2005 Survey: concerns have eased

Following the publication of the 2002 survey findings, we made a commitment to evaluate the impact of briefing activities and dialog established between our facilities and their local environment two years into the Common Ground® program.

Methodology

This survey conducted in December2004 - January 2005 entailed two complementary parts, involving: 

• A national sample of some 1,000 people;
• The people living near industrial facilities, with 250 telephone interviews for each of the 14 sites. 
   

The main findings   

Improved perception of industrial facilities

Overall, the concerns of people in France about industrial risk have somewhat eased.
There are many signs of an improvement in the climate around Arkema plants, even if the overall sensitivity to industrial risk remains relatively high: 

• Plant safety: a larger number of local people concluded that the plants were safe (63% in 2005, compared to 57% in 2002) and more attentive to minimizing pollution risks (57%, compared to 51% in 2002);
• Greater trust shown by local communities: relations appeared to be more relaxed, thanks to the dialog established among local people as well as institutional and industrial players;
• Local communities are better informed on industrial safety management: more people are now familiar with specific safety regulations, believing that these are being implemented properly.
   

Common Ground® : a well-known and valued initiative

27% of local residents surveyed had heard of Common Ground®.

Beyond their awareness of the program, over 80% of local residents approve of the community relations events.
This percentage even exceeds 90% as regards open days, safety drills, and the distribution of brochures explaining the steps to be taken in the event of an accident.