Global Impact Coalition

What Global Impact Coalition does

Global Impact Coalition (GIC) is an independent not-for-profit, CEO-led execution platform headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, spun out from the World Economic Forum in November 2023 to address decarbonization and circularity challenges in the global chemical industry. GIC convenes the CEOs and senior executives of the world's largest chemical and industrial companies — members collectively representing over $350 billion in annual revenue, including BASF, SABIC, LyondellBasell, Covestro, Mitsubishi Chemical Group, LG Chem, Syensqo, Clariant, Moeve, Dow, SUEZ, and Henkel — to co-develop projects that no single company can undertake alone. Its portfolio is organized around three focus areas: Feedstock Replacement & Circularity, Process Emissions, and Safety, with named initiatives spanning Automotive Plastics Circularity, Sustainable Methanol, Sustainable Olefins, Direct Conversion (with ETH Zurich), PFAS Destruction, Oxycombustion Demo, Circular Municipal Solid Waste, Sustainable Biomass Sourcing, and the spun-out R&D Hub for Plastic Waste Processing (now managed by TNO). Each project follows a 12–18 month discipline from idea to spin-out readiness, with two projects spun out in 2025.

The organization operates a community-led go-to-market: membership is the primary revenue stream, with multi-year subscription contracts and a strategic-partner tier planned for 2026. Innovation is sourced through open calls to start-ups, technology providers (e.g., TNO, ETH Zurich, Fraunhofer), and downstream OEMs (recently Jaguar Land Rover, Valeo, and Siemens). The CEO Advisory Board, chaired by Maarten Wetselaar (CEO of Moeve), and an Executive Committee chaired by Fiona van den Brink (LyondellBasell) govern the coalition. Distribution leverages the World Economic Forum's network for visibility and member recruitment, supplemented by industry events, white papers (including co-authored work with EY), a monthly newsletter (Impact Insider), and an active LinkedIn presence. Headcount is small (11–50 employees), consistent with a lean secretariat model rather than a staffed operational entity.

Name

Global Impact Coalition

Legal name

Global Impact Coalition

Website

https://globalimpactcoalition.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Global Impact Coalition is a Geneva-based, CEO-led not-for-profit execution platform, spun out from the World Economic Forum in 2023, that convenes major global chemical and industrial companies to co-build and spin out decarbonization and circular-economy projects across the chemical value chain.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Sustainability Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels (BPADANAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Industrial & Refrigerant Emissions Reduction (N2O, HFCs, SF6, Process Emissions) (EUABABAM)

Keywords

• Circular economy services
• Sustainable chemistry
• Industrial decarbonization
• Pre-competitive collaboration
• Carbon emissions reduction

Headquarters

HQ city

Geneva

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Contributions: GIC operates as an independent not-for-profit. Revenue is derived from membership fees paid by chemical and industrial companies. Members collectively represent over $350 billion in annual revenue. Strategic partnership agreements with annual partner fees are planned for 2026.
2. Project Participation (No Application Fee): There is currently no application fee to apply for ongoing projects open for innovator participation. Strategic partnership agreements with a recurring annual partner fee are planned for 2026.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Global Impact Coalition is a CEO-led execution platform that convenes the world's largest chemical and industrial companies to co-build pre-competitive sustainability projects. It operates a portfolio of project initiatives across feedstock replacement, process emissions reduction, and chemical safety, moving each project from ideation to spin-out readiness in 12–18 months. Revenue is derived from membership fees paid by member companies, with strategic partnership agreements planned for 2026.

