NextGen Chemicals & Petrochemicals Summit 2025 to Support Industry's Inclusive Growth

By: WE staff | Monday, 16 June 2025

• The NextGen Chemicals & Petrochemicals Summit 2025 is being organized by Indian Chemical News. The event is scheduled for June 18–19
• The summit's main objective is to propel the chemicals and petrochemicals industry's future expansion
   

The "NextGen Chemicals & Petrochemicals Summit 2025" will take place at The Leela in Mumbai from June 18–19, hosted by Indian Chemical News, the nation's top digital media platform for the chemicals, petrochemicals, and energy industries.

The two-day summit, which has as its theme "Preparing for Future Growth," will examine ways to promote innovation, sustainability, and inclusive growth in the Indian chemicals and petrochemicals sector, which employs over two million people and accounts for seven percent of the country's GDP.

The underrepresentation of women in the industry, especially in operational, technical, and leadership roles, will be the subject of one of the main sessions. Women still make up only about 14% of scientists, engineers, and technologists in India's research institutions, and their representation is even lower in this field, despite advancements in areas like senior leadership and pay parity.

Gender diversity is still hampered by enduring issues like prejudice in the workplace, a lack of opportunities on the shop floor, and the underappreciating of women's contributions. Nonetheless, change is being progressively facilitated by government assistance, corporate initiatives, and inclusive policies.

Gender diversity in the chemical and petrochemical industries is still hampered by enduring issues like workplace prejudices, a lack of opportunities on the shop floor, and the underappreciating of women's contributions. Positive change is, nevertheless, gradually emerging as a result of expanding business initiatives, government assistance, and inclusive workplace regulations.

Key issues such as workforce underrepresentation, advancements in leadership positions and pay parity, structural barriers to diversity, ongoing inclusion initiatives, and the necessity of systemic and policy-level reforms will all be covered in a special session at the NextGen Chemicals & Petrochemicals Summit 2025. Additionally, the conversation will focus on the business and innovation opportunities that come with having a more diverse workforce.

Leading industry experts Dr. Achala Danait (Dean of Strategy & Industry Partnerships; Director, SIRAC; Professor, Somaiya Vidyavihar University), Priyamvada Bhumkar (Managing Director, Soujanya Color Pvt. Ltd.), Deepa Arora (Director – HR & Communications, Arkema), and Shillpa Chabria (Director – HR, India, Middle East, and Africa, The Lubrizol Corporation) will share their perspectives during the session. Aashish Kasad, Senior Partner and National Leader for the Chemicals & Agri Sector at EY India, will moderate the panel.

Several important partners are supporting the summit, including DCM Shriram Chemicals as Principal Partner, APEDB as State Partner, and Flanders Investment & Trade as Country Partner. BPCL, HPCL, Revvity Signals, Ingenero, Tubacex Group, BTG (a Voith company), Gujarat Fluor chemicals, Excel Industries, Epsilon Carbon, Aquapharm, and Woodfield are among the Gold Partners. Zodiac Tank Container Terminals, Regreen Excel, and Analytik Jena are Associate Partners; Archroma is joining as a Supporting Partner.