Fertilizer “first movers” forging ahead with the industry-wide product stewardship initiative

Download the press release

Paris, 3 February 2011 - The International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA) and its member companies recognize the need for enhanced life cycle management of the safety, health, environmental and security aspects of fertilizer products. As a result, the Association has recently launched a global product stewardship initiative via the www.protectandsustain.org web site.

A number of IFA member companies are already actively involved in piloting the programme’s self-assessment manual, which includes some ninety questions spanning the phases of the fertilizer product lifecycle. These “first mover” participants, including Yara International, Tata Chemicals, Qafco, Al-Bayroni and ICL Fertilizers, are reviewing their stewardship management systems and are forging ahead with the certification process to become recognized as IFA Product Stewards. Early adopters of the initiative are showcasing their innovative stewardship management processes, which include providing agronomic advisory services to farmers using new technology as well as leveraging the collective imagination of employees to solve safety issues.

This member-driven initiative has its background in the Responsible Care initiative developed by the International Council of Chemical Associations, which defines product stewardship as “the shared responsibility for understanding, managing and communicating the impacts to human health and the environment throughout the life cycle of products.” This life cycle includes the development, production, distribution and application of fertilizer products (in particular nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium-derived products).

Last year’s oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico demonstrates the critical nature of product stewardship as part and parcel of a company’s operations, particularly with regard to anticipating hazardous situations and pre-empting accidents. Luc Maene, IFA’s Director General recognizes that “modern-day businesses are increasingly judged not only by their financial performance but also by the care they take of their employees and the environment, as well as their overall contribution to society. It is important for industry associations like IFA to lead the way for their members, especially in an industry so dispersed geographically as the fertilizer sector”. Moreover, Tore Jensen, Vice President for HESQ at Yara International and Vice Chairman of IFA’s Technical Committee explains that “product stewardship is a critical aspect of everyday operations, and should not be viewed as an additional cost of doing business. Rather, stewardship management enhances business processes, which in the long run leads to improved SHE performance and lower costs of doing business – consequently, product stewardship should be considered as a critical component to running fertilizer operations in the 21st century.”

IFA’s Protect & Sustain framework is a global online resource for IFA member companies, where stewardship theory, resources and practical implementation tools are brought together to form a single online hub: www.protectandsustain.org .

Within this framework, IFA member companies have the possibility to assess their performance and to receive certification as an IFA Product Steward.

For more information on this initiative, and to become an IFA Protect & Sustain First Mover participant in 2011, please visit the www.protectandsustain.org web site.

If you have any specific questions, please contact the IFA Secretariat: Mr. Ben Muirheid, telephone: +33 1 53 93 05 26.

The International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA) is a trade association representing the global fertilizer industry. IFA member companies represent all activities related to the production and distribution of every type of fertilizer, their raw materials and intermediates. IFA’s membership also includes organizations involved in agronomic research and training. IFA has some 525 members in about 85 countries. The global fertilizer industry produces some 170 million tons of fertilizer nutrients annually. These are used in every corner of the globe to support sustainable agricultural production and food security.

Learn

For more information, please contact

Ms. Morgane Danielou, Director of Communications Service IFA
Telephone: +33 1 53 93 05 33 - Switchboard: +33 1 53 93 05 00 - Fax: +33 1 53 93 05 47