01
Acknowledge the gap
The first step is honesty: recognising that regulatory compliance in the past did not equate to real protection.
- Laws and standards often lag science—for decades chemicals were “compliant” yet later proven to be carcinogenic, bio accumulative, or ecosystem-disruptive.
- Compliance frameworks sometimes allow loopholes or omissions that leave workers, communities, and brands vulnerable.
- By naming this openly, you reinforce that your values are higher than mere compliance.
02
Define Organisational values in context of chemicals
Tie risk and compliance explicitly to your stated values. For example:
- Safety first → Go beyond SDS minimums, integrate toxicological research, and adopt a “no surprises” rule.
- Sustainability → Factor lifecycle impacts, chemical footprint, and disclosure quality into procurement.
- Integrity and Transparency → Demand supplier disclosure even for unregulated ingredients; “no disclosure, no entry.”
- Reputation and Trust → Proactively eliminate Chemicals of High Concern (CoHC) before regulators catch up.
03
Shift from compliance-driven to science-driven
- Bayesian risk frameworks and predictive models: Show your organisation that you’re quantifying risks before incidents or regulations force action.
- Integrate emerging toxicology: Make it policy that SDS info is validated against current scientific research.
- Supplier scorecards: Rate vendors on transparency, disclosure, and sustainability—not just price.
This reframes compliance as the floor while your values set the ceiling.
04
Build “values-based compliance” programs
- Policy Language: State that your chemical management system is designed to “protect workers, the community, and the environment beyond regulatory requirements.”
- Metrics: Track and report not only compliance status, but also risk reductions achieved, hazards eliminated, carbon/chemical footprints reduced, and supplier disclosure scores.
- Decision-Making Tools: Ensure procurement teams see cost + compliance + sustainability + reputation as equal inputs.
05
Cultural Alignment
- Train employees that compliance ≠ safety; empower them to question SDS data and push for safer substitutions.
- Communicate openly with stakeholders (employees, investors, community) about how your organisation is choosing values-led chemical stewardship.
- Celebrating wins: eliminating a CoHC, preventing exposure, or achieving supplier transparency should be framed as value-aligned achievements, not just compliance milestones.
01
Acknowledge the gap
The first step is honesty: recognising that regulatory compliance in the past did not equate to real protection.
- Laws and standards often lag science—for decades chemicals were “compliant” yet later proven to be carcinogenic, bio accumulative, or ecosystem-disruptive.
- Compliance frameworks sometimes allow loopholes or omissions that leave workers, communities, and brands vulnerable.
- By naming this openly, you reinforce that your values are higher than mere compliance.
01
Define Organisational values in context of chemicals
Tie risk and compliance explicitly to your stated values. For example:
- Safety first → Go beyond SDS minimums, integrate toxicological research, and adopt a “no surprises” rule.
- Sustainability → Factor lifecycle impacts, chemical footprint, and disclosure quality into procurement.
- Integrity and Transparency → Demand supplier disclosure even for unregulated ingredients; “no disclosure, no entry.”
- Reputation and Trust → Proactively eliminate Chemicals of High Concern (CoHC) before regulators catch up.
01
Shift from compliance-driven to science-driven
- Bayesian risk frameworks and predictive models: Show your organisation that you’re quantifying risks before incidents or regulations force action.
- Integrate emerging toxicology: Make it policy that SDS info is validated against current scientific research.
- Supplier scorecards: Rate vendors on transparency, disclosure, and sustainability—not just price.
This reframes compliance as the floor while your values set the ceiling.
01
Shift from compliance-driven to science-driven
- Policy Language: State that your chemical management system is designed to “protect workers, the community, and the environment beyond regulatory requirements.”
- Metrics: Track and report not only compliance status, but also risk reductions achieved, hazards eliminated, carbon/chemical footprints reduced, and supplier disclosure scores.
- Decision-Making Tools: Ensure procurement teams see cost + compliance + sustainability + reputation as equal inputs.
01
Cultural Alignment
- Train employees that compliance ≠ safety; empower them to question SDS data and push for safer substitutions.
- Communicate openly with stakeholders (employees, investors, community) about how your organisation is choosing values-led chemical stewardship.
- Celebrating wins: eliminating a CoHC, preventing exposure, or achieving supplier transparency should be framed as value-aligned achievements, not just compliance milestones.