Greenhouse gases are the main cause of global climate change and pose a threat to human society and the natural environment. To combat climate change, countries are taking steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The chemical industry is under pressure to reduce emissions and needs to strengthen its social responsibility and achieve green transformation.
The global chemical industry has jointly launched the Sustainable Development Initiative (TFS) to raise CSR standards in the chemical industry. Provide solutions for reducing emissions in the chemical chain by assessing, auditing and improving the performance of the company. This article will introduce the main content and objectives of TFS, and its value to chemical and climate governance.
At the heart of TFS is the establishment of a unified, globally applicable, third-party-based assessment and audit system to measure and improve the sustainability performance of the company. The TFS assessment and audit system consists of two main components: TFS assessment and TFS audit.
The TFS assessment is a self-assessment tool that is completed by the contractor and covers management, environmental, health and safety, labour and human rights, and governance issues. The results of the TFS assessment will be shared by all TFS member companies, avoiding duplication of assessment efforts, saving time and money, and increasing efficiency and transparency.
A TFS audit is an on-site, third-party audit tool conducted by a TFS-approved auditor to conduct in-depth inspections and verifications of high-risk areas of the business. The results of the TFS audit will also be shared by all TFS member companies to promote continuous improvement and enhance the sustainability level of the chain.
TFS's goal is to promote a climate-protecting, safe and ethical chemical industry. Does TFS support the UN Global Compact and Responsible Care? principles, committed to achieving the following four objectives:
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions. By assessing and auditing their energy consumption, carbon footprint, emission control and other indicators, TFS encourages them to adopt cleaner, more efficient and low-carbon production methods, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve their carbon neutrality capabilities.
Conservation of environmental resources. TFS encourages companies to adopt more economical, recycling, and green production methods by evaluating and auditing their water management, waste management, and chemical management indicators, so as to protect environmental resources and prevent pollution and ecological damage.
Promote social responsibility. TFS encourages them to adopt more humane, fairer and more honest production practices, promotes social responsibility, and protects the interests of employees and communities by assessing and auditing indicators such as health and safety management, labor and human rights protection, anti-corruption and compliance.
Enhance the competitiveness of the industry. TFS encourages them to adopt more advanced, high-quality and reliable production methods by evaluating and auditing their innovation capabilities, quality management, risk management and other indicators, so as to enhance the competitiveness of the industry and enhance the market reputation.
Since its inception in 2011, TFS has achieved remarkable results. By the end of 2020, TFS had 29 chemical companies joining, covering 85% of the global chemical industry's market share. TFS has completed more than 25,000 assessments and more than 2,000 audits, providing strong support for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the chemical chain. TFS also actively carries out international cooperation and has established partnerships with organizations such as the European Chemical Industry Council, the German Chemical Industry Association, and the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation to promote the sustainable development of the global chemical industry.
TFS is a spontaneous, voluntary and self-managed initiative initiated by chemical enterprises, which embodies the social responsibility and responsibility of the chemical industry, and is of great significance and value to the chemical industry and global climate governance.
For the chemical industry, TFS is an effective self-discipline mechanism, which can help chemical enterprises and enterprises improve their own sustainable development level, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce the negative impact on the environment, enhance the positive contribution to society, enhance core competitiveness, and achieve long-term stable development.
For global climate governance, TFS is a useful exploration and attempt, which can provide reference for other industries and fields, promote the green transformation of the global ** chain, promote the realization of global greenhouse gas emission reduction goals, contribute to the response to climate change, and contribute to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
Greenhouse gas concentrations are at record highs