🧪 Reflecting on 20 Years of Progress

Dear Change Chemistry community and friends,

After nearly 20 years, I’m stepping down as Executive Director of Change Chemistry — a bittersweet milestone, and one I feel deeply proud of. This organization is ready for its next chapter, and I’m thrilled to welcome Jason Pearson as our new Executive Director. Jason brings decades of cross-sector leadership and a shared commitment to advancing sustainable chemistry, and he’ll be connecting with the community soon in some exciting ways.

To all of our members and everyone in the broader sustainable chemistry community: thank you. Your insights, collaboration, and support have shaped Change Chemistry into the trusted, impactful network it is today. I’ll continue to stay involved as Founder and strategic advisor, and I look forward to what we’ll build together next.

You can read my full departure letter here, and our press release explains this exciting transition in more detail.

Dr. Joel Tickner

Founder, Change Chemistry

Read more highlights like this in our 2024 Year in Review.

7 Critical Moves Industry Must Make to Tackle the Microplastics Crisis

Microplastics are everywhere — from the world’s most remote locations to human blood and lungs. Yet, action has been slow due to scientific uncertainty and regulatory fragmentation. In this article, we share key insights from Change Chemistry’s multi-part webinar series, which brought together leaders across the value chain to chart a practical path forward. From aligning on standardized testing and increasing chemical transparency to designing lower-shedding products and pushing for policy change, the roadmap outlines seven critical actions industry can take now to address this complex pollution challenge.

Have you reserved your spot at the 2025 Innovators Roundtable? Change Chemistry’s signature event will take place from September 9 to 11 in Columbus, Ohio, and online. This annual gathering brings together leaders from across the chemical value chain to explore practical solutions, foster collaboration, and accelerate the transition to safer, more sustainable chemistry. Check out the preliminary agenda and join us for interactive discussions on innovation, policy, value chain collaboration, workforce development, and more.

We’re buzzing about recent events, publications, and more on LinkedIn. Follow us to stay engaged! Here are some highlights from the past month:

We've Reached 3K Followers! | We’re excited to celebrate a major milestone: Our LinkedIn community has grown to over 3,000 followers! Thank you to everyone who has supported and engaged with our work to advance the development, commercialization, scale, and adoption of safer and more sustainable chemistry solutions. We look forward to continuing this journey together.

ICYMI: Change Chemistry’s 2024 Year In Review | In 2024, Change Chemistry expanded its influence, drove policy action, and catalyzed industry-wide collaboration to advance safer and more sustainable chemistry. With overall 1,000 attendees of our in person and virtual events and major wins across sectors, our community made measurable progress from policy to product.

Scaling Sustainable Chemistry Solutions: Member Webinar Recap | In a recent Change Chemistry webinar, Jan Weernink of GFBiochemicals and Wolfgang Edel of Brenntag shared insights on how value chain collaboration accelerates sustainable chemistry adoption. Weernink outlined GFBiochemicals’ journey scaling their levulinic acid technology, while Edel highlighted the growing demand for sustainable solutions and Brenntag’s unique role in bringing them to market. Members can watch the full recording on our website.

ICYMI: April Newsletter Highlights | Our April newsletter emphasized the importance of staying the course in advancing sustainable chemistry, even amid shifting economic, R&D, and political cycles. We shared how Change Chemistry continues to support members, build momentum, and drive long-term change across the value chain. Catch up on the full newsletter to explore key initiatives, community updates, and more.

Explore opportunities for everybody in the Change Chemistry community!

MEMBERS! Supporting the Safer Choice Program: Advocacy Update | Join Change Chemistry on June 10 for a member-exclusive webinar on efforts to protect and strengthen the EPA’s Safer Choice Program. The session will cover recent developments, outline next steps, and invite ongoing engagement as federal priorities shift.

MEMBERS! Making the Case: Gaining Investor Support for Sustainable Chemistry | On June 18, join us for the first webinar in a new member-exclusive series focused on demonstrating the long-term value of sustainable chemistry to investors, leadership, and supply chain partners. Alexandra McPherson (Clean Production Action) and Julie Gorte (Impax Asset Management) will share insights on how strategic investment in sustainable chemistry can reduce risk, drive innovation, and deliver lasting returns.

