Moscow – 14 December, 2010 –  URALCHEM, OJSC was given a certificate of participant of International Responsible Care Programme at the annual meeting of the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) covering realization of the programme.

URALCHEM joined the Global Responsible Care Initiative in December, 2009. The purpose of the initiative is to increase the quality and overall level of technical, environmental safety and safety at work, and improve the quality of products and production process.

In the previous year URALCHEM Group did a lot of work in connection with the above: integrated management system at Azot, OJSC successfully passed compliance audit, and the plant began realization of several types of activities in order to decrease the use of water from the Kama River and cut the amount of waste water in the sewage systems. VMF, OJSC received OHSAS (ISO 18000) compliance certificate. URALCHEM, OJSC invested considerable funds in environmental and industrial safety at the production sites.

The result of all these steps was reflected in the annual report that URALCHEM, OJSC filed with the Russian Chemists Union – Responsible Care Programme operator appointed by the International Chemical Association.

At the certificate giving ceremony Igor Kukushkin, Executive Director of the Russian Chemists Union said: “When such big companies as URALCHEM participate in Responsible Care Programme, it means that business is willing to make maximum efforts with regard to environmental and industrial safety”.

Dmitry Osipov, the Chief Executive Officer of URALCHEM, OJSC said: “Participation in this programme made it possible for us to take a new look at risk management in the area of ecology, personnel health, and industrial safety. Consolidated reports that were prepared by the company when participating in the programme helped us form new complex approaches to these tasks. In addition, participation in Responsible Care Programme created great atmosphere when we could learn the experience of the world leaders in labour, environmental and industrial safety”. 

Vladimir Onishchenko, Adviser to Production Director in the area of technical regulation and standards at URALCHEM, OJSC said: “Responsible Care is a serious international programme supervised by UNO through United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). By no means all companies are allowed to take part in the programme. And, since Uralchem did take part, this is indicative of our determination to comply with cutting-edge international environmental, labour and industrial standards”.