HIGLIGHTS
The 2026 Responsible Care Awards will celebrate organisations driving resilience through safety excellence, digital innovation, climate action, circularity, and an empowered workforce. This year, the awards will recognise outstanding achievements across key areas, including the following categories:
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The categories
- Operational Excellence: Process Safety and Cybersecurity; Digital Innovation for Responsible Operation; Responsible Supply Chain & Collaboration;
- Sustainability & Environment: Sustainability; Climate and Circularity;
- Caring about the Smaller: NAs and SMEs;
- People-Centred Transformation: Excellence in Talent and Workforce Development, as well as STEM Attraction.
Project eligibility: submit new and evolved RC® projects
Responsible Care® practitioners are invited to submit both new, innovative initiatives as well as past projects – whether previously submitted or not (awarded or not) – to the RC® Awards. Projects that have since evolved, remain relevant today, or have demonstrated significant progress and impact, are also welcome.
Who can participate?
- All companies and /or sites that are practicing Responsible Care® along the supply chain in Europe.
- National associations and affiliate associations are also eligible to participate provided they have signed up to Responsible Care® or have a Responsible Care® Partnership Agreement with Cefic. Specifically the category 4 honours individuals or teams whose submitted projects are recognised/supported by the Responsible Care® organisations they work for.
All Responsible Care participants, including members of Cefic and national federations are invited to join us and share projects and initiatives.
Description of the 4 categories
1. Operational Excellence
Process Safety and Cybersecurity Award
Honours chemical sites demonstrating outstanding leadership and performance in process safety, as well as effective integration of cybersecurity in line with the European NIS Directive principles. Recognised initiatives may include enhanced process safety practices that create safer workplaces, protect people, assets, and the environment, and embed a culture of safety excellence.
Examples of cybersecurity excellence may include the development of a strong culture, cooperation, sharing good practices and dissemination lessons learned between stakeholders.
Digital Innovation for Responsible Operations Award
Recognises the creative use of digital technologies to optimise processes, enhance operational efficiency, and foster innovation across chemical production and supply chain management. Deploying digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics and Distributed ledger technologies (DLT) like blockchain, amongst others.
Demonstrate the business benefits of innovation, the novelty value and the acceleration of the industry’s transformation through digital technologies implementation all towards sustainable and circular economy.
Responsible Supply Chain & Collaboration Award
Celebrates projects that extend Responsible Care principles across the value chain. Recognises excellence in sustainable sourcing, logistics and transport excellence, partnerships, and supply chain transparency that improves safety and environmental performance.
2. Sustainability & Environment
3. Caring about the Smaller: National associations – SMEs
Sustainability: Climate and Circularity Award
Celebrates organisations demonstrating leadership in Responsible Care through measurable actions on climate neutrality, resource efficiency, and environmental protection, supporting the resilience of the company by enhancing the future business case.
It honours initiatives that reduce emissions, adopt green technologies, safeguard biodiversity, and implement effective waste reduction and circular economy practices, making chemical operations cleaner, greener, and more sustainable.
National association and SME Award
Recognides the exceptional contributions of National Associations and SMEs in advancing Responsible Care. National Associations drive industry-wide collaboration and best practices sharing, while SMEs lead innovation and integration of Responsible Care principles at every operational level. The award celebrates their leadership, commitment, and impact on sustainability, safety, and continuous improvement in the chemical industry.
4. People-centred Transformation
Excellence in Talent and Workforce Development and STEM Attraction Award
Honours organisations that nurture talent, develop future leaders, and strengthen workforce capabilities to meet the challenges of industrial transformation. It recognises initiatives and programs that build skills in safety, sustainability, innovation, and digital transformation, foster a culture of continuous learning, and deliver measurable benefits in staff resilience, talent attraction, retention, and productivity.
It honours initiative that leverage incentives to attract STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) development, and ensuring inclusive access and equitable outcomes for all.
Discover the award-winning projects and their success stories!
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