Beyond Borders: Raising Safety Standards in the Polyurethane Industry

The polyurethane industry has received significant recognition with the Safe Use of Diisocyanates program winning the European Responsible Care® Award presented by Cefic (European Chemical Industry Council). The award was given in the category "Beyond Borders – Promoting Responsible Care® Ethics Across the Chemical Value and Supply Chain" and coincided with a special year marking the 40th anniversary of the global Responsible Care® program.

The award was won under the leadership of European associations ISOPA and ALIPA, working together with their member companies. This award recognises the collective effort behind the Safe Use of Diisocyanates program (www.safeusediisocyanates.com) and the strong safety commitment demonstrated across the PU value chain.

The Safe Use of Diisocyanates program was developed in close collaboration with experts from across the value chain to improve the safe use and handling of diisocyanates. Despite the absence of a ready-made roadmap and tight timelines, the sector created a new digital training platform that covers all diisocyanate exposure risks. The platform is accessible on a global scale and offers diisocyanate safety training modules in multiple languages, making it possible to reach workers in different countries, sectors and company sizes.

The scope of the project clearly demonstrates the impact it has created. To date, approximately 900,000 users have registered on the platform. This broad participation demonstrates strong ownership by the polyurethane industry and a shared understanding that safety is a collective responsibility spanning the entire value chain.
This recognition belongs to the entire polyurethane community. It reflects the industry's broader commitment to safety, sustainability and responsible production. Polyurethanes play a key role in energy efficiency, durability and innovation; however, these benefits must be considered alongside high safety standards.

The award is particularly meaningful in 2025, marking the 40th anniversary of the global Responsible Care® program. Responsible Care® has contributed for forty years to raising safety and environmental performance standards across the chemical industry.

Therefore, the 2025 Responsible Care® Award is not only a recognition of past successes but also an incentive for the future. It underscores that real progress is achieved through collaboration, knowledge sharing and continuous improvement. The success of the Safe Use of Diisocyanates program for the polyurethane industry demonstrates what can be achieved when safety is treated as a shared priority across borders, companies and regions.