The board of directors of the American Chemistry Council (ACC) has voted to enhance and fundamentally renew its Responsible Care initiative. For almost 15 years, Responsible Care has helped chemistry industry employees continuously improve workplace safety.
Beginning in January 2003, members of the ACC will implement changes to Responsible Care including:
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New performance goals and metrics that would encompass a range of economic, environmental, health and safety, and societal performance indicators.
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Adoption of a comprehensive, modernized management system that incorporates best practices from around the world on environmental health and safety performance.
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Mandatory third-party certification. Independent auditors will review the effectiveness of the Responsible Care management system to deliver improved performance.
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Transparency of company performance. Individual member company performance will be made available to all ACC members and to the public annually. These new commitments emerged from a Responsible Care Strategic Review Task Force chaired by Michael E Campbell, chairman and chief executive officer of Arch Chemicals Inc. The mission for the strategic review of Responsible Care was fourfold:
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To increase business value for ACC member companies.
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Enhance performance.
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Achieve strategic alignment with other industry initiatives.
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Fulfill Responsible Care's potential, both internally as the ethic for the industry as well as externally by improving the industry's reputation.
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