GUIDANCE AND MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORKS
A global initiative, led by Cefic in Europe
Responsible Care® is the global chemical industry’s voluntary initiative to drive continuous improvement in safe chemicals management and achieve excellence in environmental, health, safety and security performance. Responsible Care® is implemented by 64 chemical associations in more than 70 economies worldwide.
Person of contact
Giulia Casasole
gca@cefic.beThe Responsible Care® Global Charter – a global commitment
The Responsible Care® Global Charter outlines a common global vision to improve the environmental, health and safety performance of chemical producers by uniting the commitment of more than 747 CEOs, representing more than 90 percent of the world’s top 100 petrochemical and chemical manufacturers.
Chemical manufacturers, national chemical industry associations and their partners commit to:
- Fostering a corporate leadership culture – proactively supporting safe chemicals management.
- Safeguarding people and the environment – continuously improving environmental, health and safety performance, facility security, and the safety of products.
- Strengthening chemical management systems –participating in lifecycle-oriented, data driven and risk-based chemical safety best practices.
- Working with business partners – promoting safe chemicals management of their operations.
- Engaging with stakeholders – respond to their concerns and communicate openly on performance and products.
- Contributing to sustainability – by developing innovative technologies and other solutions to societal challenges.
See full list of signatories of the Responsible Care® Global Charter
INTERESTED IN JOINING THE RESPONSIBLE CARE® INITIATIVE?
Reach out to the National Associations of the country
where your company operates to find out more.
If you are part of a multinational company, all sites of your company located in different countries must join the Responsible Care® initiative at national level by contacting the national associations.
If you are a chemical distributor or a transport company, you should contact respectively FECC or ECTA to find out more about the Responsible Care initiative in your sector.” Please also check our flagship initiative, SQAS, to support logistics service providers and chemical distributors to continuously improve operations through an assessment scheme.
Cefic role in leading Responsible Care® in Europe and expanding Responsible Care® worldwide
Cefic coordinates Responsible Care® across 29 national federations in Europe, ensuring consistent implementation and leading the Responsible Care Network of Experts. As part of ICCA, Cefic promotes global chemical safety by supporting international workshops and collaborating with organizations like UN Environment and the OECD.
The European Responsible Care® Security Code
The European Responsible Care® Security Code provides a description of the fundamental management practices to protect people, property, products, processes, information and information systems against any kind of criminal, malicious and cyber acts. It provides companies with a risk-based approach to:
- identify, assess and address vulnerabilities
- prevent or mitigate incidents
- enhance training and response capabilities
- strengthen relationships with key stakeholders and authorities.
The Responsible Care® Management Framework & self-assessment webtool
Cefic has developed a voluntary and ambitious Responsible Care® Management Framework to encourage more European chemicals manufacturers to adopt Responsible Care® and enhance industry reputation and trust.
The framework provides a clear, inclusive and progressive pathway for continuous improvement:
- aligning Responsible Care® to the highest industry standards and sustainability principles
- supporting companies’ growth through maturity levels
- providing practical tools to help companies and national associations implement Responsible Care®
The Responsible Care® Management Framework guidebook explains these concepts and is complemented by the Responsible Care® Self-Assessment Webtool, a multiple-choice questionnaire available in 17 languages.
Key features of the webtool:
- benchmark performance against industry peers
- cross-reference performance against the UN sustainable development Goals (SDGs) and other international standards
- get tailor-made tips and good practices for continuous improvement.
Download the Responsible Care® Management Framework guidebook
Start your Responsible Care journey today, login to the European Responsible Care self-assessment webtool.
Watch the teaser of the self-assessment webtool
Hear from SMEs how it benefits their company
The European Responsible Care® Awards
Since 2005, the European Responsible Care® Awards have recognised outstanding initiatives by chemical companies and federations across Europe, celebrating excellence in safe chemicals management and industry leadership.
As we celebrate two significant milestones this year (20 years of European Responsible Care® Awards excellence and 40 years of Responsible Care®’s inception in Canada), this year’s edition is structured around the core principles of Responsible Care®, with a special category honouring the legacy of Jean Bélanger, the founder of Responsible Care®.
