Form 20-F 2005

Environment. We have implemented the principle of sustainable development, deploying a number of methods designed
to ensure the application of sustainable development practices. Following widespread application and success of these
methods in the United States, several such pilot initiatives have been initiated in Europe.
Workplace Safety. Members of our Executive Committee and members of the Enterprise Management Committees conduct
management safety visits at least once every three years, designed to inform employees about safety issues, along with
more thorough visits at least once every five years. We follow the industry “best practices” for workplace safety. High-risk
sites are given special priority and receive more frequent visits.
Industrial Sites. We have developed our own system for managing the health and safety of our employees and environmental
issues on our sites, which goes beyond ISO 14001 standards, the generally accepted environmental management standard.
We require that our system be enforced at all sites, regardless of their size or of the nature of their activities, and we have
audited over the past three years 98% of our own sites according to this system.
Products. We have implemented a policy designed to ensure that each product design, manufacturing and marketing team
operates in consideration of HSE issues.
Environment
Sustainable development entails the satisfaction of the present generation’s needs without jeopardizing the resources of generations
to come. Our objective is to use our technologies, capabilities and innovations to reduce consumption of energy and non-renewable
materials. Reducing the consumption of energy and non-renewable materials is one of the guiding principles in our commitment
to sustainable development. Our sustainable development policy entails three key objectives:
conservation in upstream research and development;
improvements in the manufacturing process; and
marketing products made from recycled materials.
Our sustainable development objectives strive to safeguard natural resources through innovation while developing synergies among
different businesses and leveraging strong partnerships with customers. For example, Eolys has led to the production of a catalyst
that enables the filtering of over 90% of soot particles in diesel fuel exhaust. At our La Rochelle site in France, suspended solids
are recycled to recover rare earth oxides.
In compliance with the regulations set forth by the European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC), and in accordance with the French
government’s commitment to reduce gas emissions by 30% over the period of 1990-2010, we have implemented a policy that
targets the reduction of the release of greenhouse gases (CO 2 and N 2 O emissions) and tropospheric ozone-generating volatile
organic compounds (VOCs). Over €20 million has been invested towards the achievement of these aims. Emissions reduction is a
challenge that requires long-term action at all Group sites concerned, in particular regarding VOC emissions and the quantification
of releases.
We also give special attention to protecting water resources, particularly by anticipating implementation of the European Water
Framework Directive. Over a ten-year period (1990-2000), we reduced our water pollution by 60% and are now focusing on
micro-pollutant releases with pilot projects underway at several sites. In addition, to prevent accident-related pollution, our main
manufacturing sites have been equipped with release retention basins. In 2000, we implemented a data-reporting procedure based
on CEFIC standards. This procedure combines both raw data and indicators based on overall environmental impacts at almost
100% of our sites.
Workplace Safety
We monitor the health and safety of employees and other people at all of our sites. Our objective in this respect is to evaluate risks
associated with each workstation over the past five years. Moreover, we engage in preventive procedures regarding the health of
our employees, persons working at our sites, and the users of our products. Investments by our Group into workplace safety has
risen to €30.5 million.
Form 20 - F 2005 - Rhodia
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