Sponsorships

Like any form of marketing communication, sponsorships should be used strategically as a means for reaching Solvay’s target customers. When deciding whether to sponsor an event, start by defining the business objective that requires the sponsorship.

Common reasons to sponsor events include:  

• To build brand awareness
• To promote new products and technologies   
• To gain access to decision makers and influencers who are otherwise difficult to reach  
• To receive a discount on conference fees such as for delegate passes and/or booth space 

These objectives are similar to those for participating in conferences. 

Sponsorships must align with the Group’s Purpose, strategy and business priorities. Sponsorships that are not related to commercial activities (e.g., acting as a “good neighbor” to organizations surrounding our industrial plants) should be discussed and managed by your local site manager and approved by the regional communications team.

A non-exhaustive list of sponsorships typically sanctioned by Solvay includes:

1. Keynote speeches and panel discussions

2. Award dinners

3. Industry-related educational events 

4. Sports outings organized by key customers, suppliers or partners

Sponsorship packages vary significantly based on the investment a company is willing to make and, to some extent, regional differences. To determine the appropriate level of investment in sponsorship, consider that: 

• The level of investment should be in line with the potential payback (e.g., business opportunities); the greater the potential, the greater the justified level of investment 
• The ROI can also be viewed as intangible, such as goodwill earned with key stakeholders or improved brand exposure

1. Registration Process & Follow-Up with the Organization

• When a decision is made, download or access the sponsorship instructions where you can familiarize yourself with complete details about rates, processes, contacts and timelines. Be sure to focus on the timeline, deadlines and cost.  
• Contact the organization, and apply for the selected sponsorship. Ensure in advance that your billing address is the one designated for the cost center being used. (Your financial controller should be able to provide this information.)  
• Read the General Terms & Conditions, and sign the contract. Send it back to the organization. 
• Share sponsorship plans internally with relevant business stakeholders. 
• Follow the instructions and deadlines to ensure you provide all needed materials for branding and promotion (e.g., logo, company information, contact details, etc,), respecting deadlines. (Refer to Section 4, Branding & Promotion.)

2. Payment Guidelines

For payment, it’s key to comply with Solvay purchasing rules as you would for any other service purchase. Depending on the region, follow your local purchaser’s recommendations. 

• When the contract is signed and you receive confirmation that your sponsorship application has been approved, proceed to create a PO. Should you need further guidance to create a purchase order, visit the “MyContacts@SBS page,” and refer to the “Purchase Orders & Supplier Invoices” section.  
• For small-value sponsorships, you may be able to pay with a P Card. Check the Solvay Terms & Conditions. 
• As an example, in China organizers typically do not accept credit card payments, requiring payment within 2-3 weeks by PO only. It is important to start the PO process as soon as possible with diligent follow-up to ensure a smooth process from creation to payment.

3. During & After the Event

• To ensure a successful sponsorship, be sure that someone from the business team is available to capture business leads and new contacts, if relevant. 
• After the event, schedule a meeting to review new contacts collected, relevant market intelligence gathered, and awareness/exposure gained through participation.

4. Branding & Promotion: Common Sponsorship Deliverables   

• Solvay logotype:  When asked by the organizers for a logo, always provide the Solvay logo first, rather than a brand logo, as the company’s first priority is generally to promote the Solvay brand. If given the option to add more than one logo, you may provide a brand logo or other relevant logos. 
• Advertisements: Consult the approved messages, visuals and advertisement template. You may work with one of Solvay’s approved graphic designers to match the most relevant message and approved visuals to one of Solvay’s approved advertising templates.
• Roll-up banners or booth/wall panel graphics:  Consult the approved visuals & messages and booth graphics templates. You may work with one of Solvay’s approved graphic designers or stand builders to match the most relevant message and approved visuals to the approved Solvay brand standards. If the booth is relatively simple design-wise (e.g., a shell scheme), contact the event organizers who can put you in touch with the on-site exhibit services company. The exhibit services firm can assist you with core activities, such as the printing and installation of graphics.    
• Giveaways : For EMEA, refer to the Solvay Goodies platform. For other regions, ask your local communicators for recommendations.
• Other printed materials (e.g., brochures, posters): To print existing literature, you may use a local printer. In some cases the printer can produce copies using a high-resolution PDF file and even make minor text changes. In other instances, the printer may need the original design files or be unable to make minor updates. If so, contact your MarCom team. Alternatively, consider contacting the on-site exhibit services firm, which can usually be reached via the event organizers.      
• Solvay/business presentations: If asked to deliver a presentation about Solvay and your respective business, start with the Group presentation, (basic template) then the market presentation overview slides. You may then add slides pertaining to the specific topic. For a cohesive look and feel, be sure that any slides you add also use the Group template.   
• Social media: If you wish to give more visibility to your sponsorship, think about sharing it on your own social media account (e.g., Linkedin, Wechat, Facebook…) (link).
  • Sample post: “Proud to be a [sponsor/partner] to [event]. At Solvay, we look forward to creating sustainable, shared value for the [industry], driven by our Purpose and One Planet agenda.”

5. Measuring the Sponsorship ROI

Key questions to ask yourself or third parties:

     Business Development Focus 

• How many leads did I collect?
• Did the leads convert to opportunities?
• Did I establish contact with key influencers? 

      Brand Image/Industry Leadership Focus

• How visible was the Solvay logo, company profile and promotional assets in key conference channels? Consider asking conference attendees. 
• Ask the organizer to provide awareness-type metrics (if available), such as page views, email opens, social media analytics, or post-event survey findings.
• Tip: Ask whether this type of data is available early on, during the registration process.

To ensure consistency in brand positioning, it is mandatory to use Solvay’s approved messaging, visuals and templates whenever possible. Approved resources include:
 

• Company profile “About Solvay” statement 
• Roll-up templates (product / solutions and technical poster template)  
• Link to logo (all versions) 
• Market and segment key messages and visuals