How RC 14001 affects you

RC 14001 was created to encompass the concepts of the American Chemical Council's (ACC) original Responsible Care Program as well as the requirements of ISO 14001, the International Organization for Standardization's (ISO) requirements for environmental management systems. RC 14001 covers both environmental and health and safety management systems. Because participation in the Responsible Care program has been a requirement for membership in the ACC, RC 14001 provides a means for chemical companies to meet criteria from both their customers and the ACC.
A successful registration to RC 14001 earns your company a combined RC 14001 and ISO 14001 registration. Only when environmental, health and safety management requirements are met can an RC 14001 certificate be granted. If an audit indicates that a system conforms to the ISO 14001 Standard but not to the requirements for health and safety management or the additional requirements based on Responsible Care concepts, an ISO 14001 certificate can still be issued.