The ancient Chinese principle of Yin and Yang probably isn’t the first thing that springs to mind when it comes to petrochemicals. But the concept of how, in nature, apparently opposing forces can in fact be interconnected parts of a single system – or two sides of the same coin – is reflected time and again at the trailblazer Shell Chemicals.  

This applies to everything from parent Royal Dutch Shell’s sustainability roadmap – which is guiding the company towards net zero emissions in step with its economic, social and environmental imperatives – to Shell Chemicals’ use of waste from industrial processes to create raw materials and chemicals that bring real value for society. 

“For me, our inputs – the people, processes and platforms we put in place in our organization – and business performance are like Yin and Yang; you just can't have one without the other,” said Martijn van Noordennen, Global Manager for Commercial Excellence at Shell Chemicals. 

“Ultimately, we’re in the business of serving our customers. We need to be proactive and responsive. We need to understand and anticipate their needs. Our customer satisfaction is now at an all-time high because we have built a platform that allows us to collaborate with and around our customers. This is where Salesforce comes in.”