PROCESSES 16Sustainable processes also require a responsible approachto the environment. In line with our “Adding value” strategy,we put the focus on measures and programmes thatboost the environmental awareness of our employees andbusiness partners. Another major aspect in this regard is occupationaland chemical safety, which we have maintainedby implementing various quality management systems.Our employees are highly dedicated to their work, asshown by our REACH representative, Marianne Lyngsaaefrom <strong>Brenntag</strong> Nordic, who had won an award for hercommitment and dedication. The next chapter will outlinehow third parties benefit from the established programmesand our employees’ dedication.Quality – a system of its own<strong>Brenntag</strong> guarantees the quality of products and servicesthrough ISO standards and certifications, as well as throughaudits. The implementation of quality management systemsgenerates trust and is a symbol of safety – both for our customersand suppliers as well as for our employees. Part ofour global HSE strategy is the “quality policy”. The internationallyapplicable ISO 9001 standard is the basis for qualitymanagement within the <strong>Brenntag</strong> Group. This qualitymanagement standard aids the optimisation of processesand workflows.To receive the ISO 9001 standard, a company‘s managementsystem has to fulfil certain requirements in the implementationof its quality management system. In addition, it isexpected that the management system is subject to a continuousimprovement process. By 31 December 2012, 86%of our operating sites had introduced quality managementsystems certified according to this standard. Furthermore,96 sites are certified according to the international standardISO 14001 for environmental management systems. This standardprovides specific guidelines on what a company’s environmentmanagement strategy should involve and achieve.Another important step we have taken on the path to becomingthe safest chemical distributor is our certification withthe OHSAS 18001 (Occupational Health and Safety AssessmentSeries) standard. This standard is considered the mostimportant in the field of occupational health and safety andis closely related to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. OHSAS 18001defines the introduction of a standardised occupationalsafety management system with the aim of establishingfixed standards and procedures for ensuring occupationalhealth and safety and avoiding accidents.Safety and environmental protectionAs an international chemical distributor, the safe and environmentallyfriendly handling of our products is of greatimportance to us. For this reason, <strong>Brenntag</strong> takes part inthe International Council of Chemical Trade Associations’(ICCTA) Responsible Care/Responsible Distribution (RC/RD)programme.Responsible Care (RC) is a global initiative set up by thechemical industry to address the topics of safety and theenvironment. <strong>Brenntag</strong> Group companies signed up yearsago to their respective national Responsible Care/ResponsibleDistribution (RC/RD) association programmes.The programmes set guidelines and structures for environmentallyfriendly and future-oriented business practices.Responsible Distribution (RD) is a third party-verifiedenvironmental, health, safety and security programmefor companies based in the US.With the support of its members, the International Councilof Chemical Trade Associations (ICCTA) has developed aconsistent, global RC/RD programme that covers the principlesof both of these approaches. This latest approach has createdthe basis for facilitating global cooperation and exchanginginformation and experiences. The programme also aims toboost trust and confidence in the chemical industry.Overview of the ISO standards of <strong>Brenntag</strong> (2009-2012)Year ISO 9001 (% of relevant ISO 14001 OHSAS 18001locations and companies) Number of Locations Number of Locations2009 71 65 282010 75 69 352011 81 97 582012 86 96 60
PROCESSES 17<strong>Brenntag</strong> has pledged to adhere to the eight guidelines ofthe RC/RD programme:• Legal requirements• Management of risk• Policies and documentation• Provision of information• Training• Emergency response• Ongoing improvements• Community interactionThese criteria are audited in regular intervals by independentorganisations to ensure that chemicals are properlyhandled.Consistent procedures for the safe handling of chemicalsare developed by regional HSE coordinators and HSE teamsand are compiled and documented in locally valid HSEmanuals down to the individual warehouse.Adherence to these procedures is ensured via internal andexternal audits, which serve to evaluate processes in orderto ensure adherence to requirements and guidelines.Two awards, one winnerIn 2011, G.S Robins & Company, which belongs to the <strong>Brenntag</strong>Group, was awarded the <strong>North</strong> <strong>America</strong>n Responsible DistributionExcellence Award by the National Association ofChemical Distributors (NACD) for its exceptional services.This honour is awarded annually to companies for effortsin the fields of health and occupational safety as well asemployee, public and environmental safety. The year before,the prestigious award went to <strong>Brenntag</strong> <strong>North</strong> <strong>America</strong>, Inc.The NACD presented the award to both companies for theircommitment to improving processes, their dedication to thecommunity and for their efforts to improve employee skills.The fact that <strong>Brenntag</strong> won this award twice consecutively isa fantastic recognition of the company’s achievements. Thepublic appreciation for this approach is a major motivatorfor the future.REACH beyond –exceeding requirementsThe European chemicals regulation REACH – Registration,Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals –is the legal framework aiming to ensure a high level of protectionfor human health and the environment when manufacturingor using chemicals. The REACH Regulation cameinto force on 1 June 2007. One of its key elements is theobligation to register substances manufactured in orimported into the European Economic Area (EEA). Theprocess of registering chemical substances comprises threedeadlines according to tonnage bands of production/imports and will span a period of eleven years with 2018being the latest deadline. Furthermore, REACH regulatesthe safe use of chemical substances and preparations formanufacturers of chemicals as well as for the downstreamuser level. The safe use of chemicals is documented inexposure scenarios, which are communicated in an annexeto the safety data sheets (extended SDS).<strong>Brenntag</strong> is affected by REACH in several respects as its businessoperations cover not only the distribution of chemicalsbut also activities such as the import, formulation and, incertain cases, production of chemicals.With its international REACH team, consisting of a Europeannetwork of experienced HSE and REACH experts, and thestrong support of the management, <strong>Brenntag</strong> is well equippedto meet the numerous requirements and obligations of theREACH Regulation in full.We see REACH from a holistic perspective and thereforeconsider it necessary to ensure being compliant with theREACH Regulation along the entire supply chain under ourcontrol – from purchasing and operational processes to sales.<strong>Brenntag</strong> has not only pledged to fulfil legal requirementsbut also to offer our customers an extensive service withregard to topics concerning REACH via the “REACH beyond“approach. Our European subsidiaries address current developmentsand topics relating to the REACH regulation here.In addition, our product and sales managers have beentrained well in REACH issues and can draw on a network ofqualified safety and environment experts when it comes tomore complex questions. The experts are supported by centraliseddatabases, which are always kept up to date. Thisalso puts us in a position to be able to share consolidatedextended safety data sheets with our customers that aretailored to the requirements of local suppliers and are writtenin the local language.Our aim is to guarantee effective and reliable communicationalong the entire supply chain so that any customer queriesregarding applications that are not covered in a particularexposure scenario, or are not covered in sufficient detail,can be answered promptly.REACH represents an immense challenge, particularly tosmall and medium sized companies in Europe, and will continueto do so in the near future because companies suchas the so-called “downstream chemical users“ have the obligationto comply with the rules set out in the regulation independently.With its “REACH beyond” approach describedabove, <strong>Brenntag</strong> offers an excellent service for the productsaffect-ed that provides assistance to our customers in adheringto these rules.