Responsible Care^®: Driving Safety & Sustainability

The safety of chemical operations and products is a core priority for ACC members. Responsible Care is our industry’s commitment to the health and safety of our employees, the communities in which we operate and the environment as a whole.

Meet the 2025 Responsible Care & Sustainability Future Leaders!

ACC warmly welcomes our new class of Responsible Care® and Sustainability Future Leaders. These ten early-career professionals are already making a meaningful impact on safety and sustainability at their organizations and for the broader chemical industry.

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Did You Know?

Responsible Care^®was initially launched by the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada in 1985. Since its inception, it has grown to nearly 70 economies around the world. Each national chemical association establishes and manages its own national Responsible Care program, based on eight common fundamental features developed by the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA).

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For 35 years, companies practicing Responsible Care^® have worked to significantly enhance their environmental, health, safety and security (EHS&S) performance.

The members of the American Chemistry Council (ACC) are committed to safety and sustainability in the communities where we operate and in the products we manufacture. Through implementation of Responsible Care, our members demonstrate their commitment the health and safety of their employees, the communities in which they operate and the environment as a whole.

Participation in Responsible Care is mandatory for all ACC members and Responsible Care Partner companies, all of which have made CEO-level commitments to the program, including:

Signing the Responsible Care Guiding Principles
Tracking and transparently reporting company performance on environmental, health, safety and security metrics
Certifying Responsible Care Management System (RCMS^®)/RC14001^®
Undergoing third-party audit
Implementing the Product Safety, Process Safety and Security Codes

American Chemistry Congratulates Canada on 40 Years of Responsible Care® Mar 13, 2025

American Chemistry Congratulates Canada on 40 Years of Responsible Care®

2025 Marks 40 Years Since Launch of Industry Stewardship Program

Better worker safety rate from Responsible Care companies than the U.S. manufacturing sector as a whole

Better worker safety rate from Responsible Care companies than the business of chemistry overall

17%

Reduction in recordable injury and illness rates for employees since 2017

View Responsible Care^® By the Numbers

Responsible Care Guiding Principles

To lead our companies in ethical ways that increasingly benefit society, the economy and the environment.
To design and develop products that can be manufactured, transported, used and disposed of or recycled safely.
To work with customers, carriers, suppliers, distributors and contractors to foster the safe and secure use, transport and disposal of chemicals and provide hazard and risk information that can be accessed and applied in their operations and products.
To design and operate our facilities in a safe, secure and environmentally sound manner.
To instill a culture throughout all levels of our organizations to continually identify, reduce and manage process safety risks.
To promote pollution prevention, minimization of waste and conservation of energy and other critical resources at every stage of the life cycle of our products.
To cooperate with governments at all levels and organizations in the development of effective and efficient safety, health, environmental and security laws, regulations and standards.
To support education and research on the health, safety, environmental effects and security of our products and processes.
To communicate product, service and process risks to our stakeholders and listen to and consider their perspectives.
To make continual progress towards our goal of no accidents, injuries or harm to human health and the environment from our products and operations and openly report our health, safety, environmental and security performance.
To seek continual improvement in our integrated Responsible Care Management System to address environmental, health, safety and security performance.
To promote Responsible Care by encouraging and assisting others to adhere to these Guiding Principles.

Responsible Care®: Driving Safety & Sustainability

ACC Members Are Safer and Cleaner Than Ever Before

Responsible Care: Making a Meaningful Impact on Safety and Sustainability Performance

Become a Responsible Care Partner

Responsible Care Guiding Principles

Responsible Care^®: Driving Safety & Sustainability