Responsible Care®—acting with responsibility
Responsible Care® is a global initiative put in place by the chemical industry on a voluntary basis in the pursuit of sustainable development beyond the requirements of legal statute. And Cognis is an active supporter of its programs.
In committing to the principles of Responsible Care®, the chemical industry around the world is expressing its will to continuously improve the conditions prevailing in individual companies and, more specifically, the level of protection afforded to employee health and safety, local communities and the environment. By improving performance, extending economic opportunity, developing innovative technologies and adopting a more widespread approach to tackling social problems, the chemical industry hopes to institute practical steps in the promotion of sustainability. An open information policy is particularly important in this respect. Hence activities, progress reports and projects are regularly presented to the public.
The initiative originated in Canada in 1984 with the chemical industry assuming a pioneering role on the sustainability front. Since that time, companies in more than 50 countries have lent their support to this idea. This voluntary association counts manufacturers, suppliers and distributors among its members. The objectives of the Responsible Care® initiative coincide with those detailed in “Agenda 21”. The initiative was expressly recognized at the world summits on sustainable development in Rio de Janeiro (1992) and Johannesburg (2002).
The general framework of the Responsible Care® movement encompasses environmental protection, product responsibility, occupational health and safety, plant safety/hazard avoidance and transportation safety. The initiative assigns great importance to an ongoing dialog on the expectations of customers and consumers.
Cognis supports the objectives of Responsible Care®. A major part of our involvement entails transferring our knowledge with respect to SHEQ management (Safety, Health, Environment, Quality) to small and medium-sized enterprises, especially in the growth regions of Asia and Latin America.