PPG recently issued its 2020 Sustainability Report, which illustrates the continued progress toward achieving the company's 2025 sustainability goals.
The report also provides additional information that aligns with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) framework.
PPG EHS Vice President Mark Cancilla has helped to establish a global product sustainability team that is working with PPG's commercial and technical teams. This will accelerate the growth of the company's sustainably advantaged products where PPG has demonstrated significant capacity to improve customers' sustainability achievements.
BIC Magazine recently visited with Cancilla to learn more about his experience with PPG, his journey with EHS and how PPG is continuing to use sustainability to "protect and beautify the world."
BIC: Can you talk about your career and current role at PPG?
CANCILLA: I have been very fortunate to have had a wide range of experiences in my 36-year career at PPG in many different functions, locations and businesses. These experiences have provided me with a good perspective on PPG's capabilities and opportunities. They've also led me to my current role of leading PPG's EHS and product stewardship functions and driving our global sustainability efforts.
As with any role, my position needs to continue to evolve. As the global leader of EHS, product stewardship and the driver for PPG's sustainability initiatives, it is critical that I help position PPG to lead our efforts in each of these functional areas. The focus that our investors, customers and employees place on sustainability has increased in recent years, and PPG intends to thrill all stakeholders through our achievements.
BIC: Why is it important for someone to be open to change?
CANCILLA: Change is occurring constantly. It is also essential that the global team and its members continue to evolve. What works today will probably not work tomorrow or five years from now. My role in leading EHS, product stewardship and sustainability really requires me to think long-term about how to succeed in this future state. Once that mental picture is painted, we need to begin building an approach to achieving that vision while periodically evaluating if the future state should be modified.
BIC: What is your area of focus right now?
CANCILLA: My most important area of focus is growing and developing our global organization. As mentioned, I have been very fortunate to have served in many roles during my career at PPG. I intend to provide the same types of career opportunities for our global team so we can continue to meet the changing needs of our businesses, customers and investors.
BIC: Is PPG looking to grow in new markets or expand in current ones?
CANCILLA: We are really looking to do both. As the topic of sustainability continues to drive a change in focus for industries globally, businesses must expand their focus to survive. We are incorporating the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures, or TCFD, framework into our well-established business strategy process across PPG, and this is aiding the expansion of our focus on driving growth through sustainability. PPG is already enabling new advances in mobility, chemical management and energy efficiency through our technical innovations. Further incorporating climate change risks and prevention opportunities into our business strategies will strengthen our position.
BIC: Has PPG made any recent acquisitions?
CANCILLA: Over the past 20 years, PPG has really transformed from a glass, commodity chemicals, fiberglass and coatings company to a coatings and specialty materials company. To achieve this, we have divested our glass, commodity chemicals and fiberglass businesses and acquired over 50 coatings companies. We have continued this approach over the past year with the acquisitions of Ennis-Flint, Worwag, Versaflex and Cetelon. All of these help expand PPG's product offerings and provide additional opportunities to improve our sustainability offerings, and we will continue to pursue acquisitions that provide value to our shareholders and customers.
For more information, visit www.ppgpmc.com or call (888) 9PPG-PMC.
