Responsible Care: Ensuring safety beyond the factory walls

Chemicals are used in all products that one consumes/uses every day; they have become indispensable. In spite of this fact, the perception among general public about the industry, which manufacturers these chemicals, is low. While many accidents in past have resulted in creating this perception, the lack of communication between the chemical industry and society is also responsible. Realising the importance to solve this challenge, the Canadian Chemical Producers’ Association in 1985 launched Responsible Care (RC), an unique global initiative that drives continuous improvement in health, safety and environment (HSE) performance, together with open and transparent communication with stakeholders.
 
“Adoption of Responsible Care means that companies will endeavour to use green chemistry, use less hazardous materials, save natural resources, conserve energy, and drastically reduce hazardous releases to environment. The possibility of any disaster must be eliminated. It is also necessary to provide positive and genuine information to public about the contribution of chemical industry. Open and effective communication is the key to build the trust and confidence of community,” said Yogesh Kothari, President, Indian Chemical Council (ICC), and CMD, Alkyl Amines Chemicals Ltd.
 
R Mukundan, Managing Director, Tata Chemicals Ltd, added, “Responsible Care is an effective way of stakeholder engagement for the chemical industry. This is an important key to remain competitive in the global market space whilst honouring the social responsibilities of operational and product safety and risks. Globalisation of markets requires improved harmonisation of chemical management systems at national, regional and worldwide level.”
 
Need for RC in India
According to Mukundan, Indian chemical companies need to prepare for the emerging prospects to drive growth by tapping the global market, in which India has only 2-3 per cent share. At the same time, the Indian industry must recognise that there will be increasing demand from customer for the highest standards when it comes to ethical practices, sustainability and environmental protection and safety to be global leaders, he added.
 
Most of the growth in chemical industry has been driven by Asia, which now owns almost half of the global chemical sales. Hence, adopting RC becomes imperative for Indian companies. “I believe that adopting RC initiatives is one of the key areas not only to improve the present functioning of the chemical industry but also to ensure the future growth which is due to the Indian chemical sector,” observed Ravi Kapoor, Managing Director, Heubach Colour Pvt Ltd.
 
ALSO READ: FMCG companies banking on specialty chemicals to achieve sustainability

Kapoor added, “The main reason that Responsible Care should be adopted by chemical manufacturing companies is that it is in their best interests considering all aspects that are covered by this initiative. This goes from a range of safety and health of employees to safe handling of hazardous material to waste minimisation and management to sustainable practices incorporated in plant design, high level of product stewardship to well organised emergency response systems.”
 
The journey so far
RC was introduced in India in 1993 and since then ICC has been taking proactive initiative to propagate this concept in India. “In an effort to spread the RC movement in India, ICC is conducting various awareness workshops, programs designed on new technologies, in collaboration with International Council of Chemical Association (ICCA) through American Chemistry Council and the industry leaders. ICC is seeking technological support from developed countries and the leading international companies to provide support to chemical industry at large in India,” informed Kothari.
 
Number of companies looking to adhere to RC code from India has been increasing. More than 24 Indian chemical companies have already passed the audit process and are allowed to use the Responsible Care logo to differentiate them from the other manufacturers. And this number is expected to increase in coming days as companies realise the benefits of RC. “We see a far better response from companies wanting to become RC companies. May be surge is too strong a word, but there is definitely a growing awareness of the need for RC initiatives to be adopted on an urgent basis as the chemical industry realises that this is in the best interests of the industry given the history of bad boy image as well as a growing awareness all over the world on Responsible Care practiced by the industries,” said Kapoor.
 
Benefits in abundance
Companies adhering RC code believe that the logo enhances their image and also gives them an opportunity to be in the list of approved suppliers of the global customers, who are increasingly looking at sustainability in their supply chain. “RC assists companies to comply with environmental, health and safety legislations and demonstrates an ongoing commitment to corporate social responsibility. Thus, RC helps to improve overall brand image and build a company’s reputation with its stakeholders including its employees, customers, partners, regulatory authorities, and general public,” elaborated Mukundan.
 
ALSO READ: Is Indian chemical industry ready for green march?

Agrees Kapoor, and adds, “Overall the Responsible Care initiatives seeks to bring about a complete transparency between all the stake holders in a manner that it removes barriers and hurdles which sometimes put the chemical industry in a unfavourable light. It is also been seen that companies practicing RC actually benefit in terms of reputation, better running of their companies, building trust with society, customers, suppliers, local community and the government.”
 
Responsible Care is a voluntary initiative, and experts believe to give impetus to its widespread adoption, the government should provide incentives to RC-adhering companies. While the ICC is already in discussion with the concerned ministry at the centre for this, the Gujarat Government has reportedly agreed to grant some concession in terms of longer valid consent period, lower fees and a kind of fast track treatment for RC companies.
 
While incentive can provide additional encouragement for Responsible Care adoption, the real change will happen only when companies are self-motivated to bring in green initiatives. As Kapoor rightly puts, “At the end, RC is a state of mind and this has to come from the Head of the Company who has to believe this with the heart than the mind and then translate it down the ranks to ensure the success of implementation.”

Some of the benefits of Responsible Care Safe and responsible handling of chemicals through the entire life cycle builds public trust and confidence in chemicals and the companies practicing RC Reduces pollution & water consumption, improves energy efficiency and usage of renewable energy Helps build informed, protected society and sustainable future for everyone Improves business management efficiency by better targeting of worthwhile market opportunities Reduces the likelihood of unnecessary capital and other expenditure when it becomes clear that risks outweigh further investment in chemical development May reduce insurance premiums due to reduction of risks. The developed countries have already realised the benefit. ICC is in discussion with insurance companies. Initial response is positive.   Source: Indian Chemical Council