Subject/topic. The article is devoted to the analysis of value creation and participation in global value chains in the chemical, pulp and paper, food, and leather industries of Russia. The subject of the study is the analysis of trends in the development of significant low-tech industries in global value chains (GCS). Goals/tasks. Based on the analysis, the analysis of trends in the development of significant low-tech industries in global value chains (GCS) to identify existing approaches to the classification of ongoing processes and justify the need for a systematic approach for the sustainable development of the Russian economy. Methodology. The methodological basis of the article consists of general scientific methods – analysis, synthesis, deduction. In the process of studying trends in the dynamics of value added in significant low-tech industries, an event-based case analysis was applied. The methodology of GCC analysis using direct and feedback links based on the «Value Added Trade» database of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) was used. The correlation analysis of the indicators of direct and inverse relationships in the GCC with the indicator «National value added in gross exports of manufacturing industry» was applied. Results. The article analyzes various conditions and factors that create obstacles to building global value chains in the chemical, pulp and paper, food, and leather industries of Russia. Based on expert analysis of macroeconomic data and scientific publications in the field of value creation and participation in global value chains of chemical, pulp and paper, food, leather industries, the author's report on the state of industries and prospects for their development to increase the pace of value creation and participation in global value chains in chemical, pulp and paper, food, the leather industry of Russia. Conclusions/significance. The novelty consists in identifying trends in the process of creating added value and participating in the global value chains of the chemical, pulp and paper, food, and leather industries in Russia. It was found out that the relatively successful period of integration of industries into the GCC, which occurred in 1995-2008, was replaced by a period of exhaustion of the effective integration potential in 2008-2018. Application. The results of the study can be put into practical use when making managerial decisions by officials of state authorities on the implementation of the economic policy of the state for the purpose of sustainable development of the chemical, pulp and paper, food, and leather industries.