Environmental Certification

ISO 14000

Today's business environment demands a greater degree of social, environmental, and fiscal responsibility to customers, shareholders, and communities. Companies must measure and control the environmental impact of their business process and products. Implementing an ISO 14001-based Environmental Management System is fundamental in measuring and controlling the environmental impact of a company's activities.

As with all of our certification programs at ABS QE, we analyze these systems in business context to ensure each customer achieves the most value from their investment in environmental systems.

Responsible Care Management System (RCMS®)

Responsible Care ® achieves better EHS performance and increased business value for American Chemistry Council (AAC) members and partners. The Responsible Care Management System (RCMS) replaces the past ACC requirement of applying six codes (e.g., community awareness and emergency response, distribution, employee health and safety, pollution prevention, process safety, and product stewardship). ABS QE is a key contributor to the development of the RCMS program.

Relevant aspects of the existing codes (including security) have been incorporated with RCMS and are based on benchmarked best practices of leading private sector companies, initiatives developed through the Global Environmental Management Intitiative, International Standards Organization and other bodies, and requirements of national regulatory authorities. The Responsible Care Management System (RCMS) is a continuous improvement based system.

ACC member organizations have an option of implementing RC 14001, a combination of Responsible Care and ISO 14001. By pursuing the RC 14001 approach, members gain accredited certificates for both the RCMS and ISO 14001 Environmental Management System. For more information on the RCMS and RC 14001 certification processes, please contact ABS QE.

RC 14001®

ABS QE was the first registrar to receive accreditation by ANSI-RAB and ACC to certify companies to the RC 14001 Technical Specification for the chemical industry.

The RC 14001 audit process, performed by ABS Quality Evaluations, verifies a chemical company's implementation of the ACC's Responsible Care Management System (RCMS) in conjunction with the requirements of ISO 14001.

The American Chemistry Council launched the Responsible Care® program in 1988 in response to public concerns about the manufacture, handling, and use of chemicals. Member companies encourage those in the industry to manage chemicals responsibly and to improve their performance continually regarding health, safety, and environmental issues. The RC 14001 technical specification incorporates the original Responsible Care® health and safety initiatives for process management systems as well as the environmental management system requirements of the ISO 14001:2004 Standard.