Product overview

Global Impact Coalition is a CEO-led execution platform for the chemical industry transition to net-zero and circularity. Rather than a single unified product, it operates as a collaborative coalition offering a portfolio of project initiatives organized around three focus areas: Feedstock Replacement & Circularity, Process Emissions, and Safety. The portfolio includes named initiatives such as Automotive Plastics Circularity, Sustainable Methanol, PFAS Destruction, Direct Conversion, R&D Hub for Plastic Waste Processing (spun out to TNO), Sustainable Olefins (spun out), Circular Municipal Solid Waste, Sustainable Biomass Sourcing, Oxycombustion Demo, and Waste to Pyrolysis Oil (former). Each project is multi-company, cross-sector, and built to a clear spin-out pathway, moving from ideation to spin-out readiness in 12 to 18 months. The organization also provides an Innovation Ecosystem for connecting start-ups, researchers, and technology providers with ongoing projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Automotive Plastics Circularity Project A pilot project for GIC member companies focused on optimizing plastic recycling from end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) during the disassembly process, recovering polymer feedstocks for closed-loop recycled plastics. Phase I demonstrated technical feasibility by processing 100 ELVs and recovering approximately 8 metric tonnes of plastic. Phase II is developing a business case and roadmap for closed-loop recycling at industry scale.
• Sustainable Methanol Project A project evaluating pathways to jointly develop a waste gasification-based sustainable methanol supply chain, assessing preferred regions, technologies, capacity and business models to advance net-zero chemicals through methanol produced from waste, bio-based materials, or captured carbon dioxide.
• PFAS Destruction Project A project identifying, testing and piloting the most effective, technically feasible and economically viable technologies to destroy short-chained PFAS commonly found in process water, addressing regulatory compliance and operational risk for chemical manufacturers.
• Direct Conversion Project A joint R&D effort with ETH Zurich researchers exploring direct conversion of complex waste streams to C2+ monomers or liquids through gasification, targeting a viable proof-of-concept for transforming waste into chemical feedstocks.
• R&D Hub for Plastic Waste Processing An R&D initiative spun out to TNO, bringing together seven industry leaders to develop low-carbon waste processing technologies through four key projects: sensing for sorting, enhanced solvolysis for composite recycling, and polymer/inorganics separation at millimeter and micrometer scales.
• Sustainable Olefins Project A spun-out project exploring the development of an economically viable route to sustainable olefins based on methanol-to-olefins (MTO) technology, serving as a pathway to electro-sustainable aviation fuel (e-SAF) and low-carbon chemicals.
• Circular Municipal Solid Waste Project A project mapping, simplifying and piloting circular loops in the municipal solid waste (MSW) value chain by identifying best recycling technologies and channelling waste into high-value circular products for the chemical industry.
• Sustainable Biomass Sourcing Project A project identifying best sources of second-generation sustainable biomass and conversion methods (gasification, enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation) to create biobased chemicals, assessing feedstock types, technical feasibility and levelized cost of bio-based chemical production.
• Oxycombustion Demo Project A project generating models from joint oxycombustion pilot facility for technology roll-out and business case development, collectively de-risking and ultimately targeting reduction of steam cracker furnace emissions by 90%.
• Innovation Ecosystem Platform An open innovation platform connecting start-ups, technology providers, and research institutes with GIC's ongoing projects. Issues open calls for participants to apply to join specific projects or submit new project ideas for future ideation sessions, with applications reviewed by GIC project working groups.
• GIC Membership Program A membership program for chemical and industrial companies (e.g., BASF, SABIC, LyondellBasell, Covestro) and partner tier for technology providers, research institutes, universities, downstream brands, and OEMs. Members contribute through multi-year subscription contracts and participate in governance through the CEO Advisory Board and Executive Committee.

