The American Chemistry Council (ACC) and the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (CIAC) are collaborating to enhance safe management of chemical products across the supply chain through Responsible Care, the global chemical industry's signature environmental, health, safety and security performance improvement initiative.
First adopted in Canada in 1985 and in the U.S. in 1988, Responsible Care for both associations involves mandatory verification and certification processes, which provide accountability that ACC and CIAC member companies have a structure and system in place to measure, manage and verify their performance.
Under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding signed by both organizations, CIAC will adopt the ACC Responsible Care Management System® (RCMS®)/RC14001® certification model as an option for its members to fulfill their CIAC verification requirement. Doing so expands RCMS/RC14001 certification options for CIAC and ACC members to foster greater integration of Responsible Care program elements in Canada and the U.S.
"ACC is pleased to partner with CIAC to enhance Responsible Care performance across both of our countries," said ACC President and CEO Cal Dooley. "This partnership between our two associations will enable chemical companies in the United States and Canada to more effectively integrate their Responsible Care and environmental, health, safety and security programs throughout their North American operations."
Under this agreement, cross-border adoption of RCMS/RC14001 audits are an option for fulfilling both the CIAC verification and ACC certification requirements of each organization's respective Responsible Care program. This agreed-upon process does not diminish either of the individual ACC or CIAC Responsible Care programs, and the unique elements of each will be reviewed on RCMS/RC14001 audits.
For more information, visit www.americanchemistry.com or call (202) 249-6520.
