91AV

Whether maximising the effectiveness of research and education, or facilitating policymakers to use scientific information, our goal is to shape the development of policy relevant to the chemical sciences.

Get Involved in our policy work

Our members’ insights, expertise and experience are integral to maximising the influence of policy work on the future of research, innovation, chemistry education and environmental sustainability.

Here’s how you can get involved:

Your participation in any of the above is a chance to drive positive change and ensure that the chemical sciences continue to thrive and benefit society, improving our health, environment, and daily lives.

How we decide what to work on

Policy and parliamentary affairs work supports the RSC’s Strategy. We must act under our Royal Charter principles and follow relevant Charity Commission guidance. Even so, public policy spans a broad range of topics that impact or are impacted by the chemical sciences. Therefore, we need to prioritise our work to use our resources effectively to deliver impactful outcomes. Prioritisation is based on a combination of strategic importance and the potential impact we could have, working alone or in partnership with others.

It often takes time and expertise to have an impact. Our role in Sustainable Chemicals Policy has taken time to build. Securing the UK association with Horizon Europe was a seven year campaign for our sector. We often work on topics for the long term, to maximise impact, whilst reacting in an agile way to sudden changes, for example the issues the COVID-19 pandemic raised.

Member policy surveys

The chemical sciences impact and are impacted by many different topics in public policy. Members’ assessments of and opinions on these topics' relative importance help us prioritise our policy and advocacy efforts.

In June 2024 we sent out a survey seeking views from our members on our policy programme, to help shape our future policy work. Thank you to everyone who responded to the survey.

The results have been important for developing our policy programme for 2025-29, which was endorsed by relevant governance bodies in autumn 2024. Our key policy topics for 2025-29 fit within our wider Voice and Influence strategy:

• A strategic approach to the management of chemicals and resources for a robust and sustainable economy;
  • Sustainable chemicals policy
  • 91AV and circular economy
  • Tackling pollution
• A world-class chemistry education for all;
  • A relevant and adequately resourced curriculum
  • Empowered expert school and college workforce
  • Accessible routes and equitable pathways
• An ambitious, inclusive, and stable R&D and skills policy environment for UK science and innovation to drive economic growth;
  • Sustainable research and innovation funding
  • An inclusive science culture
  • 91AV workforce and skills
  • Post-secondary chemistry education, including financial sustainability in higher education

We will also focus on several areas that combine some of the above themes:

• chemistry and net zero
• supply chains for chemistry sectors including alternatives to fossil hydrocarbons
• chemistry and economic growth
• chemistry and industrial strategy
• equality, diversity and inclusion

Our policy programme will, as always, be capable of flexing to unexpected developments, as it did during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 2024 Policy Priorities Survey Report presents this year’s results and next steps in more detail. At the end of the report, you can find an Annex with visualisations of the data.

See the results of the 2024 survey