Quantifiable outcome

• Two projects spun out in 2025 — Sustainable Olefins (Methanol-to-Olefins for e-SAF and low-carbon chemicals) and R&D Hub for Plastic Waste Processing (managed by TNO).
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• ValeoflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026Valeo, a Global Tier 1 automotive supplier, joined GIC's Automotive Plastics Circularity project bringing design and component expertise. Positioned between chemical producers and vehicle manufacturers, Valeo shapes how plastics are designed, specified and integrated into components, directly influencing end-of-life recoverability.
• Jaguar Land RoverflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026JLR joined GIC as a project member for Phase II of the Automotive Plastics Circularity Project, bringing OEM expertise in vehicle design and circularity innovation. JLR is one of three OEMs joining Phase II, contributing to business case development, roadmap creation, and design-for-recycling principles.
• SiemensflagshipTechnology or Integration · 1 March 2026Siemens joined GIC as a member providing technology expertise in industrial AI, automation, and digital twin technologies. Siemens contributes to optimizing operations, reducing emissions, and enabling real-time operations monitoring. Participating in the Automotive Plastics Circularity continuation project.
• Fraunhofer (Fraunhofer Chemistry Alliance)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Fraunhofer Chemistry Alliance joined GIC as an Associate Member, bringing extensive applied research and technology expertise from 16 alliance institutes. Fraunhofer supports GIC's mission to develop practical, results-based projects that accelerate the transition to a low-carbon and circular chemical sector.
• Ernst & Young (EY)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025EY and GIC co-authored the white paper 'Closing the Loop for a Circular Chemical Industry,' part of a broader mission to deepen industry-wide understanding of sustainability and circularity. The paper outlines three pillars critical to overcoming barriers to a circular chemical industry.
• World Economic ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWEF is GIC's incubator and ongoing strategic advisor. GIC spun out from WEF in November 2023. WEF continues to provide strategic guidance and platform access. GIC and WEF co-author articles on the future of the chemical industry and industrial transition. WEF Radio Davos podcast features GIC's recycling challenges.
• TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTNO manages the R&D Hub for Plastic Waste Processing, which spun out from GIC. TNO leads ideation workshops with 7 member companies, translates project ideas into research projects, and executes research within TNO labs in the Netherlands. The R&D Hub focuses on developing low-carbon waste processing technologies.
• ETH ZurichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGIC has a strategic research collaboration with scientists from ETH Zurich and five GIC member companies (BASF, Clariant, Covestro, LyondellBasell, SUEZ). The Direct Conversion project explores gasification of complex waste streams into C2+ chemical compounds (ethylene, propylene) through joint R&D.
• BASFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBASF is a leading member of GIC, participating across multiple projects: R&D Hub for Plastic Waste Processing, Automotive Plastics Circularity pilot, electrically heated steam cracker furnace (with SABIC and Linde), and Direct Conversion project.
• CovestrocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCovestro is a member company with CEO Markus Steilemann on the CEO Advisory Board. Executive Committee representative Torsten Heinemann leads Group Innovation & Sustainability. Covestro participates in R&D Hub, Automotive Plastics Circularity, and Direct Conversion.
• LyondellBasellcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLyondellBasell is a member company with CEO Jim Seward on the CEO Advisory Board. Executive Committee Chair Fiona van den Brink serves as Senior Director Innovation Platforms & Net Zero Technologies. Participates in R&D Hub, Automotive Plastics Circularity, and Direct Conversion.
• SABICcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSABIC is a member company with CEO Ernesto Occhiello on the CEO Advisory Board. VP Corporate Sustainability Dr. Waleed Al-Shalfan represents on Executive Committee. Participates in R&D Hub, Automotive Plastics Circularity, and electrically heated steam cracker furnace (with BASF and Linde).
• Mitsubishi Chemical GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMitsubishi Chemical Group is a member company with CEO Manabu Chikumoto on the CEO Advisory Board. VP Noriyuki Mita serves as Chief Sustainability Officer on Executive Committee. Participates in R&D Hub and Automotive Plastics Circularity pilot.
• LG ChemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLG Chem is a member company with CEO Kim Dong-chun on the CEO Advisory Board. Sunghee Son, Director of Business Development, represents on Executive Committee. LG Chem joined the Automotive Plastics Circularity pilot bringing high-quality recycled materials expertise for the automotive sector.
• SyensqocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSyensqo is a member company with CEO Ilham Kadri on the CEO Advisory Board. Thomas Canova, EVP Head of Renewable Materials and Biotech Growth, represents on Executive Committee. Participates in R&D Hub and Automotive Plastics Circularity pilot.
• ClariantcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClariant is a member company with CEO Conrad Keijzer on the CEO Advisory Board. Richard Haldimann, Chief Technology & Strategy Officer, represents on Executive Committee. Participates in Direct Conversion project and R&D Hub.
• MoeveflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoeve is a member company with CEO Maarten Wetselaar serving as Chair of the GIC CEO Advisory Board. Rik Sneep, SVP Strategy and International Growth, represents on Executive Committee. Moeve is undergoing transformation from petrochemical to sustainable energy and green chemicals.
• SUEZcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSUEZ is a member company with CEO Xavier Girre on the CEO Advisory Board. Marc-Xavier Joubert, Corporate Strategy Officer, represents on Executive Committee. Participates in Automotive Plastics Circularity pilot and Direct Conversion project.
• DowcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDow is a member company participating in the R&D Hub for Plastic Waste Processing. Contributes to collaborative research projects focused on developing low-carbon waste processing technologies and advancing plastic recycling.
• HenkelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHenkel is a member company of the Global Impact Coalition, contributing to the collaborative community of members and partners working on chemical industry sustainability transformation.
• Linde (Engineering Firm)coreTechnology or IntegrationEngineering firm collaborating with BASF and SABIC on the world's first demonstration plant for large-scale electrically heated steam cracker furnaces. Linde provides engineering expertise for the construction and development of the breakthrough decarbonization technology.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Catena-X: Automotive industry data ecosystem and coalition for end-to-end traceability, circularity, and supply chain transparency. Comparable to GIC specifically via the Automotive Plastics Circularity project, with similar cross-OEM, cross-Tier-1 collaboration model applied to circular materials.
• Ellen MacArthur Foundation: UK-based charity leading global thought leadership on circular economy, with strong relationships to chemical and FMCG companies (including BASF, Dow). Comparable to GIC's circular-economy focus area and convening role, though more oriented to framework-setting and policy advocacy than project execution.
• Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI): Independent non-profit working on energy transition and industrial decarbonization, with growing chemical-industry practice. Comparable to GIC through project-execution orientation and corporate-partnership model, though broader across energy and heavy industry rather than chemicals-specific.

