About CAIA Membership

MEMBERSHIP

Companies must be members of CAIA in order to become Responsible Care® signatories.

The practical implementation of Responsible Care® starts with a public signing ceremony where the chief executive officer of the company makes a commitment to the guiding principles of Responsible Care®.
Responsible Care® is designed to have a measurable impact on safety, health and environmental performance, and the programme therefore binds members to implement a rigorous system that includes:

• Signing a voluntary Responsible Care® Public Commitment at the highest level of the company;
• Implementing world-class management practice standards on an incremental basis;
• Regular auditing of compliance with Responsible Care® Management practice standards, allowing for continuous progress;
• Third-party verification of systems to ensure transparency and accountability;
• Measuring, monitoring and publicly reporting on performance indicators to benchmark the industry against global standards.

Another key objective of Responsible Care® is to improve the public understanding of chemistry and public perception of the industry. The chemical industry is sometimes not well understood or well-regarded due to its technical nature and associated hazards. For this reason, Responsible Care® emphasises the importance of transparent and credible communication with the public and other stakeholders.

IMPLEMENTATION

Responsible Care® is implemented by CAIA in South Africa through a comprehensive programme of guidance documents, advisory forums and reporting requirements. Members are supported at every stage of the process by a knowledgeable, proactive and hands-on secretariat based at the CAIA office and dedicated to advancing Responsible Care® in South Africa.

Practical implementation of Responsible Care® at site level takes place with the guidance of Management Practice Standards (MPS) documents, which cover all the key operational areas, including:

• Preparedness for emergency response to incidents;
• Health and safety of the workforce and the community;
• The safety of chemical processes;
• Safe storage and transportation of chemicals;
• Communication and interaction with the community;
• The prevention of pollution, waste management and environmental protection;
• Product stewardship.

Why people choose CAIA

Assessment of compliance with Responsible Care® procedures and progress in implementation is a thorough, ongoing process that takes place at several levels and includes:

• Self-assessment questionnaires: These are completed during the first two years of membership as a means of self-evaluation;
• Quantitative Indicators of Performance (QIPs): A set of measurable indicators to be completed and submitted to CAIA annually for inclusion in the Responsible Care® Annual Performance Report;
• 3rd Party Verification: Verification of compliance is conducted every three years by trained Responsible Care® auditors using the Responsible Care® Audit Guidance Documents. Transport operators as allied members undergo the South African Safety Quality Assessment System (SQAS) audits originally developed by the European chemical industry council, CEFIC.
• Responsible Care® Award: An annual award recognises and rewards companies for exceptional performance and is based on year-on-year improvements in QIPs, with site visits to shortlisted entrants.