Environmental nongovernmental organization ChemSec releases a new corporate benchmarking tool – ChemScore – that reportedly measures the chemical footprint and other measures of sustainability of 35 of the world’s largest chemical companies. Through ChemScore, investors can access data on the best and worst performers in the chemical industry based on the amount of hazardous chemicals they produce and their efforts to transition to safer, greener alternatives. The top performer in this year’s ChemScore is the Dutch chemical company DSM.
The 35 largest publicly-traded chemical companies are assessed based on four key criteria: 1) total production of hazardous chemicals 2) efforts to develop and market safer chemicals 3) level of transparency and public commitments to phase out certain substances and 4) track record of accidents and controversies such as fines and liability cases.
“This new chemical industry ranking is a timely and important initiative because it is based on the number of inherently hazardous chemicals produced by each of these 35 chemicals,” says Mark S. Rossi, executive director of Clean Production Action. “The recent Global Chemicals Outlook report notes that the global chemical industry is projected to double by 2030 but hazardous chemicals and other pollutants continue to accumulate in the environment and in people. We need to drastically reduce the chemical footprint of this industry sector if we are to achieve sustainable materials management in a circular economy.”
For more information, visit: www.cleanproduction.org
