Responsible Care is a global, voluntary initiative developed autonomously by the chemical industry for the chemical industry. It runs in 52 countries whose combined chemical industries account for nearly 90% of global chemical production.
Contents
It stands for the chemical industry's desire to improve health, safety, and environmental performance.
The signatory chemical companies agree to commit themselves to improve their performances in the fields of environmental protection, occupational safety and health protection, plant safety, product stewardship and logistics, as well as to continuously improve dialog with their neighbors and the public, independent from legal requirements.
As part of Responsible Care initiative, the International Council of Chemical Associations introduced the Global Product Strategy in 2006.
Critical analyses of Responsible Care have been done by Andrew King and Michael Lenox, Michael Givel, and Moffet, Bregha and Middelkoop
History
Responsible Care was launched by the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (formerly the Canadian Chemical Producers' Association - CCPA) in 1985. The scheme evolved, and, in 2006, The Responsible Care Global Charter was launched at the UN-led International Conference on Chemicals Management in Dubai.
Controversy
Poisoning of river Elbe by the company Draslovka Kolin a.s., a Responsible Care certified company or hiding of 20 mt leakage of naphthalene by the company Deza, also a Responsible Care company, questions whether the Responsible Care brings any real improvement or is just a marketing tool.