Everyone talks about decarbonisation targets — but how fast is it actually happening, and what does it cost you to lead? As one of the first chemical companies with an SBTi-validated net-zero-2045 target, Wacker shares how it balances genuine ambition against the brutal reality of staying globally competitive.

• What “decarbonise” really means in chemicals: when Scope 3 dwarfs your own footprint, the target isn’t just your factory. Wacker’s plan cuts Scope 3 by 90% by 2045 — so how do you decarbonise what you buy, not just what you make?
• How you buy power is the strategy: Wacker already self-generates ~36% of its German energy and runs its Norwegian site on 100% hydro. Is owning and greening your own supply the real lever — and can everyone copy it?
• The boardroom balance: how do you sell a net-zero-2045 ambition to senior management when every euro of energy premium lands straight on the P&L?