Although environmental management systems (ems) were initially implemented to maintain compliance with regulations, they often affect the reduction of environmental costs, the training of employees, and the development of indicators to measure and reduce environmental impact. An effective environmental management system enables the officials and stakeholders of the organization to examine its values, priorities, policies, strategies, goals, methods of allocating resources to achieve performance, and learning. Some studies have shown that ems can manage risks at a lower cost, gain a competitive advantage, and achieve environmental improvement. At the seminar, speakers, roundtable members and participants discussed how companies can use environmental management systems and other tools and policies to achieve greater impact beyond regulatory compliance.
Terry F. Yosie, a former member of the American Chemistry Council (ACC), said that today, the chemical industry is becoming more and more sensitive to and more sensitive to more and more public concerns about the use of chemical products. The chemical industry tries to design programs that focus on product safety and health. One of these programs is responsible care adopted in the United States in 1988. At the beginning of the project, the main concern was the environmental health and safety issues of manufacturing facilities. In recent years, the plan has undergone some major changes, and today Responsible Care also addresses the need to integrate the plan with actual business operations, not only within chemical companies, but also within their business partners.
Responsible Care is specifically tailored for the chemical industry, including the following aspects: continuous performance improvement, enhanced safety, increased product management, performance improvement across the value chain, communication with stakeholders, and sustainable development Integration, and improve the reputation of the chemical industry.
Yosie pointed out that all chemical companies of ACC-ACC members account for 90% of the US chemical production capacity. As a member, they must participate in responsible care. The scope of Responsible Care is specifically tailored for the chemical industry, including continuous environmental, health and safety performance improvement, enhanced safety, increased product management, improved performance of the entire value chain, communication with stakeholders, and sustainability The integration of development has improved the reputation of the chemical industry. ACC members must obtain management system certification issued by independent third-party auditors who provide leadership for the entire industry to adopt this approach. Certification is one of the tools to promote the cross integration of government, industry and NGOs. The chemical industry is an industry that exists in the global market. Must meet customer expectations, the industry also expects its service providers and suppliers to adopt an internationally recognized certification management system.
In addition, ACC is exploring opportunities to integrate Responsible Care with other business partners (such as suppliers and logistics providers). Yosie said that there are many opportunities to achieve efficiency throughout the commercial supply chain. The advantage of this approach is that customers will be more willing to cooperate with companies with better performance and more competitive costs. ACC cooperates with external agencies, such as the US Coast Guard, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the insurance industry to incorporate responsible care elements in their decisions. In May 2004, ACC began to publish a set of performance measurement standards and measure the performance of all its members based on these standards. This transparency creates a dynamic where academia, media, NGOs, and governments can directly check the Responsible Care® website to determine the performance of ACC members. Yosie said: “At the same time, this initiative also provides a good incentive to improve performance, because the world is paying attention.”
