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Responsible CareŽ (RC or RCARE) is a worldwide voluntary initiative of the chemical industry to
improve the management of chemicals. It started in Canada in 1986, and now there are more than
80 countries subscribing and implementing the program.
In the Philippines, RESPONSIBLE CAREŽ was formally launched in 1996 with 24 companies
committing to implement the Responsible CareŽ Program. The success of the RESPONSIBLE CAREŽ
Program is highly dependent on the support of the CEOs of the respective companies.
To promote and encourage support, the SPIK Board of Directors organized the SPIK Responsible
CareŽ Council (SRCC) to manage the Program and to coordinate with the industry's CEOs in the
implementation process.
The SPIK Responsible CareŽ Council provides leadership in delivering Responsible CareŽ
commitments by improving membership responsiveness to the program and providing service that
meets the needs of the members at the most cost efficient way.
Focusing of resources to key issues is another role of SRCC. Without any focus on the
key issue it will be very difficult to move the program forward. SRCC has also the responsibility
to expand participation to the program, not only with SPIK but to allied chemical industry associations
as well. It also has to coordinate its activities with International Chemical Associations by way of
sharing the best practices experienced in the implementation process of the program.
Responsible CareŽ has eight elements: Guiding Principles, Code of Management Practices, Public
Advisory Panel, Member Self-Evaluation, Management Verification System, Measures of Performance, Mutual
Assistance, and Partnership Program. These are the eight elements, but for practical purposes, SRCC is
focusing on the most important element, the Code of Management Practices.
The Code of Management Practices has six elements. |
| CAER |
Community Awareness and Emergency Response, is the code
designed to help ensure emergency preparedness and to foster the community's right to know. |
| DISTRIBUTION |
is the code designed to reduce the risk in transporting
and storing of chemical products. |
| PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP |
is the code that is design to make HSE (Health, Safety,
Environment) an integral part of the product life cycle, from the design to disposal of chemical products. |
| POLLUTION PREVENTION |
promotes reduction of waste generation and air pollutants. |
| PROCESS SAFETY |
was designed to prevent fires, explosions and accidental chemical releases. |
| EMPLOYEES' HEALTH AND SAFETY |
was designed to protect and promote employees' safety at the workplace. |
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In the implementation of these codes, the Council is currently concentration in the implementation of three
codes: CAER, Distribution, and Product Stewardship, mainly because these are the codes that exposed visibly the
consumers as well as the communities. The remaining three codes, namely: Pollution Prevention, Process Safety
an Employees Health and Safety codes, are internal to the company. They have full control of their programs and
performance relating to these.
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