The American Chemistry Council (ACC) presented three member companies with its highest honor, the Responsible Care Company of the Year Award. This premier award recognizes full integration of the Responsible Care ethic throughout a company and sustained outstanding performance. This year’s winners are Infineum USA LP, Merisol USA LLC, and Methanex Corp.

Addressing an audience of the industry’s top executives at its annual meeting, ACC president and CEO Cal Dooley said, “For more than 20 years, Responsible Care has represented a common commitment of companies working together to continuously improve our industry’s performance. This year’s winners demonstrate the spirit and intent of Responsible Care by viewing it as not an obligation, but an opportunity.”

The award recognizes exemplary achievement in all disciplines of Responsible Care over a sustained period of time. To be eligible a company must perform in the top 10 percent of its size category in employee safety during the past three years, meet all Global Product Strategy milestones, have zero significant process safety incidents in the past year, and actively promote Responsible Care at the local, regional, and national levels. Winning companies are selected by an independent review panel on the basis of their performance as well as individual applications describing specific programs and projects that they have undertaken to sustain excellent performance over time. 

Highlights of the companies’ many activities include:

* Infineum employee participation in behavioral-based safety observation programs help eliminate at-risk behaviors and show direct correlation to a reduction in workplace injuries.

* Methanex conducts Responsible Care and chemical safety seminars for customers and logistics service providers. The company will conduct nine workshops this year.

* Merisol participates in Community Advisory Panels at every one of its U.S. locations.

Noting the winners, Greg Babe, president and CEO of Bayer Corp., said, “Without a doubt, much of our collective past success, and much of my optimism about future success, is tied to the unity of our industry. Responsible Care is what sets ACC membership apart by improving our performance and demonstrating our credibility before our communities, employees, legislators, and regulators, as each of these companies has done.” Babe also serves as chairman of ACC’s Board Committee on Responsible Care. “These awards help reinforce the importance of Responsible Care by showcasing its tangible business value in everything from stronger customer relationships to safer, more secure workplaces, and more trusting communities,” Babe added.

The Responsible Care Awards are given annually to companies and individuals that embody performance excellence and leadership in the areas covered by Responsible Care: safety, health, environment, product stewardship, security, distribution safety, emergency preparedness, and community outreach. Other awards were presented at the May 2010 ACC Responsible Care Conference and Expo.

Responsible Care guides member companies to a higher level of environmental, health, safety, and security performance. Responsible Care companies reduced hazardous emissions by 73 percent since 1988 and have a worker safety record that is three times better than the average of the chemical manufacturing sector as a whole.

Learn more about Responsible Care.