Chemical distribution is synonymous with change, and with change often comes new challenges. As we enter the New Year, there are countless resources from NACD to sharpen your skill set, increase productivity, ensure regulatory compliance, and develop a lasting professional network to guarantee continued success in 2023.
That’s why we are excited to recognize January as NACD Top Resource Month. This month we are sharing our new and updated resources made available to NACD members and Affiliates throughout the year.
The first step is having all of the resources easily on hand. Consider the 2023 NACD Member Toolkit landing page your one-stop shop for all the resources you need to help navigate the changes of today and the potential challenges of tomorrow. Through NACD’s educational courses, Responsible Distribution program, professional development opportunities, and regulatory compliance assistance, NACD is here to help you and your business achieve all your New Year goals.
Education
NACD U courses are built to meet the needs of all members, Affiliates, and their employees, regardless of company size or career level. NACD U’s catalog consists of programs that go in-depth on a range of topics, including regulatory compliance, Responsible Distribution, workplace safety, leadership skills, and more. Our courses offer a deep dive into some of the most complex and critical aspects of the chemical distribution industry.
“NACD U courses offer comprehensive annual training for our staff, saving us time and giving us the peace of mind that our workforce will learn the same safety and responsibility standards that we uphold on an everyday basis,” said Jeff Szklarek, President of Producers Chemical Company, an NACD member headquartered in Sugar Grove, IL, that serves markets including painting and coatings, food producers, adhesives, agriculture, municipalities and more.
NACD’s online training provides cost-effective methods to enhance your workforce’s professional development, commitment to Responsible Distribution, and understanding of the general operations of our industry. and this valuable information is just a click away. Make sure to check out the variety of courses available here.
NACD’s Emerging Leaders program is an amazing opportunity to foster a trusted network of peers. By combining standard leadership and management training with the collaboration of CEOs, members of NACD’s Board of Directors, and other industry experts, the Emerging Leaders program stands out as a favorite among the current program class and alumni.
Colie Whitaker, a 2017 Emerging Leader graduate and President of Whitaker Oil Company, recently highlighted the value of the program.
“I wanted to be a sponge and use this chance to try and learn as much about the industry and NACD as I possibly could,” said Whitaker. “NACD does a really good job of bringing different people together – from the sales side, operations, or from regulatory compliance. The program broadened my perspective and understanding of the different facets of the business. There really was a long-lasting value to it. Not only am I still carrying some of the knowledge from the training, but we built a strong group of individuals and have a special bond.”
Check out how the Emerging Leaders supports the next generation of industry leaders here.
Responsible Distribution
NACD is committed to helping its members uphold the highest standards of environmental, health, safety, security, and now, sustainability performance through the Responsible Distribution program. As a core NACD principle, the association has made critical updates to the program to reflect the changes in the industry. The new year coincides with the launch of the new Responsible Distribution 2023 program.
“In its most significant update for some time, the next phase of our mandatory third-party verification program will include added guidance and combine two existing codes with new requirements to create a framework for sustainability and advancing stewardship for years to come,” Caroline Brooks, Director of Responsible Distribution, tells us.
To help members navigate through these updates, NACD has been working on enhancing our available resources, which are now available through our website. Some highlights include the Code Coordinator Manual to help companies understand the program changes, requirements, and steps to verification. The Gap Assessment Tool is updated to reflect the new specification requirement, which can be used to identify initial program gaps, and verification readiness, and even stands as an internal audit tool. Lastly, the Starter Kit is a comprehensive list of example documents, policies, procedures, templates, forms, and checklists for each of the twelve Codes, to assist companies with document creation and continuous improvement.
NACD is also offering five new Responsible Distribution courses through NACD U to highlight the fundamentals of Responsible Distribution, changes coming with the new Responsible Distribution 2023 program, and Sustainability. All companies who go through Responsible Distribution will be required to complete these five new courses prior to their next verification. To learn more about these updates, register for the upcoming webinar, Responsible Distribution 2023 – Navigating changes, new resources, and planning your verification on February 14, 2023. Click here to access these valuable resources.
Membership Engagement Opportunities
Member engagement and collaboration have undoubtedly been the focus of NACD since its inception. Every year, NACD aims to enhance these collaborative efforts, especially as distributors – small and large – have faced unprecedented economic and supply chain challenges. The Annual Meeting, ChemEdge, and other national and regional events provide unique, in-person opportunities for member engagement. Fortunately, NACD also offers resources like the membership directory to serve as a function to connect distributors across the nation.
“The membership directory is often underutilized by members, but for me, it’s been a daily go-to,” said Szklarek of Producers Chemical Company. “This tool helps us expand our network, giving us the resources and contacts to connect us with other facilities quickly and effectively. This allows us to quickly problem solve for our clients and deliver excellent service, even at a moment’s notice.”
NACD’s membership directory, now offered as an online database and a PDF, consists of more than 400 companies, including members, Affiliates, Responsible Distribution Advisors, Emerging Leaders, Code Coordinators, and more. With this vast network, members have the opportunity to collaborate with other industry partners on everything from business best practices to handling crises. To access the membership directory, click here.
Regulatory Compliance
With a new year, government agencies will inevitably review and update their rules and regulations. But how do these regulatory changes impact the chemical industry and your business?
While these updates can be complex, NACD’s regulatory compliance resources are here to inform members and Affiliates on how these changes may impact businesses across the sector. NACD’s Regulatory Resource Guide and Checklist provide up-to-date summaries of major federal regulations applicable to chemical distributors and shares a customizable checklist to add relevant state and local rules. NACD also offers Regulatory Workshops and Webinars, presented by issue experts, to help prepare members for upcoming changes and their potential effects. By serving as a partner to members and Affiliates, NACD helps chemical distributors navigate the complex federal regulatory process.
Alfredo Palmer, Inside Sales and Co-Code Coordinator for AllChem Industries, an NACD member headquartered in North Central Florida serving the industrial chemicals and specialty chemicals markets, underscored the importance of NACD’s regulatory checklist to his business planning.
“Regulatory compliance can be daunting as you start out, particularly working at a smaller distributor,” said Palmer. “But through NACD’s regulatory resource guide and checklist, I can build off their template to create a list specific to our business model. This gives me the opportunity to individually address the changes that might impact us, to create a long-term plan to ensure we are compliant, and to work with NACD to help us monitor and advocate for changes when needed.”
Regulatory advocacy and compliance assistance are also key resources offered to NACD members. NACD’s regulatory affairs team has direct contacts with federal agencies that regulate the chemical distribution industry and works with affected member companies to incorporate their views into public comment submissions. And, through NACD’s Regulatory Compliance Partners, expert consultation can be provided to members to help them navigate regulatory compliance.
In 2023 and beyond, NACD is here to provide the resources to help members and their workforce expand their industry knowledge, enhance productivity, and support professional development opportunities for years to come. If you are interested in accessing these resources, be sure to check out NACD’s 2023 Resource Guide here.
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