DuPont Performance Building Solutions and Corian® Design Recognizes the Women Advancing Sustainability in the Built Environment

DuPont Performance Building Solutions and Corian® Design strives for a culture that is built on diverse people, ideas, experiences, and skill sets.

In acknowledgement of the International Women’s Day theme of “gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow,” the company sat down with several of the women who are shaping the built environment and helping the business build a more sustainable future.

Barb Hannah, Global Product Stewardship, Sustainability, and Regulatory Compliance Manager Corian® Design

How does your role drive progress towards our sustainability goals?

I have visibility to all the life cycle stages of our products and the corresponding opportunities for sustainability in each stage. I manage product transparency documents in support of green buildings and material health as well as efforts to enable circularity.

Was there an 'aha moment' when you knew you wanted to focus your career on this?

I learned about LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) shortly after joining the business in the early 2000s. I knew this was the area of focus for me when I learned about the impact that building materials have on the environment. That is why I obtained the USGBC LEED® Green Associate credential and continually look for ways for our products to contribute to sustainable design.

What are you especially proud of accomplishing in your role?

While delivering a lunch-n-learn, an attendee told me she was not interested in hearing anything I had to say because we didn’t have recycled content. When I told her that we did have recycled content, her response to me was “prove it.” That was the beginning of our third party recycled content certification. Lesson learned: tell your story.

What are the greatest opportunities that you see in your role and/or in the industry as it relates to sustainability?  

The greatest opportunity is landfill avoidance. We can’t move forward if we keep doing things the way we’ve always done them. We are committed to figuring it out.    

Anything else you’d like to add?

Talk to people. Tell them what you are dealing with, what you are trying to solve, the end game you have in mind. This is how collaboration happens and collaboration is how things move forward.  We all share this one planet.

Devika Varsani, Global Strategic Marketing & Growth Leader

How does your role drive progress towards our sustainability goals?

As I build out our strategic marketing and growth strategy, I look for ways in which our growth strategy will help us meet our sustainability goals, whether it’s through innovating by safer design or building thriving communities alongside our top strategic customers. My job is to look for ways in which we can help our customers achieve their sustainability goals and drive progress towards our Shelter sustainability goals, all the while we grow our business.

What advice do you have for other women looking to get into this industry?

Whether you are in a STEM field or a business field in this industry (we need more women in both!), women need to ensure they have a strong support system, especially mentors. Better yet, define and actively utilize a diverse “personal board of directors,” which may consist of inspirational peers, mentors, sponsors, connectors, career and/or wellness coaches, and even your “personal cheerleader.”

What are you especially proud of accomplishing in your role?

I am most proud of my contributions to DE&I at DuPont. I had the privilege of serving as the global DuPont Early Career Network’s Co-Chair over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, our leadership team grew our network from less than 200 to over 600 members. We launched new global chapters which enabled us to unite and inspire early career professionals from throughout the company worldwide. We also made significant strides in cross-ERG intersectionality initiatives and events, organizing guest speakers and panels in collaboration with the DuPont Women’s Network, the Corporate Black Employee Network, and others.

What are the greatest opportunities that you see in your role and/or in the industry as it relates to sustainability?

One of the greatest opportunities is to help industry partners and all our colleagues alike understand we all have a role to play in sustainability. For an industry as critical as home improvement or building and construction, we must all play our part in creating a cleaner, safer world for us all to live, work, and play in.   

Jiaqi Wang, Application Technology and Advocacy Manager

How does your role drive progress towards our sustainability goals, particularly our safer by design goal?

I am responsible for China BLUEDGE™ project advocacy. BLUEDGE™ polymeric flame retardant technology was invented as an innovative, safer-by-design flame retardant to specifically replace hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), which has been phased out in China. I was assigned as leader of the Green polyFR Alliance which consists of DuPont, three BLUEDGE™ licensees, and one downstream XPS makers. I advocate to stakeholders to help drive adoption of the sustainable, safer by design flame retardant as the first choice when they select HBCD alternatives.

What advice do you have for other women looking to get into this industry?   

Patience and persistence are two key winning factors.

What are you especially proud of accomplishing in your role?

On May 12, 2021, we successfully held the Green polyFR symposium. More than 150 people attended the symposium from the entire value chain. During the symposium, we introduced BLUEDGE™ technology as a sustainable flame retardant from different perspective. We also issued the BLUEDGE™ technology White Paper. After the symposium, BLUEDGE™ and Green polyFR Alliance were well known in China.

What are the greatest opportunities that you see in your role in the industry?  

Energy consumption in the building and construction industry takes about 40% total energy consumption in China so products with high energy efficiency and sustainability will be warmly welcomed by the market.