Product stewardship

Managing products throughout their lifecycle to meet requirements

Product stewardship concerns how we communicate information on the potential health, safety and environmental impacts of products.

Key elements in our product stewardship program include:

• New product introduction assessment.

Before we launch products we ensure that they comply with or exceed all applicable safety legislation and meet our internal standards. Products assessments identify potential health, safety or environmental hazards, and verify compliance with product safety and chemical control legislation in intended markets. The assessment considers the potential for health or environmental impacts across the product life-cycle from product development to manufacturing, distribution, industrial or consumer use, to eventual recovery or disposal. In 2012, we assessed more than 1,300 raw materials used in our lubricant products globally.

• Management of Sensitive Chemicals - we have a stringent policy governing sensitive chemicals to prevent illegal or illicit use
• Customer Safety Screening - we advise on safety procedures when handling lubricants and metalworking fluids
• Product Labeling and Safety Data Sheets - information on hazards and risks associated with products and safe handling advice is communicated through Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) and container labeling. Our SDSs have to comply with legislative requirements of all the markets in which we operate. We have more than 80,000 SDSs in around 40 languages.