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Environmental Performance
Responsible Care (RC) Guidance is the concept
of “assessing, minimising, controlling and monitoring
risk”. This programme will improve the industry’s
credibility with its stakeholders and prove that “voluntary
initiatives are a credible alternative to regulations”.
RC is voluntary to assess, minimise, control
and monitor risk to the environment.
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FCIO (Austrian Chemical Industry Federation),
which was the first to establish RC standard, sends a
RC questionnaire to the company.
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The company submits a report based on
the RC questionnaire.
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An independent audit company uses the
report as the basis for a site visit to audit.
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Audit results are assessed by FCIO’s
RC committee for health, safety and environment
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FCIO relies on the judgement of technical
experts and provides companies with a high level of technical
advice.
HOW EFFECTIVE IS RC?
In Vienna, FCIO has 420 members, 33 of which
are certified, but in terms of sales value account for more
than 50%.
Non-member companies use the same basic system
but are not examined by FCIO. RC enhances public image,
and improves communications with the authorities, and with
stringent environmental legislation, Austria has one of
the most environmentally responsible chemical industries
in Europe.
HOW OTHER COUNTRIES GO ABOUT RC:
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In UK, an external verification body
must undertake the voluntary audit for RC. Approved bodies
are Lloyds Register and the British Standards Institute
(BSI). CIA’s (Chemical Industries Association-London)
self-assessment report is mandatory for all members. (More
than 50% UK companies have completed self-assessment report.)
- VNCI (Dutch Chemicals Association) is another front-runner,
adopting self-assessment and external verification for RC.
However, it is using MSV (Management Systems Verifications-US/Canada)
model with audits by peer companies. Peer audit is an evaluation
tool and considered to provide motivation to improve things.
Response claimed is good.
- UIC (French Chemical Industry Association) opposes RC
as they feel it would create another standard. Instead it
is urging its members to take up ISO 14001, Emas (European
Eco-management and Audit Scheme to determine environmental
performance), EH &S (Environment, Health & Safety
standard in UK)
- VCI (German Chemical Industry Association), in Germany
will ‘not’ consider external verification since
it is encouraging ISO 14001/Emas. However, it is circulating
RC implementation guidance document and will decide later.
- FEDERCHIMICA (The Italian Chemical Industry Federation)
guides its members toward ISO 14001. However, more than
110 companies have returned self-assessment reports. It
feels that the self-assessment procedure is an effective
tool, which helps a company in all the significant areas
of activity. Weak points get identified and improvements
need to follow.
RC is a new concept and under implementation
by some and under scrutiny by some others. Companies can
wait and watch for consolidated results. It is abundantly
clear that the concern for the environment is growing and
if genuine efforts are extended, the world will be a better
place to live.
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