way it manages its own waste and environmental impact. But that is not the whole story. The larger point is that chemistry enables other sectors to innovate and prosper. It is a quiet force that allows societies to grow.
This industry is not in decline. It needs to rediscover its purpose and speak about it openly. It is time to stop defending and start leading again.
Contact Andrew on LinkedIn or andrew.kris@borderless.net
