scienceindustries member companies are conscious of the fact that their activities affect the environment. In their company policies, safety, health and protection of the environment are afforded high priority. In addition to the legal regulations they make efforts on their own account to maintain the high degree of safety, health protection and protection of the environment already achieved, and to continue to develop their endeavours in these fields.

scienceindustries member companies conform to the Guidelines for the protection of the Environment of the European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC) approved in 1988, while at the same time they take into consideration other principles such as the Business Charter for Sustainable Development of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC-Charter). In the chemical industry all these activities are summarised in the RESPONSIBLE CARE programme.

As scienceindustries member company we declare ourselves committed to the Swiss RESPONSIBLE CARE programme, the principles of which are listed as follows:

<OL> <LI>We regard safety and the protection of people and the environment as a prime concern in all areas where our products, processes and installations are involved.</LI> <LI>We endeavour to develop and manufacture products which can be transported, used and disposed of in a safe manner and with compatible input on the environment as well as to operate our installations so that a high degree of safety, health protection and protection of the environment is ensured.</LI> <LI>We are partners of a dialogue with the public and respect differing opinions; we are willing to provide in a appropriate manner information on our products, processes and installations, the effects on man and the environment as well as information on preventive protective measures.</LI> <LI>We advise our customers on the safe transportation and handling of our products as well as the use and disposal in a safe manner and with compatible input on the environment. We accept our responsibility to man and to the environment in the transfer of technology.</LI> <LI>We improve our knowledge and promote research on potential effects of our processes, products and wastes on man and the environment.</LI> <LI>We strive, in cooperation with the authorities, to develop legal regulations, agreements, emergency plans and other measures for the protection of employees, the public and the environment, and we are also willing to cooperate with other organisations towards this end.</LI> <LI> We promote the RESPONSIBLE CARE programme through the exchange of experience within scienceindustries and develop criteria for the assessment of safety, health and the protection of the environment in the Swiss chemical industry.</LI></OL>