Whether maximising the effectiveness of research and education, or facilitating policymakers to use scientific information, our goal is to shape the development of policy relevant to the chemical sciences.
What our policy teams do
We provide expert information and gather evidence in order to keep policy makers and the public informed and up to date on current scientific and education issues.
We engage in policy decisions that impact on the quality of chemistry practised in a variety of contexts and careers, and that affect the quality of chemistry education at all levels.
This work includes the following goals:
- research, equipment and education are all well-resourced
- regulation and legislation balance the sometimes competing priorities of health and safety, the environment, and innovation in an achievable way
- there is a workforce of excellent teachers who are supported to deliver a high-quality chemistry education to everyone at all levels.
Our Global Challenges policy programme provides detail on how we ensure scientific evidence contributes to policy debates in the areas of climate change, energy and food security, human health and disease, and access to safe water.
Recent policy survey of our members
The chemical sciences impact and are impacted by many different topics in public policy. Members’ assessments of and opinions on the relative importance of these topics help us to prioritise our policy and advocacy efforts.
In March 2021, we sent out a survey seeking views from our members on what their priorities were within three of our existing work areas – research and innovation policy, UK and Global chemicals policy, and health challenges. These work areas have been informed by results of our 2019 Policy Priorities Survey.
The results of this new survey are available below and will be an important consideration in developing our priority policy themes for 2022 to 2023, alongside an assessment of the policy environment and stakeholder engagement. The relevant Royal Society of Chemistry Governance bodies will consider them in autumn 2021 and we will update members later this year.
Thank you to everyone who responded to our policy priorities survey. We are grateful for your feedback, which will inform decisions on our policy programme this Autumn, as we continue to hold the government to account and represent the best interests of our community and wider society.
Download the summary report
Download the supplementary information
