General Information
(Creation Year & Reason)

1985
Industrial accidents, public concerns with chemicals, Regulations (existing and expected)

Initiator(s)

The Canadian Chemical Producers' Association

Objectives(s)

To promote continuous improvement in member company environmental, health and safety performance in response to public concern and to assist members' demonstration of their improvement in performance to critical public audiences.

Timeframes and Milestones

Six codes:

1. Community Awareness and Emergency Response (CAER)

2. Research and Development

3. Manufacturing

4. Transportation

5. Distribution

6. Hazardous Waste Management which include 151 elements regarding management systems and performance improvement in such areas as:

   • emission reductions

   • safety measures

   • community responsiveness.

   • Customer practices

   • new product/use development

   • transportation safety

   • waste elimination and management

Company CEO's commit to implement all code elements within 3 years of joining association, with regular progress reporting to peers and stakeholders.

Every 3 years company is verified by team of industry experts, activist, local citizen(s) who produce a publicly available report.

Annual re-commitment by CEO sent to association.

TransCAER is program of mutual assistance in meeting Transportation code elements that require contact on risks and safeguards with all communities along transportation corridors.

Implementation Process

Responsible Care does not prescribe a standard implementation formula for companies to use. However, seven steps are suggested for signatory companies:

1. Appoint Responsible Care Coordinator who will directly report to CEO

2. Train Coordinator in all aspects of Responsible Care.

3. Coordinator reviews the code with the management of all functions whose activities are encompassed codes

4. A management assessment is completed of the company's capability to meet the code and needed actions are identified.

5. A management plan is completed of the actions needed to meet the code

6. The execution of the plan is completed and the capability to meet the code is reassessed.

7. The program of planning and executing action is repeated and reassessed

The companies are advised to keep three guiding questions in mind as they implement Responsible Care:

1. What could go wrong?

2. How could this affect others?

3. How might these potential effects be perceived?

Monitoring Process & Parties

The CEO or most senior executive of every member of CCPA must commit to implement the guiding principles and codes of practice of Responsible Care® within 3 years of joining the association and to be publicly verified as having done so.

The sign-on documents require the company to indicate milestones to be achieved and their dates under each of the 6 codes.

Progress reporting is done quarterly to the Leadership Groups of other company CEOs, who have the mandate to assist and encourage timely implementation, and who can recommend removal from membership of any company not meeting their commitment.

The need for ongoing dialogue and performance communications with communities via advisory panels, as well as other stakeholders, ensures the company is improving at a rate and in areas acceptable to their stakeholders.

CCPA has for 14 years met 3-4 times annually with a National Advisory Panel of advocates to gain outside input to the requirements and processes of Responsible Care.

The signatories go through Round I Verification that determines whether the company has the necessary systems in place as required by the program. This comprehensive inspection process focuses on the life cycle of a chemical, and is conducted by an independent team composed of 2 industry experts, 1 activist and 1 community representative.

In 1999 the Round 2 Verification has been adopted to ensure no slippage and companies have 'raised the bar' to meet changing stakeholder and industry expectations. This additional monitoring process focuses on performance and takes place 3 years after the Round 1 Verification.

Success in Achieving Stated Objectives

Numerous examples of achievements by individual companies are available on the Responsible Care web site.

The 1998 report of CCPA on the program lists the following achievements:

• a 55 % reduction in emissions of chemicals since 1992

• a projection of a further 26 per cent reduction by the year 2002

• reduced frequency and severity of transportation incidents

• continued reduction in frequency of worker injuries

Public Education & Information Components

CCPA maintains a web site for Responsible Care at http://www.ccpa.ca. The site includes information on this voluntary initiative, a referral service for companies and the public, and cases of achievements and implementation efforts of the member companies.

Replication Potential

High. Responsible Care is currently being implemented in 42 countries.

Mechanisms for Improvement

Continuous improvement is an integral part of the commitment made by signatory companies.

The local community, and CCPA national, advisory panels serve to bring the need for improvement to the attention of companies and the association

A second layer of verification process (Phase II) has been launched to increase the program's focus on performance

Contacts for Further Information