‘Seizing the ‘new normal’ opportunities through Responsible Care’ is the theme of the upcoming 4th GPCA Responsible Care Conference which will take place on Oct. 31 –Nov. 2, 2021, in Riyadh, the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) the voice of the chemical industry in the Arabian Gulf announced Wednesday. The event will return to the Kingdom as a physical gathering in compliance with government regulations after a two-year pause, as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. GPCA reiterates that the safety and health of attendees, speakers and employees will be of paramount importance in the organization of this long-awaited event and every necessary step will be taken to safeguard the well-being of its participants. This year the event arrives with a must-see conference program jam packed with insightful presentations, leadership insights, masterclasses and workshops. Leading industry speakers from the GCC and globally will look back on the essential role of Responsible Care in equipping member companies with the tools they need to address the challenges from the pandemic and explore how the program will help companies adapt to and thrive in the ‘New Normal’. Day one’s welcome address will be delivered by Yousef Al-Benyan, vice chairman and CEO, SABIC, and chairman, GPCA. Other senior regional and global industry leaders headlining the conference this year include: Abdel Hadi Al Suhaimi, executive president, Saudi Chevron Phillips, board member, GPCA and chairman, GPCA Responsible Care Committee; Baudouin Kelecom, regional environmental and regulatory manager, ExxonMobil, and chairman, ICCA Responsible Care Leadership Group; Dorothee Arns, director general, European Association of Chemical Distributors; Shakeel Kadri, executive director and CEO, Chemical Process Safety Center (CCPS); Mohamed Shindy, managing director, Methanex Egypt; Daniel Roczniak, senior director, American Chemistry Council; Mohammad Al-Shamary, global EH&S director, EQUATE Petrochemical Company and vice-chair, GPCA Responsible Care Committee and Salamah Al Dhafiri, environment, health and safety corporate director, Sadara Chemical Company. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic of the last 18 months has been a health and safety challenge. Post the pandemic, environmental protection and sustainability will be the single most important issue impacting on businesses now and in the future. The Responsible Care program is a key enabler to drive the evolution of the EHS&S domain to help companies meet their sustainability objectives and targets. While 2020 brought along a myriad of challenges for the chemical industry, it saw a significant improvement in companies’ sustainability performance. As highlighted in a new report by GPCA, non-hazardous waste at GPCA member companies dropped by 27% in 2020 from the year before. Despite a 54% increase in production, non-hazardous disposal at GPCA member companies dropped by 50%, when compared to the seven-year average from 2013 to 2019. Wastewater discharges registered a substantial decrease against the same period (2013 to 2019), with a drop of 76%. Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, secretary general, GPCA, commented: “GPCA is proud to see that our members continue to demonstrate their utmost commitment to the principles of Responsible Care and invest in a series of projects that have helped drive improvements in their sustainability performance. As we look forward to the 4th GPCA RC Conference in Riyadh, we, at GPCA, are excited to see our regional chemical community come together, and exchange lessons learned from the pandemic and ways in which this hugely important initiative can help them grow and advance their sustainability progression.” He added: “While the last year and a half has been far from easy, EHS&S leaders from the regional chemical industry have met the challenges head on and successfully leveraged Responsible Care to support their operations, safeguard the safety of their employees, stay resilient and support the industry and the communities in which they operate. As we gear up for a future defined by ever more stringent environmental regulations and social imperatives, it is incumbent on industry leaders to empower their teams to transform and foster a culture of sustainability excellence.” — SG