Inside Chemistry’s Role in Sustainability: A Podcast Conversation With Jenny Liu

Chemistry touches virtually every aspect of modern life, but its transformative role in unlocking sustainability often goes unnoticed. In the latest podcast episode of Five Lifes to Fifty, Jenny Liu, Head of Sustainability for Chemours’ Advanced Performance Materials business, takes listeners on a journey through the power of chemistry—not just as a science, but as a driver of innovation, decarbonization, and sustainable solutions.

“More than 95% of all manufactured goods are touched by the business of chemistry. Chemistry is essential for everything we depend on in modern society—and I believe it’s essential for decarbonization as well.” 

Jenny Liu, Global Sustainability Senior Director – Advanced Performance Materials

From electric vehicles and semiconductors to the hydrogen economy, Jenny highlights how advanced materials are shaping the future. Chemours is a leader in this space, leveraging bold sustainability goals and data-driven methodologies to ensure its products not only meet the high-performance needs of customers but also contribute meaningfully to global sustainability efforts.

For instance, Jenny discusses how Chemours works collaboratively to address sustainability challenges across the product lifecycle, applying advanced chemistry and material science knowledge to accelerate next generation technologies. As an example, Jenny discusses how Teflon™ fluoropolymer binders can revolutionize lithium-ion battery electrode manufacturing for hybrid and electric vehicles. This innovation reduces production costs, eliminates solvents harmful to workers, and improves battery performance—all while shrinking the physical footprint of manufacturing lines by 75%. It’s a clear example of what Jenny describes as enabling sustainability “through our products and applications.”

Listeners will also learn how Chemours measures its progress through the EVOLVE 2030 portfolio sustainability assessment methodology, which is used to evaluate the environmental and social impact of its product offerings and product development pipeline in relation to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. EVOLVE 2030 was developed by Chemours in partnership with Anthesis Group and has received third-party assurance. Jenny’s insight into embedding sustainability into every stage of product development, from ideation to implementation, underscores the company’s commitment to advancing circularity, reducing emissions, and scaling solutions that matter.

“Sustainability is a journey,” Jenny reflects. “It takes hard work, leadership commitment, and communication. And it requires embedding these principles into the systems and processes that drive business decisions every day.”

If you’re passionate about ESG strategies, sustainable innovation, or the future of advanced materials, don’t miss the latest episode of Five Lifes to Fifty, “Chemours’ Jenny Liu on the Power of Chemistry to Shape a Sustainable Future.”