The Société de Chimie Industrielle will award the 2022 International Palladium Medal to Eastman Board Chair and Chief Executive Officer Mark J. Costa, for his contributions to the chemical industry and his leadership in enhancing the international aims and objectives of the Société de Chimie Industrielle. He will receive the award at a dinner in his honour on September 12, 2022, at the New York Hilton Midtown.
The International Palladium Medal was established in 1958 and was first presented to Ernest-John Solvay of Belgium in 1961. Subsequent awards have been made to American, French, British and German recipients biennially.
Peter Young and James M. Weatherall, Co-Chairmen of the Société de Chimie Industrielle Award Dinner, wrote, “Mark has dedicated his career at Eastman to harnessing the power of innovation and science to solve the world’s biggest challenges, most notably in the circular economy. He has applied his exceptional leadership skills to guiding his company through a period of incredible growth while consistently forging constructive relationships with multiple stakeholders and being fully dedicated to the success of the chemical industry and the people around him. This rare combination of leadership qualities is well matched with the objectives of Société de Chimie Industrielle.”
Mark Costa is Board Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Eastman, a global material innovation company that leverages its world-class technology platforms, deep customer engagement and differentiated application development to deliver innovative, sustainable solutions to customers in diverse end markets such as transportation, building and construction and consumables.
During his career at Eastman, Mark has been instrumental in developing the strategies, capabilities and outcome-driven culture that have led to the company’s greatest period of innovative growth. He has led the company through a major transformation to becoming a leading material innovation company, beginning with a significant change in portfolio by divesting commodity businesses and acquiring and integrating several specialty companies. This transformation has been fuelled by his belief in the power of innovation to create value for all stakeholders and deliver on the company’s purpose of enhancing the quality of life in a material way.
As a champion of sustainable innovations, Mark has overseen the launch of Eastman’s molecular recycling technologies aimed at helping to solve the global waste crisis and meaningfully address climate change.
Mark serves on the Executive Committee for the American Chemistry Council. He is also an active member of the Society for Chemical Industries (SCI), The Business Roundtable, and The Business Council.