The CFP measures corporate chemicals management performance by evaluating four areas within a company.

The Chemical Footprint Project (CFP) defines the Chemical Footprint as the total mass of chemicals of high concern in products sold by a company and used in its manufacturing operations. It defines chemicals of high concern as those on the California Candidate List. Companies answer roughly 5 questions in each of four areas listed below, and can receive up to a total of 100 points, depending on the answers provided.

The results of the chemical footprint can provide valuable information to a company to help them chart progress towards the use of safer chemicals, as well as provide input into a chemical management policy. It is up to the company whether it chooses to publicly disclose the results.

Companies provide responses to questions related to:

Management Strategy

Seeks to gain an understanding of the scope of corporate chemical policies and their integration into business practices and support of public policies for safer chemicals.

Chemical Inventory

Considers a company’s level of knowledge about the chemicals used by its suppliers in products and manufacturing. Includes questions on how data is managed and how suppliers comply with these requirements.

Progress Measurement

Identifies if goals are set to reduce the use of chemicals of high concern and whether a baseline chemicals footprint and progress to reduce it is measured. In addition, questions are asked about how safer alternatives are assessed and implemented.

Public Disclosure

Measures whether a company publicly discloses chemicals used in products and manufacturing and whether it discloses its participation in the CFP. It also considers if an independent 3rd party has verified the answers.

The CFP is an initiative founded by Clean Production Action, Lowell Center for Sustainable Production at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell and Pure Strategies. Clean Production Action administers the project and The Lowell Center and Pure Strategies provide strategic and technical guidance.

The CFP is currently being piloted by 11 companies. Any company can use the CFP tool and it will launch in the first quarter of 2015.

What are the impacts to your business?

Questions to consider:

• Will you do a chemical footprint?
• Will you publicly disclose the results?
• Will your answers help to establish a roadmap towards the use of safer chemicals in your products?

For help with any issue associated with chemicals, contact Amanda Cattermole at (415) 412 8406 or Amanda@cattermoleconsulting.com. We can help you develop powerful solutions to protect your company and brand reputation and result in safer products manufactured in cleaner supply chains.

Tips and Insights is published bi-monthly and contains information to help you make informed chemical management decisions. Each post highlights a particular topic and includes questions you may want to consider for your business.