In my more than 20 years working in the chemical industry, I’ve seen immeasurable growth, not just economically, but through meaningful innovations in the products we make and the processes by which we make them.
Our industry is directly enabling a safe and sustainable future — advancing the transition to clean, renewable energy, increasing access to clean water and an ample food supply and contributing to a strong economy supported by a diverse and educated workforce. We are working every day to meet future needs while prioritizing employee safety, building and elevating our communities and supporting environmental health.
For American Chemistry Council (ACC) members and supply chain partners, our progress is due in no small part to Responsible Care®. A requirement of ACC membership, Responsible Care is a framework that helps companies understand and improve environmental health, safety and security performance.
Responsible Care sets us apart. For more than 35 years, Responsible Care has enabled ACC members to lead our industry. Today, we are safer and more sustainable than ever before. That’s not hyperbole — that’s proven in the performance metrics we measure and transparently report:
- Responsible Care companies are four times safer than the U.S. manufacturing sector and three times safer than the overall business of chemistry. Our companies have achieved marked decreases in process safety events since 2021, and reported zero high severity events in 2023.
- In 2023, our members reported the lowest ever TRIR in the history of Responsible Care reporting, and zero fatalities for employees and contractors.
- Responsible Care companies have reduced GHG intensity by 8%, sulfur oxide (SOx) emissions by 43% and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by 18% since 2017.
These aren’t just numbers; they illustrate meaningful progress in our manufacturing and supply chain operations.
Just as we work to continually improve our operations, ACC and our members are continually looking at how we communicate the great work our teams are doing every day.
With this in mind, ACC proudly launched a modernized Responsible Care brand at our annual Responsible Care and Sustainability Conference earlier this year, reflective of the meaningful impact Responsible Care is making — driving safety and sustainability.
We want the Responsible Care brand to reflect the modern and innovative contributions that our industry makes — not just through commitments, but action. We believe our updated brand and tagline honors the legacy of Responsible Care, first launched in Canada in the 1980s, while highlighting the industry’s action in safety and sustainability.
With increasing regulatory burdens and intensifying stakeholder interest in our environmental health and safety performance, it is vital that we continue our progress and better educate our stakeholders on the value of self-regulatory programs like Responsible Care. Its value lies in the ACC Codes of Practice that employees work under every day, in our members’ ability to send their employees home safely and in the relationships we are building in our communities.
You don’t just have to take our word for it — Responsible Care requires companies to conduct third-party audits to confirm the implementation of its codes and requirements. Through third-party audits, we are held accountable to a high standard of performance and can implement effective changes that have a significant impact.
We are also evaluating how Responsible Care can help companies meet ESG reporting requirements and incorporating emerging sustainability issues into the existing Responsible Care framework.
ACC and our members and supply chain partners are leaning into our role as responsible stewards of a better tomorrow. We firmly believe that American success relies on American chemistry, and we are committed to continuing to assess and advance our performance under Responsible Care.
For more information, visit americanchemistry.com.
