Tools

Corporate Policies and Case Studies

Best Practices in Product Chemicals Management in the Retail Industry
Green Chemistry & Commerce Council
2009
This report examines drivers of adoption of chemicals management systems; systems that Apple, Boots, Staples, Wal-Mart and other companies have adopted, and the challenges, benefits, and best practices identified in the development and implementation of these systems.
To view the report, click here

Gathering Chemical Information and Advancing Safer Chemistry in Complex Supply Chains: Case Studies of Nike, S.C. Johnson and Hewlett-Packard
Green Chemistry & Commerce Council
2009
These case studies describe how companies gather chemical information from their supply chains and how they use this information to develop safer products.
For the overview and lessons learned, click here
To view Nike study, click here
To view S.C. Johnson study, click here
To view Hewlett-Packard study, click here

Greening Consumer Electronics: Moving Away from Bromine and Chlorine
Clean Production Action and ChemSec
2009
This report features seven companies, including Apple, who have engineered environmental solutions that negate the need for most--or in some cases all--uses of brominated and chlorinated chemicals.
To view report, click here

Seagate's Full Disclosure Requirement for Suppliers
Seagate
2009
In this presentation for the Business/NGO Working Group for Safer Chemicals and Sustainable Materials, Seagate describes how by requiring complete material disclosure from its suppliers, and with strong support from senior management, it manages substance restrictions at low overall cost and with high credibility.
To view presentation, click here

An Analysis of Corporate Restricted Substance Lists (RSLs) and Their Implications for Green Chemistry and Design for Environment
Green Chemistry & Commerce Council
2008
This report pools information from 19 lists in a broad range of industrial sectors to better understand the types of chemicals restricted and rationale for their restriction.
To view report, click here

Case Studies
University of Virginia Darden Graduate School of Business Administration faculty and students
2007
For six “mini-cases” of companies, click here

A Sampling of Corporate Safer Chemicals Policies
IEHN staff
2007
The main themes woven throughout these policies include precaution, innovation, going beyond compliance, and doing all these things while serving customer wants and needs. The policies excerpted below are from a mix of European and U.S. retailers and manufacturers, including Wal-Mart, Dell, Nike, SC Johnson, Body Shop, Boots, and H&M.
To view, click here

Wishing Won’t Make It So
Gil Friend et al
August 2005
In “Wishing Won’t Make It So,” Natural Logic’s Gil Friend and his coauthors raise questions about how well business leaders exercise their fiduciary duty if they do a poor job of anticipating regulatory changes that will affect their companies.
To view article, click here

Healthy Business Strategies for Transforming the Toxic Chemical Economy
Clean Production Action
2006
Case studies of six companies that are creating value through safer products, and recommendations based on these cases. Companies include Avalon, Dell, H&M, Herman Miller, Interface Fabric, and Kaiser Permanente.
To view report, click here

Chemical Companies Unprepared to Reduce Toxicity for European REACH Regulations
Socialfunds.com
May 2006
A study by Ethical Research Information Service (EIRIS), entitled Beyond REACH--Chemical Safety and Sustainability Concerns, assesses the preparedness of seven publicly-traded companies worldwide that produce specialty chemicals for sale in Europe and have “high exposure” to regulatory and market risks.
To view article, click here

Investment Manager Survey Ranks Chemicals of High Concern in Chemicals, Household goods, Leisure Goods Sectors
Socialfunds.com
January 2007
A late 2006 survey of investment managers found “...chemicals of concern was the top ranked issue for the chemical and household goods sectors. It ranked second for the leisure goods sector. Public health worries over chemicals…add pressure on companies to improve the safety of their products.”
To view article, click here

European Social Investment Forum (Eurosif) Chemical Sector Brief Cites Chemicals of Concern as One of Five Key Long Term Challenges Facing Chemical Industry
Eurosif
December 2006
The report cites a growing tend among retailers of adopting ‘green’ chemical sourcing policies for their supply chains and new European legislation “expected to drive product-detoxification trends within the consumer product industry for the foreseeable future.”
To view brief, click here

Innovest Study Benchmarks Chemical Companies’ Relative Exposure to REACH
Greenbiz.com
2006
Innovest’s chemical sector evaluation of seventy companies reports that the effects of Europe’s new REACH chemical management structure will be felt most intensely by mid-cap and small cap companies. Some smaller specialty firms indicated that approximately 30% to 40% of intermediates used in production could be affected.
To view article, click here