Since its constitution Bracco Imaging has adhered to the global "Responsible Care" programme, promoted in Italy by Federchimica - the National Chemical Industry Association - and to which Bracco S.p.A., the holding company of the Bracco Group, has adhered since 1992.
Responsible Care is the world chemical industry's voluntary programme, through which national federations, on behalf of enterprises, commit to the continuous improvement of their products, processes and behaviour in the field of Safety, Health and the Environment. The aim is to provide a significant contribution to the sustainable development of industry, local communities and society.
The Responsible Care® programme was launched in Canada by the CCPA (Canadian Chemical Producers Association) in 1984. It was subsequently adopted by the ACC (American Chemistry Council) in 1988. The following year, the programme was launched in Europe by the CEFIC (European Chemical Industry Council), while it has been managed in Italy by Federchimica since 1992. To date, the Responsible Care programme has been adopted by over 10,000 chemical companies in 52 countries worldwide.
Responsible Care involves the company's executive divisions in 6 priority areas:
- Health and Safety of Employees
- Environmental Protection
- Process Safety
- Product Stewardship
- Logistics Safety
- Stakeholder Relations
With the aim of promoting the Responsible Care programme and ensuring its uniform implementation worldwide, the ICCA has drawn up the "Responsible Care Global Charter", which focuses on the key changes facing the chemical industry and the global society. The public opinion's growing attention towards sustainable development and human health issues deriving from the use of chemical products, together with the demand for greater transparency, have led to the need for the chemical industry to show renewed commitment towards sustainable development.
The Global Charter concentrates on two main aspects (already part of the Responsible Care® Programme): Product Stewardship, i.e. the responsible management of products throughout the chemical value-added chain, and dialogue with stakeholders.