The Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates (SOCMA) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2009 Performance Improvement Awards, sponsored by SOCMA’s ChemStewards program. This year, a record number of member facilities applied for the awards which recognize outstanding commitment to continuous improvement in environmental, health, safety, and security (EHS&S) practices.

Recipients earned awards in four categories: Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Educational Outreach Awards, and will be publicly recognized during SOCMA’s annual dinner on December 7, 2009 in New York.

The 2009 Gold Performance Improvement Award will be given to Baker Hughes Inc., Rayne, LA, for exceptional and aggressive performance improvement in all five of the core principles of the ChemStewards program.

“We congratulate this year’s Performance Improvement winners and commend them for their hard work and dedication to continuous improvement,” said Joe Acker, president of SOCMA.

“The attributes and level of achievements presented by this year’s applicants were extremely impressive, making the competition that much tougher,” Acker said, adding that increased recognition of the ChemStewards program within the chemical industry and regulatory agencies has made the awards more prestigious.

A total of 15 Silver Awards will be presented to facilities showing excellence in their efforts towards one of the five ChemStewards Core Principles: Stakeholder Communications, Product Stewardship, EHS&S in Planning and Operations, Employee Training and Engagement, and Resource Management and Waste Minimization.

Additionally, 10 SOCMA member facilities will be awarded with the Bronze Performance Improvement Award, which goes to facilities maintaining strong EHS&S programs. SOCMA will also honor KMCO LP with the association’s Educational Outreach Award, which is sponsored by the Chemical Educational Foundation. The company made exemplary efforts in expanding their school and community outreach efforts.

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