Responsible Care^®

Recognizing public concern about the manufacture and use of chemicals, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) launched the Responsible Care^® program in 1988 as an obligation of its members to improve the industry’s management of chemicals. Responsible Care is unique in that (1) it requires member companies and “partner” organizations to demonstrate continuous improvement in the safe management of chemicals in a manner that is responsive to the public; and (2) the public is directly involved in shaping the program through Public or Community Advisory Panels.

FMC is an active member of ACC, and our company’s chairman serves on the ACC Board of Directors Commitment to meeting the goals of the Responsible Care program is a requirement of membership in ACC. A key element of the Responsible Care program is a rigorous certification program related to management of health, safety and environmental risk, called the Responsible Care Management System (RCMS). The ACC requires third-party auditing to certify our compliance with the RCMS Technical Specifications.  In December 2004, the FMC Headquarters RCMS was audited and FMC became one of the first companies in ACC to receive formal certification.  Since then, four of FMC operating sites have also been audited and received RCMS certifications.  This completed FMC’s RCMS requirements for the first three-year RCMS cycle. 

RCMS is a thorough management system patterned after ISO 14001, ISO 9000, OHSAS 18001, and ANSI/AIHA Z10.  The purpose of the RCMS is to provide an effective management tool for continuous improvement of occupational safety and health, process safety, environmental protection, security, distribution safety, and product stewardship performance, and it applies the recognized management system concept of Plan-Do-Check-Act. 

As a long-standing member of the ACC and Responsible Care, FMC is committed to continuous improvement of its health, safety and environmental performance; listening and responding to public concerns; and reporting to the public on our specific goals and progress toward meeting those goals.

FMC is also a member of CEFIC, the European Chemical Industry Association, and actively participates in other industry associations worldwide that have adopted the principles of Responsible Care.  Although Responsible Care is a U.S.-based program, FMC practices the principles of Responsible Care at its facilities worldwide and supports the efforts of others throughout the supply chain to do so, too.