The Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) has concluded the 19th edition of its Annual Forum, held from December 8–11, 2025, at Exhibition World Bahrain.
Held under the theme “Catalysing
Competitiveness through Strategic Partnerships,” the 19th Annual GPCA
Forum concluded with participation from 2,586 delegates representing 450
companies from 42 countries.
Hosted by Gulf Petrochemical Industries
Company (GPIC), the Forum brought together regional and global industry
leaders, policymakers, and experts to shape the future of the chemical industry
through dialogue on sustainability, digital transformation, innovation, and
inclusive growth.
The Forum highlighted key findings from
GPCA’s latest report, “Driving ESG Adoption: Progress and Challenges in
the GCC Petrochemical Industry,” which revealed that 79 per cent of
GCC petrochemical companies now publish ESG reports and maintain formal ESG
committees, reflecting strong board-level accountability.
Adoption of the Global Reporting Initiative
(GRI) framework by GCC chemical companies has reached 83 per cent,
surpassing the global heavy-industry average of 70 per cent, while 88 per
cent of companies have implemented responsible supply-chain systems,
reinforcing ethical and transparent operations.
Building on last year’s momentum, the GPCA
Sustainability Pavilion returned for its second edition, featuring three
dedicated zones — Environment, Social, and Governance — and introduced a Carbon
Markets Workshop for the first time, reflecting the sector’s growing focus
on climate-related financial mechanisms.
Investment in human capital remained a
central theme throughout the Forum. The 4th GPCA Youth Forum, led by the
GPCA Youth Council, attracted more than 320 young professionals and
students from across the Arabian Gulf.
Over four days, participants engaged in
knowledge exchange, mentorship, and forward-looking discussions on the future
of the chemical industry.
With 95 per cent of GCC companies
involved in community initiatives and near-universal support for STEM
programmes, the region continues to outperform global averages, where only 63
per cent of chemical companies offer structured youth programs.
The Forum also hosted the second edition of
the Women in Chemicals Workshop, delivered by McKinsey & Company
in collaboration with GPCA on 10 December 2025.
The session explored the role of AI in
organisational management.
Discussions throughout the Forum reflected
the GCC petrochemical sector’s accelerating transition toward a low-carbon
economy, driven by clean technologies, circular economy solutions, and
renewable energy integration.
In
this context, the GPCA Startup Nexus, now in its second edition, provided
a platform for entrepreneurs to showcase breakthrough solutions in Circular
Economy and Climate Action, while the 3rd GPCA Solutions Xchange served
as a hub for strategic partnerships and innovations spanning plastics
circularity, carbon management, and digitalisation.
Commenting on the Forum, Dr Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, Secretary General, GPCA, said: “The 19th Annual GPCA Forum reflects our industry’s unwavering commitment to sustainability, innovation, and inclusive leadership. GCC chemical companies are today surpassing global benchmarks across several ESG indicators, including youth empowerment and ESG reporting. This milestone edition, held in Bahrain under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad, demonstrates that our region is not only keeping pace with global developments, but actively shaping new standards for competitiveness and responsible growth.” -OGN/TradeArabia News Service
