The American Chemistry Council’s (ACC) Board of Directors approved at its November meeting a strategic initiative designed to further enhance ACC’s advocacy programs by expanding its small and medium-size company membership and adding an affiliate membership category for value-chain partners. The new initiative will also increase Responsible Care assistance for members and expand the industry’s presence on a sustained basis in key legislative states and districts.
“The business of chemistry is facing an unprecedented number of global and domestic policy challenges – from product attacks, to chemical management reform, to climate change, facility security and rail competition. As the leading voice for the U.S. chemical industry, ACC is building upon our record of success to further enhance our advocacy for chemical companies, both large and small,” says Cal Dooley, president and CEO of the American Chemistry Council. “The recent action by our Board of Directors will enable us to do even more to respond collectively as an industry to our challenges. We believe our initiative will attract new members, expand ACC’s advocacy base, enhance the reach of the Responsible Care program, and enable the industry to speak with a stronger and more effective voice.”
In addition to providing additional support for member recruitment and Responsible Care performance, Dooley also said that ACC’s 2010 budget approved by the Board of Directors devotes nearly 60% of the Council’s resources to advocacy – up from 27% just last year. This was accomplished during the same time period in which the ACC budget decreased by 11% through the streamlining of business operations and other changes designed to increase member value.
Specifically, the new initiative will:
• Provide incentives for smaller companies to join ACC by offering three years of dues relief, to help them pay for Responsible Care implementation while giving them the benefits of ACC membership.
• Enhance product advocacy by changing the existing ACC “Membership Rule”, which will enable non-ACC chemical manufacturers to participate in the Council’s self-funded product groups.
• Encourage closer coordination with value chain partners and enhance the industry’s advocacy by creating two new membership categories (“affiliate” and “associate”).
For more information, visit: www.americanchemistry.com.