BASF Sustainability Matters Virtual Event Series | Join BASF, a Change Chemistry member, from June 10 to 18 for a live virtual event series focused on sustainability topics, including circular economy, sustainable construction, mass balance in consumer products, and mobility trends. Each session features expert speakers and real-world examples of how industry is advancing sustainability across sectors.

Bridging the Gap: A Green Chemistry Innovation and Education Workshop | Join our friends at Beyond Benign and the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute for a workshop at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York on July 9. This free gathering is designed to explore how green chemistry can be applied across classrooms, campuses, and the private sector. Reserve your spot and spread the word!

Want to participate in a Change Chemistry webinar? | If you are interested in presenting in a Change Chemistry webinar and sharing your experiences, successes, and solutions with the wider Change Chemistry community, please contact Morgan Ward.

Check out these stories from the sustainable chemistry community.

Job Opportunity! Senior Manager of Sustainability and Compliance at Sephora | Sephora, a Change Chemistry member, seeks a Senior Manager of Sustainability and Compliance to lead regional sustainability strategies and ensure alignment with Sephora Global and LVMH guidelines. The role includes overseeing product chemical policy, environmental compliance, ESG reporting, and driving continuous improvement across operations. Applicants should have deep experience in chemical regulations, environmental compliance, and sustainability reporting, ideally within the beauty, cosmetics, or consumer goods industries. The position is based in San Francisco and has a hybrid schedule.

Stockholm Declaration on Chemistry for the Future | Unveiled on May 23 at the Nobel Prize Museum, the Stockholm Declaration on Chemistry for the Future calls on scientists, educators, policymakers, and industry leaders to accelerate a global transition toward ethical, sustainable, and purpose-driven chemistry. Developed through the Nobel Symposium and supported by SuCCeSS, the declaration outlines five priority actions, including safer design, open data, systems-based education, and policy alignment. Read and sign the declaration!

Practicing Safer Science: The Urgent Case for Green Chemistry Education | In a recent webinar, Dr. John Warner, a Co-Founder of Beyond Benign and the field of green chemistry, made the case for embedding green chemistry into early-stage research and development. Warner emphasized that without the right skills, scientists can’t invent safer solutions, making green chemistry education not just valuable, but essential.

29th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference (GC&E) | The annual GC&E conference, hosted by our colleagues at the ACS Green Chemistry Institute, is the premier global event for green chemistry and engineering. This year’s event will be held from June 23 to 26 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The year’s theme, Good Health & Well-Being Through Sustainable Chemistry, aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and will spotlight innovations that support human and planetary health. The conference will feature keynote talks from leaders at Pfizer, Oregon State University, Johns Hopkins, and more.

Alternatives Assessment: An Evolving Landscape of Methods, Practice, and Policy Supporting the Informed Substitution of Hazardous Substances | June 6 | As part of the lead-up to GC&E 2025, the ACS Green Chemistry Institute is hosting a virtual Friday session focused on the state of alternatives assessment — an essential tool for identifying and transitioning to safer chemicals. This session will highlight emerging methods, regulatory drivers, and real-world applications of informed substitution. Change Chemistry’s Program Director, Jenny MacKellar, will join a panel of experts advancing this work across policy, industry, and certification systems. The session runs from 12 – 2 p.m. EDT and is free to attend.

World Bio Markets 2025 | June 10-11 | Change Chemistry is thrilled to partner with World Bio Markets 2025, where we’ll host the panel discussion “Detoxification AND Defossilization — The Pathway to Sustainability.” Industry experts will explore how prioritizing safe and sustainable chemistry in innovation and policy can drive real progress toward corporate sustainability goals.

Future-Proof the Green Transition | October 7 | As the EU accelerates its green transition, aligning innovation, chemical safety, and sustainability goals is more important than ever. Save the date for Future-Proof the Green Transition – Mobilize for Safe and Sustainable Innovation, a full-day conference in Stockholm, Sweden, that will convene leaders from research, policy, and industry to explore how Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) can be embedded earlier in development. Change Chemistry’s European Program Lead, Asli Tamer-Vestlund, will moderate the event to explore how Sweden’s innovation ecosystem can support the scale and adoption of SSbD practices across the value chain. Interested in attending or learning more? Contact Asli Tamer-Vestlund.