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Dr Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, secretary general, GPCA

GPCA showcases latest downstream advancements

ABU DHABI, May 2, 2017

The Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) is showcasing latest advancements in the region’s downstream industry around critical areas including environmental and safety compliance, at an ongoing event in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The association will once again demonstrate its pioneering work in these fields during the GPCA Supply Chain Conference, which  kicked off today (May 2) and conclude on May 4, at the Rosewood Hotel.

Across the region, compliance with the Gulf Sustainability and Quality Assessment System (Gulf SQAS) - a unifying system designed to evaluate the environment, health, safety, security and quality (EHSS&Q) performance that was implemented in 2014 – has continued to grow.

Today, the region boasts 73 assessed and verified Gulf based companies with more than 60 per cent (45) companies from Saudi Arabia and another 28 per cent (21 companies) from the UAE.

The GPCA will look to extend its efforts to unify standards across the value chain with the introduction of its Responsible Care initiative to include the petrochemical and chemical Logistics Service Providers (LSPs) in the region for the first time.

The expansion of the programme is in line with best practices in developed regions where sustainability and quality assessment systems extend to the logistics industry. The move will allow downstream companies to make more informed decisions based on credible safety and sustainability data about the logistics services providers within their value chain. With this expansion of the industry-leading program, the GPCA reaffirms its commitment to furthering sustainability practices in the region and has established a benchmark for others to follow.

With transportation making up a significant component of the industry’s carbon footprint, the role of Gulf SQAS in addressing this prevalent issue is vital. The system will encourage producers to favour service providers adhering to best practice in sustainability. It will also highlight logistics firms with the strongest road safety records, helping to collectively raise road safety standards among the logistic community in the region.  

Dr Abdulwahab Al Sadoun, secretary general, GPCA, said: “We are broadening the Responsible Care initiative as a demonstration of our association’s commitment to continually advancing the sustainability agenda in the region’s chemical industry, ensuring that as the sector grows, environment, health, safety and security remain at the forefront of its priorities.”

“Offering the logistics industry – a key pillar of the downstream value chain who are on the frontlines of sustainability – the chance to become Responsible Care companies, and offering producers that added layer of credible information on the performance of key actors within the industry, will further enhance our progress,” he said.

“Our aim is to position the Arabian Gulf not only as the beating heart of the global downstream industry, but also as a bastion of international best practice,” he added.

With the petrochemical and chemical industry being a major driver of growth in the region and heavily dependent on logistics, Gulf SQAS plays a central role in promoting the continuous improvement of EHSS&Q standards in logistics operations.

The programme will ensure that the logistics industry will implement the highest standards in environment, health, safety and quality and drive continuous EHSS&Q improvements across the supply chain.

Gulf SQAS is a key element of Responsible Care applied to logistics operations. It expands the coverage of Responsible Care throughout the product supply chain, focusing on continuous improvement of EHSS&Q within the Logistic Service Provider industry partners.

Alan Izzard, director for responsible care and Gulf SQAS, GPCA, said: “Transportation and distribution is a significant contributor to the carbon footprint within the supply chain. We believe that this new service will not only empower better supply chain decision-making from producers, but it will also raise the level of logistics providers across the board.”

“This cost-effective tool promotes transparency and accountability, and empowers our industry to take meaningful steps to address its environmental and safety obligations,” he concluded. – TradeArabia News Service




Tags: | GPCA | downstream |

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