The chemical industry is a key pillar of society, providing essential products and services to all sectors. However, it also faces many ESG challenges, such as energy consumption, greenhouse gas and wastewater emissions, safety incidents, labor rights, and compliance risks. How to maintain the development and competitiveness of the industry while achieving sustainable development has become an urgent problem to be solved.
In response to this problem, in 2011 a number of forward-thinking chemical companies launched the Together for Sustainable Development (TFS) initiative. TFS is a global chemical industry initiative and network based on the United Nations Global Compact and Responsible Care principles to improve the ESG performance of the chemical chain. It provides a set of globally applicable frameworks and tools, including TFS assessments and TFS audits, to help chemical companies and their suppliers measure, improve and demonstrate ESG performance, and make important contributions to the sustainable development of the chemical industry.
At the heart of TFS is a set of globally applicable frameworks and tools, namely TFS Assessment and TFS Audit, which are used to measure the ESG performance of chemical companies and their suppliers, and to provide international practice standards for the ESG performance of the chemical chain.
The TFS assessment is a self-assessment questionnaire that covers management, environment, health and safety, labour and human rights, and governance issues.
A TFS audit is an on-site third-party audit that provides an in-depth check and verification of a company's ESG performance. The results of TFS assessments and audits are open to all TFS member firms, following the principle of "one assessment, one audit, multiple uses" to avoid duplication of effort, save time and costs, and improve efficiency and transparency.
By participating in TFS assessments and audits, chemical companies and their suppliers can reap the following benefits:
Understand the strengths and weaknesses of your ESG performance, identify opportunities for improvement, develop corrective action plans (CAPs), and track progress.
Take advantage of the training and support provided by TFS to improve your ESG knowledge and skills and enhance your sustainable sourcing capabilities.
Enhance the comparability and credibility of our ESG performance through TFS's global standards, and enhance our competitiveness and reputation.
Through the tools of TFS, we can promote our low-carbon, safe and ethical operations, reduce our environmental pollution, protect our human rights, and improve our governance.
TFS can not only help chemical companies and their suppliers improve their ESG performance, but also contribute to the entire chemical industry and society. TFS promotes sustainability in the chemical industry by:
Support the UN Global Compact and Responsible Care principles, as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The TFS framework and tools are aligned with these principles and objectives and reflect the chemical industry's commitment and responsibility for sustainability.
Drive collaboration and innovation in the chemical industry. TFS is a joint initiative and global network initiated and formed by chemical companies that provides a platform for chemical companies and their best practitioners to exchange and collaborate, share best practices, drive improvements, and jointly address ESG challenges and opportunities.
Influencing stakeholders in the chemical industry. Through its activities and achievements, TFS has demonstrated the performance and progress of the chemical industry in terms of ESG to customers, investors, regulators, society and other stakeholders in the chemical industry, and improved the trust and reputation of the chemical industry.
TFS is an initiative and network that has made important contributions to the green chemical industry, which helps chemical companies and their suppliers improve their ESG performance by providing a set of globally applicable frameworks and tools, while also promoting collaboration and innovation in the chemical industry, and supporting the sustainable development of the chemical industry.
Sustainability