ICC-Gujarat celebrated a successful launch of the Responsible Care Global Charter attended by over 125 delegates towards the end of last year, an event that kindled considerable member company interest in Responsible Care management system implementation and verification. Now the ICC is working towards streamlining its audit process.
Company heads joined safety and environment professionals representing the chemical, pharmaceutical and fertiliser sectors at the December 2006 event in Vadodara at the Hotel Taj Residency.
At the launch Ravi Kapoor, Chairman - ICC Gujarat, appealed to the industry to embrace the new Charter and adopt an effective management system approach. He told delegates it would enable companies to benefit from better business results as well as earning the confidence of society.
The ICC Chairman also stressed that adopting and implementing the Responsible Care ethic was a key component of corporate responsibility programmes. Companies should be working towards a global vision of improved performance, enhanced public confidence, transparency and strengthened stakeholder engagement.
Delegates also heard about the increased emphasis on global consistency of Responsible Care through the adoption of key elements across implementing companies and associations. Greater consistency, said Kapoor, enables industry to be more effective when communicating Responsible Care to external stakeholders.
Commitment to the Charter also strengthens industry's product stewardship efforts including engaging downstream users through the ICCA's Global Product Strategy (GPS).