Product stewardship

Product Stewardship is a key component in Shell chemicals companies’ overall commitment to setting and achieving high standards in the management of health, safety, security and environmental (HSSE) issues related to our products. We work closely with customers and industry to promote responsible and ethical management of product related HSSE issues.

We support allowing industry to evaluate hazards relating to its products and sharing the information with customers and the public. This, in turn, allows everyone to make informed decisions when handling, transporting and using chemical products.

Key activities

• Shell representatives are actively involved in CEFIC (European Chemical Industry Council) and the ACC (American Chemistry Council) Higher Olefins Panel. This involvement allows us to be aware of best practices in product transport and handling and stay aware of legislative developments.

• As a way to share best practices and further promote safety and security, specially trained Shell HSSE experts are available to visit customer premises and provide guidance on product handling. Shell has developed standard checklists that systematically assess the adequacy of receiving facilities.

• Our Hazard Communication systems aim to provide users of our products with consistent hazard information, in their main local languages. In this way we ensure that users have the information they need to manage risks when handling, disposing of or transporting our products.

• We have assurance processes to verify the quality of all modes of transport. In Europe, for example, we use the Safety and Quality Assessment Scheme (SQAS) developed by CEFIC, to ensure high safety and quality standards among our road hauliers. Globally, we use the Shell ‘Safe C’ and CEFIC’s Chemical Distribution Initiative (CDI) schemes to assess our bulk marine carriers.

• We also train our own commercial and business employees - as well as our HSSE advisers and experts - so that they can understand and apply HSSE principles in their day-to-day activities and interactions with customers.

Customer Success Story:

Securing supply during a rail strike

Situation: In 2006, the European supply chain was frequently disrupted by railroad strikes. For one customer, this created the risk of having to shut down a plant.

Approach: A team of Shell employees developed back-up plans that included identifying trucks and drivers that could immediately begin loading and transporting product to the customer by road. However, the customer’s offloading hose couplings did not match the kind used by the supply trucks.

Solution: Shell representatives met the first arriving trucks and supplied the appropriate couplings so that offloading could begin. Shortly after the risk of shutdown was identified, trucks began delivering priority orders and the plant was able to remain online.

 

Customer Success Story: Attention to HSSE

Situation: A new customer needed to begin receiving NEODENE products immediately after the New Year’s holiday, but their facility had not yet been reviewed for health, safety, security and environment (HSSE) best practices.

Approach: On New Year’s Eve, several Shell employees visited the customer and spent the day assessing the equipment and procedures involved in product unloading and training personnel in safe handling.

Solution: A potential supply problem was quickly resolved. On the last day of the year, the entire review was conducted, improvements were discussed and implemented and both parties were able to begin business at the start of the year.