Each year, the Responsible Care Awards recognise outstanding and innovative work among chemical companies and federations on their journey towards safe chemicals management and performance excellence.

During the annual Chemical Convention (October 26-29, 2021, Helsinki, Finland), the winners of the Responsible Care® 2021 Awards were announced.

The winners of the 2021 awards competition demonstrated industry’s commitment to support during the pandemic; by caring for the health of company employees or accelerating the production of medical devices, while also recognising projects that support climate neutrality, circularity and resource efficiency.

The winners in the four categories are:

• Category 1: Supporting health in  COVID-19 times

   BASF SE: “Protect yourself and others 2020 – Impfluenzertour – BASF Corona vaccination center, Ludwigshafen”.

BASF’s Corporate Health Management is playing an important role in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic: by running a flu protection campaign that led to more than three times vaccinations compared to previous years and by building and operating its own COVID-19 vaccination center on site that administered more than 40.000 Corona-vaccinations, and by offering numerous in-person and virtual consulting and information, including a COVID-19 hotline.

   INEOS Hygienics: “INEOS Hygienics ongoing support in the fight against corona”

A project to help children safely return to school, for donating sanitizer gels to school, universities, fitness clubs and charities.

   Special commendation for Solvay for “Supporting and transforming health & wellbeing in Covid times”

A project that demonstrates a global approach to create a sustainable better life at work, as well as providing donations to local communities.

• Category 2: Ecosystem preservation

Solvay: “Restoration and Ecological Plan of Cuchia Quarry Torrelavega Site”

An impressive plan to implement the restoration and ecological recovery in Cuchia Quarry, which is now a reality with an enriched ecosystem.

• Category 3: Climate Change and Energy

KEMIANTEOLLISUUS: “Climate Neutral Chemistry”

The development of a roadmap to reach carbon neutral industry sector in Finland by 2045. The company worked together with member companies and the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency, and shared best practices with stakeholders. 

Evonik Operations GmbH: “GET H2 Nukleus”

The project aims to build the core for a European hydrogen economy: from the creation of a network through that of an infrastructure along the value chain, and connections for all sectors as well as for the import of hydrogen.

BASF: “Strategic CO2 Transparency Tool (SCOTT)”

A digital solution which calculates and allows the visualization of Product Carbon Footprints for all 45,000 sales products worldwide to provide transparency for the carbon footprint of purchased materials to BASF customers.

• Category 4: Safe and Sustainable Products

Dow Europe GmbH: “The RENUVA™ Mattress Recycling Program”

An innovative progamme engaging the value chain, to recycle polyurethane foam from end-of-life mattresses and turn it into RENUVA™ polyols for use in new mattresses and other applications.

SABIC: “SABIC’s certified circular polymers”

conducted in collaboration with strategic partners across their value chain, their certified circular polymers are produced through the feedstock recycling of low quality, used mixed plastic that could otherwise be destined for incineration or landfill.

Special commendation for Borealis, Covestro and DOMO Chemicals for their project “Porsche and Circularise collaborate with Borealis, Covestro and Domo Chemicals to enable the traceability of plastics in the automotive sector” which enables the traceability of plastics in the automotive sector and has led to improved supply chain collaboration