Programme Elements

Codes of Management Practices

At the heart of the Responsible Care initiative are the Codes of Management Practices. The Codes focus on specific areas of chemical manufacturing, transportation, research, handling and security. Companies must in good-faith make continuous efforts to attain the goals of each Code.

• DISTRIBUTION CODE: This Code reduces employee and public risk during transportation and distribution of chemicals and chemicals products. The scope of this Code covers all modes of transportation. It protects the carrier, distributors, contractor and the environment. It covers also activities such as storage, handling, transfer and packaging.
  
  
• COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE (CAER) CODE: Designed to help ensure emergency preparedness and foster community involvement. The Code builds on the voluntary self-regulation concept by emphasizing a broader dialogue and interaction between employees, the general public, government officials as well as emergency responders. It also requires companies to establish facility outreach programme that includes an ongoing assessment of employee and community concerns about their operations.
  
  
• ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION CODE (REVISED): Previously known as the Pollution Prevention Code, this Code has been revised and now known as the Environmental Protection Code. Consisting 15 management practices, it aims at helping firms to reduce both emissions released into various media and the amount of waste which they generate. 
  
  
• EMPLOYEE HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE (REVISED): The scope of this Code covers the entire management of health and safety (H&S) of people at work with the site or organization which includes H&S Programme Management, H&S Risk Identification & Evaluation, Prevention & Control of the H&S Risk and H&S Communication & Training to the stakeholders i.e. management, employees, contractors & visitors conducting business on / with the site.
  
  

• PROCESS SAFETY CODE: The approach of this Code is to eliminate risks from the outset; i.e. safety begins at the very early planning stages of the plant's production processes. Potential sources of danger which may emerge because of the plant itself or through chemical substances used in the production are analyzed and eliminated as far as possible. It also requires that employees must be trained in the safe operational and maintenance methods and be able to recognize potential sources of error and be capable of assessing the resulting risks. The reactions of the community to the issues in the chemical plant are communicated to those doing the designs and modifications of the plant.
  
  

• PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP CODE: The aim of this Code is to make health, safety and environmental (HSE) protection an integral part of the research, designing, manufacturing, marketing, distributing, using, recycling and ultimate disposal of chemical products. It emphasizes the need for everyone involved in the developing and handling of chemicals to do so responsibly to help maintain a safe and healthy environment. The key is to keep a flow of information coming back to the company about how customers are actually using and disposing the products.

• SECURITY CODE: The Code is aimed to provide guidance to companies on the protection to people, property, products, processes, information and information systems by enhancing security, including security against potential terrorist attack, throughout the chemical value chain. This encompasses activities associated with the design and research, procurement, manufacturing, marketing, distribution, storage, customer use, recycle and disposal of products.

Responsible Care Global Charter

Developed by the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) in year 2005 and was officially launched during the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM) held in February 2006 in Dubai. The Charter extends the original elements of Responsible Care, whereby it focus on new and important challenges facing the chemical industry and society, including sustainable development, effective management of chemicals along the value chain, greater industry transparency and greater global harmonization and consistency among the national Responsible Care programmes.

In 2014, the Global Charter was revised and updated to respond effectively to current stakeholders expectations, as well as the opportunities and challenges facing the global chemical industry. It now focuses on the roles, responsibilities and accountabilities of global chemical companies in support of Responsible Care. The Global Charter requires no immediate changes to existing Responsible Care commitments and its six elements are consistent with current ICCA policies and Responsible Care programme features. Companies will continue to implement Responsible Care as it is practiced in those countries where they manufacture and sell products and participate in the program.

The 6 key elements of the Charter are as follows:

• A corporate leadership culture that proactively supports safe chemicals management through the global Responsible Care initiative
• Safeguarding people and the environment by continuously improving the environmental, health and safety performance and security of our facilities, processes and technologies and by driving continuous improvement in chemical product safety and stewardship throughout the supply chain
• Strengthening chemicals management systems by participating in the development and implementation of life cycle-oriented, science and risk based chemical safety legislation and best practices
• Influencing business partners to promote the safe management of chemicals within their own operations
• Engaging stakeholders, understanding and responding to their concerns and expectations for safer operations and products and communicating openly on our performance and products
• Contributing to sustainability through improved performance, expanded economic opportunities and the development of innovative technologies and other solutions to societal challenges

CICM encourages all Responsible Care signatories, in particular the multinational companies that have their headquarters based in Malaysia to declare their support as well as to adopt the fundamental features of the Responsible Care Global Charter. Further details of the Charter could be downloaded from HERE.