Challenge
Ingevity, a leading specialty chemicals company, provides technologies used by the asphalt industry to make road construction more sustainable, cost-efficient and durable. As the European Union increasingly linked public procurement to sustainability, resilience and European industrial policy, the company faced the risk that new procurement rules could favour the geographic origin of products rather than their actual environmental and technical performance.
Such an approach could disadvantage innovative technologies that help reduce paving temperatures and energy consumption, facilitate the reuse of existing asphalt and extend the service life of roads.
Strategy
Alber & Geiger developed an EU government relations strategy that positioned Ingevity’s asphalt expertise within Europe’s own policy objectives rather than as a question of protecting an individual supplier.
We engaged relevant European Commission officials, Members of the European Parliament and key Member States around the development of European public procurement policy. Our message emphasised that sustainable road procurement should be based on measurable performance, lifecycle costs, durability, emissions reductions and the efficient use of resources.
At the same time, Alber & Geiger positioned Ingevity as a source of technical expertise for policymakers considering how sustainability and resilience requirements should be incorporated into future road procurement rules.
Results
Alber & Geiger brought Ingevity directly into the European policy discussion surrounding sustainable infrastructure and public procurement. We ensured that the advantages of performance-based road procurement — including sustainability, longer road life and lower overall costs — were understood by relevant European decision-makers.
The engagement strengthened Ingevity’s position in Europe and helped establish the company as a technical partner in the EU debate on how Europe should build more sustainable and durable roads.
