SNEP Decarbonisation Roadmap

Building a collective, credible and ambitious pathway

How can an industrial sector commit to a realistic and measurable low‑carbon transition?

This is the question addressed by the decarbonisation roadmap developed with SNEP – QualiPVC, the professional association representing the entire PVC value chain: extruders and system integrators, compounders, plastics specialists and recyclers.
This collective initiative is built around a clear and shared ambition: to reduce the sector’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 45% by 2035.
A structuring objective, carried at the scale of approx. 30 production sites and more than 170 extrusion lines, while reconciling climate ambition, industrial feasibility and competitiveness.

More than a technical assessment: a collective alignment process

Defining a decarbonisation pathway at sector level goes beyond identifying technical levers. It also means building a shared vision among stakeholders with different industrial realities, economic constraints and sometimes diverging priorities.

The success of this project relied on four key pillars:

dialogue and consultation, to listen, challenge and connect different perspectives;
industrial analysis, to firmly anchor scenarios in operational reality;
creativity, to design solutions compatible with business competitiveness;
seeking consensus as a driver of collective action.

This combination of technical expertise, long‑term vision and collective intelligence is what makes such approaches robust and effective.

A structured and operational roadmap

The work carried out with SNEP member companies followed a clear and methodical approach, designed to turn ambition into a trackable and actionable roadmap:

establishing a shared diagnosis of greenhouse gas emission sources and actions already underway;
identifying the main reduction levers;
building a practical and operational action plan;
defining monitoring indicators to support long‑term governance;
setting a common, measurable target for 2035.

A key strength of the approach: the selected levers are based on solutions already mastered or readily deployable by the sector, reinforcing the credibility of the proposed trajectory.

A 45% reduction in emissions by 2035

The work made it possible to quantify the sector’s current carbon footprint and to assess the impact of the identified actions.

A wide range of levers, which each industrial player may choose to activate, were identified, including:

increased integration of recycled PVC as a substitute for virgin feedstock;
improved collection and recycling performance at end‑of‑life;
optimisation of downstream & upstream logistics, with more streamlined flows and lower‑carbon transport solutions.

Taken together, these levers form a strategy that addresses the entire value chain, from material supply to end‑of‑life management.

Collective decarbonisation as a driver of transformation and competitiveness

Beyond carbon targets, this roadmap carries a broader vision: positioning decarbonisation as a lever for industrial transformation, innovation and competitiveness.

It aims to:

embed emissions reduction within a measurable and managed long‑term trajectory;
sustainably engage all stakeholders across the sector;
and ensure that the industry’s efforts are acknowledged, including at European level.

This initiative demonstrates that an ambitious pathway can also be a credible one—provided it is built collectively.

Video feedback from the project

A testimonial video looks back on the approach and key lessons learned, bringing together the perspectives of Pierre‑Alexis Duvernois (ELYS Conseil) and Sylvain Gaudard and Nayla Sammour (SNEP – QualiPVC).

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