There are discrepancies even on what could be seen as simple data such as Lost Time Accident Rate. Obviously we need more time before we can publish aggregate data on more complex issues like occupational illness or selected substances emissions. With its communication and experience sharing, the Responsible Care initiative is much more than a Public Relation exercise although we of course highly value an improved public opinion about our industry. It's also much more ambitious than just meeting regulations as it aims at an ethical, behavioural and cultural change inside the industry. We do have some evidence of improvement of public perception, but this improvement is seen close to plants which have local citizen advisory panels.
Surveys show that the general public still has a poor perception of the chemical industry.
We have been busy a long time developing codes, agreeing on initiatives. We must now live up to our commitment to improve the relationship with all our stakeholders which obviously include our workers and their organisations. A lot of Responsible Care implementation work is actually done by big companies who have experienced and knowledgeable people to do it and then this experience can be shared with SMEs mainly through national federations. We already do have action in developing countries. We are willing to extend our Responsible Care activities, using multinational companies as a network while taking into account local sensitivities.