More than 28 member facilities will receive 2014 Performance Improvement Awards for their outstanding commitment to continuous improvement in environmental, health, safety, and security (EHS&S) practices at the Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates (SOCMA) 93rd Annual Dinner on December 8 in New York.
The number of applicants for this year’s awards was an all-time high for the Performance Improvement program. An outstanding group of companies has emerged from a month-long, double-blind selection process to receive a Gold, Silver or Bronze Performance Improvement Award for their successful EHS&S efforts. Educational Outreach and Sustainability Awards will be issued as well.
The 2014 Gold Performance Improvement Award goes to Baker Hughes Incorporated’s Kilgore Blend Plant and Houston Blend Plant for their respective efforts in exceeding all standards set forth in the ChemStewards program. “By implementing numerous process safety standards and programs in their facilities that include full staff participation and measurable goals, the Baker Hughes Kilgore and Houston plants are the epitome of what Gold Award winners should be,” said Dr. J. Holland Jordan, managing director of ChemStewards. “Their hard work has paid off with low incident rates, and we applaud their efforts to proactively address safety concerns at their facilities.”
Silver Performance Improvement Awards will be presented to 15 facilities showing excellence in 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.
Twenty-five SOCMA member facilities will receive the Bronze Performance Improvement Award, which recognizes facilities maintaining strong EHS&S programs.
This year’s Educational Outreach Award goes to Monument Chemical. The breadth of Monument’s science education outreach efforts particularly stood out to award sponsor the Chemical Educational Foundation. In 2014, Monument volunteered at the MacDonald Intermediate School “STEMposium” in Ft. Knox, KY, provided local teachers with free hands-on STEM activities, and sponsored the You Be The Chemist Challenge at the local, state, and national levels.
“Monument Chemical is an excellent example of a company that understands the importance of STEM education and is working to bring a variety of educational opportunities to their local community,” said John Rice, CEF’s executive director. “CEF and SOCMA created the Educational Outreach Award as a means to recognize those companies that are going above and beyond to volunteer their time, effort, and financial resources within their communities.”
Fairmount Santrol’s Alpha Resins will be honored for the second year in a row with the ChemStewards Sustainability Award. The sustainable development culture reaches deep at Alpha Resins, and the company strives to nourish a stronger, more prosperous future for the company and surrounding communities. Alpha Resins sets specific goals and metrics to monitor sustainability. Their efforts have yielded—among other successes—an 84 percent reduction in landfill waste and methods to reuse solvents that has saved the company close to $4000.
“SOCMA is proud of all the 2014 award winners,” said Jordan. “We encourage all of our ChemStewards facilities to follow the examples set by these outstanding companies in implementing EHS&S efforts at their facilities.”
SOCMA is the only U.S.-based trade association dedicated solely to the specialty chemical industry.
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