Safer chemicals 101: identify key stakeholders
About this step
When pursuing a safer chemicals strategy, there are many stakeholders — both inside and outside of your company — that you may need or want to engage.
Identifying internal stakeholders
In your quest to eliminate toxic chemicals from your company’s products, you’ll need to engage with many stakeholders inside your organization. While every company’s organizational structure is unique, the chart below provides a high level look at personnel who typically would be involved. In part 2 of this series, Build a sustainability plan 101, you’ll have the opportunity to do a more detailed assessment of these stakeholders.
| Chief Sustainability Officer Set’s the company’s sustainable business strategy |
| Procurement/Buyers/Merchants/Sourcing Make the decisions on which suppliers to source ingredients/raw materials/components from, and/or which suppliers to source complete products from |
| Legal and Regulatory Compliance team Ensures the company is in compliance with chemical regulations applicable in the jurisdictions of manufacture and sales; also reviews the accuracy and scope of public statements |
| Government/Corporate Affairs Engages in public policy and industry standards development |
In addition to the above, your Product Development teams will be critical stakeholders. Among other activities, these teams set product specifications, design products, and design manufacturing processes. Slightly different for each product category, these teams generally consist of one or more of the following:
- Product Formulators
- Product Designers
- Product Engineers
- Scientists (food scientists, material scientists)
- Packaging Designers and Engineers
- Manufacturing/Process Engineers
Identifying external stakeholders
Building your knowledge of the various organizations and initiatives involved in the safer chemicals space is a good way to understand and stay up-to-date on current events and different points of view. It can also help you find allies and additional educational materials. Learn more here.
Where can I find more resources?
Check out our library of resources here.