The "Responsible Care" is a voluntary initiative, born in Canada in 1985 at the initiative of the "Canadian Chemical Producers Association". It was quickly developed and adopted by the chemical industry worldwide.

This idea of voluntary action was adopted in 1988 by the "US Chemical Manufacturers Association", then in 1989 in Great Britain. In 1990, it was adopted by the Union of Chemical Industries in France under the name "Commitment to Progress".

Since 1998, Morocco and South Africa have been the pioneering signatories in Africa. The Federation of Chemistry and Parachemistry (FCP) is responsible for promoting this initiative at the national level. As of 2019, the initiative now includes 6 African countries with the addition of Egypt, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, and Tunisia.

The success of "Responsible Care" relies on attentive listening and dialogue with staff, the public, and authorities. The commitment of the General Management of member companies is formalized by signing an official charter.