Pre-Adapting a Global Industry to Disruptive Change to Bolster its Commitments to Safety

Responsible Care is the chemical industry's global voluntary initiative since 1985 under which companies, through their national associations, work together to continuously improve their health, safety, and environmental performance and communicate with stakeholders about their manufacture and supply of safe and affordable goods that bring real benefits to society. Twenty-five years after it was created, the framework of commitments needed a fundamental refresh to reflect social, economic, technology, and other trends that have reshaped the world. A WhiteLabel partner was brought in to lead research on the major drivers of change affecting the industry and work with leaders in signatory companies to develop ideas for new investments and other commitments that would enable the industry to continue improving its environmental protection, occupational safety and health, plant safety, product stewardship, and logistics performance in light of these change forces. The result was a proposed new vision, mandate, and standards for what one executive dubbed a “Responsible Care 2.0” fit for the future.