• Who Needs Coatings Care®?
• Comparison to other systems
• Where is Coatings Care® Now?
• Implementation Policy for Participating Associations

 
IPPIC Coatings Care®
Implementation Policy for Participating Associations

Purpose
Coatings Care® represents the paint and printing ink industries commitment to effective heath, safety and environmental program management. While Coatings Care® is being actively adopted by companies around the globe in different languages and business environments, the program has maintained a remarkable degree of uniformity in form and content. As a result, trade associations and companies from around the world have now come to rely on a uniform approach to Coatings Care® as a means of fostering effective communication with business partners and legislative/regulatory bodies to address health, safety and environmental responsibilities.

This IPPIC Coatings Care® Implementation Policy has been developed to provide criteria for the uniform and consistent implementation of the program throughout the globe. It is also useful to provide a clear understanding of the underlying requirements for paint and printing ink associations considering the adoption of a Coatings Care® program.

Applicability
This implementation policy is applicable to all paint and/or printing ink associations who are actively implementing Coatings Care®. An alternative way of implementing Coatings Care®, is to be a paint manufacturer in full compliance with the terms of Responsible Care®.

Expectations of Participating Associations
Any paint and/or printing ink association wishing to participate in the Coatings Care® program is expected to organize their approach in a consistent manner according to the following:

Approval: Obtain formal approval and endorsement of Coatings Care® by their Board of Directors or other appropriate policy-making group.

Member Communication: Establish a communications, education, and outreach effort to alert their members to the benefits of Coatings Care®.

Program Structure: Embrace the organizational structure of the Coatings Care® program as established by the International Paint and Printing Ink Council (IPPIC) including:

• The Policy Statements and Program Objectives as outlined in the Coatings Care® Overview document
  
• The guidelines and resolution on Coatings Care® Logo and Trademark Use
  
• Four uniform “Codes” entitled Manufacturing Management, Transportation and Distribution, Product Stewardship and Community Responsibility
  
• Uniform “Management Practices” including specific wording and numbering
  
• Consistent use of the “IPPIC Self-Assessment Checklist”, specifically the implementation levels - Awareness, Developmental, Operational and Re-evaluation
  
• National-specific “Self-Assessment Practices” adapted in whole or in part from the “IPPIC Generic Self-Assessment Levels” (which offer suggested conforming activities associated with each level of
  implementation)

Implementation Effort: Each participating organization’s implementation effort should offer details of how the association will develop and introduce each aspect of Coatings Care®. Participating organizations should also define the responsibilities of participating members implementing Coatings Care®.

Program Innovations: While requiring strict adherence to the Program Structure identified above, IPPIC also recognizes the need for organizational flexibility and innovation1 in implementing the Coatings Care® program at the national level. To make certain that national-level innovations are understood and accepted by other participating associations, the Coatings Care®/Industry Stewardship Coordinating Committee of IPPIC will serve as a resource for review and comment on proposed innovations. Endorsement by this committee can be viewed as approval of the program modification at the national level. Furthermore, the committee may, at its discretion, move to recommend that national-level innovations be considered for global implementation.

Cooperation: Agree, as appropriate, to share with other participating associations information, resources and experiences for the purpose of facilitating the uniform application and implementation of Coatings Care®.

Resource Development: Initiate efforts to develop resources that assist their members in implementing Coatings Care®.

Paint and printing ink associations that have met and continue to meet the requirements for program participation outlined above are eligible for membership in the IPPIC’s Coatings Care®/Industry Stewardship Coordinating Committee. Organizations which have not met the criteria for membership in the committee are still welcome to participate in committee meetings to assist in gaining knowledge and experience to direct their eventual implementation effort.

¹ In general not all program changes at the national level would be considered innovations subject to approval by the CCIS Committee. Simple program changes (like color change for the logo/trademark) that would not modify the basic program structure would not require prior approval before implementation at the national level.