BASF Is First Company to Achieve RC 14001 Certification

ISO and Responsible Care Requirements Met by BASF's Elastocell business

29-Aug-2002

WYANDOTTE, Mich., Aug. 28, 2002 - The Elastocell unit of BASF Corporation's Polyurethanes business is the first ever to achieve RC 14001 certification, an environmental, health and safety standard that combines elements of the American Chemistry Council's (ACC) Responsible Care(R) initiative with the environmental management system established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

ABS Quality Evaluations of Houston, an independent registrar, has affirmed that the operations, systems and management practices for BASF's Elastocell business meet the certification requirements. This process uniquely included participation from community representatives to help gauge the company's effectiveness in safety, outreach and other activities relevant to being a good corporate citizen.

BASF's Elastocell business unit, based at the company's Wyandotte, Mich., site, produces microcellular polyurethane parts used in suspension components that provide improved durability and enhanced ride comfort in automobiles. This material is a viable replacement for rubber in these applications.

RC 14001 is an initiative of ACC and the ISO community that merges the requirements for ISO 14001, the international standard for maintaining and improving the environment, with the requirements of the ACC's Responsible Care initiative to promote tangible industry advances in environmental protection, product stewardship, health, safety and community outreach.

"What prompted us to pursue RC 14001 certification is the automotive manufacturers' call for their entire supplier base to be ISO 14001 certified," explained Robert Jamrog, Business Director, Elastocell, BASF Corporation. "A key strategy for BASF in North America is to always improve our customer focus and provide value-added solutions to meet their specific needs. The automotive industry is a very important customer base to BASF, so it was imperative for us to proactively meet this requirement."

However, as the BASF Elastocell business initiated efforts to achieve ISO 14001 certification, Jamrog said the company uncovered an opportunity to verify its commitment to environmental protection, health and safety even further. "Responsible Care is considered by many to be more far reaching in these principles, and we decided that our implementation of the ACC guidelines should receive the same verification as an ISO certification awarded through an independent audit. We remained committed to ISO 14001, but BASF enhanced the certification."

https://www.chemeurope.com/en/news/13648/basf-is-first-company-to-achieve-rc-14001-certification.html