Driving Safety & Sustainability Performance

U.S. Chemical Industry Celebrates 35 Years of Responsible Care^®

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) celebrates the 35^th anniversary of its keystone environmental, health, safety and security (EHS&S) initiative, Responsible Care^®. The first program of its kind in the U.S., Responsible Care altered the chemical industry's approach to facility safety, environmental stewardship, safeguarding our workers and our communities and establishing a foundation for continual improvement.

Responsible Care sets practitioners apart. In fact, U.S. Responsible Care companies have a worker safety incident rate that is nearly five times better than the U.S. manufacturing sector as a whole, and almost three times better than the business of chemistry overall.

Responsible Care is a framework for companies to:

• identify and establish appropriate safety, sustainability and security measures;
• implement world-class management systems verified through independent auditors; and
• track, report and improve performance through established environment, health, safety and security metrics.

The American Chemistry Council adopted Responsible Care as a mandatory membership requirement in 1988, recognizing the value of the program in advancing safety and sustainability in chemical plants and facility communities. Importantly, Responsible Care also extends its ethos of safety throughout the supply chain, with nearly 100 certified Responsible Care Partners across ten sectors, including transportation, logistics, and warehousing. Today, Responsible Care is practiced in nearly 1500 facilities across the U.S.

Responsible Care continues to grow and evolve to meet sustainability challenges and stakeholder expectations. In recent years, ACC and our members have taken meaningful action to enhance Responsible Care, helping organizations lower the frequency and severity of process safety incidents, respond to expanding security challenges in the face of growing cyberattacks and emerging technologies, enhance product stewardship, and expand transparent reporting of environmental performance metrics.

"We know that we must continue to do more and do better. We must continue to work every day, in facilities across the nation, to help protect workers, communities and the environment," stated Mitch Toomey, ACC Vice President of Sustainability & Responsible Care. "Through Responsible Care, we will continue to work with stakeholders to create programs that track and improve safety and environmental performance in facilities and throughout the supply chain."

ACC President and CEO, Chris Jahn, noted, "When you look at the numbers, the story of Responsible Care's impact on the U.S. chemical industry becomes clear: our operations, workers and community members are safer and more sustainable because of our industry's commitment to improving performance. This 35^th anniversary is a meaningful milestone for ACC's signature EHS&S program, and we are committed to continuing to grow Responsible Care as a critical component of safe operations and corporate responsibility for the chemical industry."

Responsible Care is more than a set of principles and declarations. Responsible Care companies work every day to protect the health and safety of people and planet, leading and innovating on behalf of our industry, driving progress and building a better future for our nation and the world.

Learn more about Responsible Care.

American Chemistry Council

The American Chemistry Council's mission is to advocate for the people, policy, and products of chemistry that make the United States the global leader in innovation and manufacturing. To achieve this, we: Champion science-based policy solutions across all levels of government; Drive continuous performance improvement to protect employees and communities through Responsible Care^®; Foster the development of sustainability practices throughout ACC member companies; and Communicate authentically with communities about challenges and solutions for a safer, healthier and more sustainable way of life. Our vision is a world made better by chemistry, where people live happier, healthier, and more prosperous lives, safety and sustainably—for generations to come.

SOURCE American Chemistry Council