ZDHC’s general approach to Legal Requirements

ZDHC’s objective is to pursue and drive the widespread adoption of sustainable chemical management practices globally. Implementation of the ZDHC ecosystem of guidelines, platforms and solutions is a critical element of these practices and is growing rapidly in volume worldwide. This ambitious goal means our guidelines cannot always consider all specific legal requirements because:

• The management of chemicals and its impact is governed by a complex and wide range of environmental, health and safety legal requirements
• Legal requirements, even on similar topics, often vary widely between different jurisdictions
• We aim for aspirational requirements that are based on continuous improvement

Neither the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme, nor other elements of the ZDHC ecosystem (for example ZDHC Leader Programmes), are structured to include, accommodate or ensure that legal requirements are met or achieved. ZDHC core business does not extend to:

• The management of chemicals and its impact is governed by a complex and wide range of environmental, health and safety legal requirements
• Legal requirements, even on similar topics, often vary widely between different jurisdictions
• We aim for aspirational requirements that are based on continuous improvement