Direct peers

• International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA): Global council of chemical industry associations coordinating on Responsible Care, sustainability, and international policy. Comparable to GIC as a multinational chemical industry coordinating body; addresses similar decarbonization and circularity agenda at a geographic and policy scale.
• CEFIC (European Chemical Industry Council): Brussels-based trade association representing the European chemical industry, with 29 member federations and major chemical companies (BASF, Covestro, SABIC, INEOS). Comparable to GIC as a chemical-industry-wide coordinating body, though more policy-focused and less project-execution-oriented.
• World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD): CEO-led coalition of ~200 forward-looking businesses working on sustainability transformation. Comparable to GIC in governance model (CEO-led, member-funded) and multi-sector systems-change mandate, with significant overlap in member companies (BASF, Dow, Mitsubishi Chemical).
• Alliance to End Plastic Waste: Industry-funded coalition of chemical, packaging, and consumer goods companies working to address plastic waste in the environment. Directly comparable to GIC as a cross-value-chain, member-funded platform convening chemical companies on circularity and waste-to-feedstock initiatives.
• Plastics Europe: Pan-European trade association for plastics manufacturers, convening major chemical producers on circularity, recycling, and regulatory engagement. Comparable to GIC in member base (BASF, LyondellBasell, SABIC, INEOS) and circular-economy focus area, though operating as a traditional trade association.

Others

• World Economic Forum (WEF): Incubator and ongoing strategic advisor to GIC; spun out the LCET initiative as GIC in November 2023. Comparable as a multi-stakeholder convening platform for sustainability and industrial transformation, though operating at a much broader scale and scope (cross-industry rather than chemicals-only).

Regional players

• Sustainable Aviation Fuel Coalition: Industry coalition advancing policy and deployment of sustainable aviation fuel in the United States. Comparable to GIC through its Sustainable Olefins / e-SAF spin-out pathway and similar member-funded advocacy and project-execution model applied to a specific decarbonization theme.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@GlobalImpactCoalition
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/globalimpactcoalition

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Global Impact Coalition