The Ethic, Principles and Codes

The Responsible Care® Ethic, Principles and Codes can be found in their entirety in the the Responsible Care Handbook, which is available to all Responsible Care members.

The Ethic of Responsible Care is to “Do the Right Thing and Be Seen to Do the Right Thing”

We dedicate ourselves, our technology, and our business practices to sustainability – the betterment of society, the environment, and the economy.
For more information on Responsible Care, please contact
Jeff Stevens, Director, Responsible Care®.

The Principles of Responsible Care are:

Continually work for the improvement of people’s lives and the environment, while striving to do no harm.

Be accountable and responsive to the public, especially our local communities who have the right to understand the risks and benefits of what we do.

Take preventive action to protect health and the environment.

Innovate for safer products and processes that conserve resources, minimize waste, and provide enhanced value.

Engage with our business partners to ensure stewardship and security of our products, services, and raw materials throughout their life-cycles.

Understand and meet expectations for social responsibility.

Work with all stakeholders for public policy and standards that enhance sustainability, act to advance legal requirements, and meet or exceed their letter and spirit.

Promote awareness of Responsible Care at all levels, demonstrate visible leadership, and inspire others to commit to these principles throughout the chemistry product value chain.

The Codes

The Responsible Care Operations, Stewardship, and Accountability Codes influence the decisions which CIAC members make every day—decisions that are key to creating more sustainable products and processes.

The Operations Code outlines how Responsible Care companies should manage their facilities and equipment to ensure they’re operated in a safe and responsible way. Companies must work to continuously improve the environmental performance of their facilities and processes.

Under the Stewardship Code, companies must regularly review the value, impact, and safety of the products they make and the services and technologies they use. They must also work with their business partners—suppliers, distributors, and customers—to ensure the stewardship and security of their products during their entire life cycle.

Finally, the Accountability Code requires companies to communicate the risks and benefits of their operations to those who live near their facilities, or in communities along transportation corridors, as well as to other stakeholders. Companies must work to address any concerns these groups may have.

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