Background

For these reasons, SD is heavily favoured by government in the UK and will, if the chemical industry embraces it fully, help earn a better reputation for the industry and be the basis on which the UK and EU governments might eventually be able to justify a more proportionate touch on the regulatory levers.

Enhancing competitiveness – official report

An official report (Enhancing the competitiveness of the UK chemicals industry: a report by the Chemicals Innovation and Growth Unit), published in December 2002, provided what government minister, Lord Sainsbury described as clear messages for the industry, particularly in terms of leadership. It was clear, he said, that the industry faced a number of challenges. It needed to earn a better reputation and respond to the challenges of SD. It also needed to address its future productivity in two ways: by being innovative in using science and technology to develop new products and processes; and by ensuring its workforce had the right skills and competences, among these being skills in stakeholder engagement and communication.

Major Milestones

Major milestones include:

Leadership statement - 2000

In November 2000 the CIA published "Progress towards our strategy for sustainable development - a leadership statement". This included environmental principles (the Responsible Care guiding principles) that were already binding on CIA members, and further principles that were "encouraged" (social) or would be "supported" (economic) by the CIA. These principles were the starting point for developing the goals.

LRI and HPV programmes - 1999

These are the visible face of a systematic and pro-active programme of risk assessments, product stewardship and long-range research into the effects of chemicals on health and the environment. They demonstrate that the industry is willing and able to manage its products responsibly. Further information can be viewed on the website of Cefic, the European Chemical Industry Council, as below:
High production-volume (HPV) research initiative
Long-range research initiative (LRI)

Code of conduct on trade controls - 1991

Code of Conduct for Chemicals Subject to Trade Controls or Voluntary Requirements, first published in 1991 as the "Code of conduct to protect against the diversion of chemicals into the illicit production of drugs and chemical weapons". A summary of the scope and content of the code of conduct can be viewed by clicking on “Health, Safety and Environment” at the CIA Bookshop.

Responsible Care guiding principles - 1989 and 1999

Introduction of Responsible Care has been followed by a decade-and-a-half of continual improvement in safety, health and environmental performance in the UK, as recorded by indicators that have been published annually since 1993. The first Responsible Care guiding principles were agreed and published in 1989; click the link for the current (1999) version of the Responsible Care guiding principles and performance indicators.