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PARC survey on stakeholder needs highlights central requirements for a platform to foster knowledge sharing and education on Safe and Sustainable by Design
The actual needs of stakeholders regarding information, education and training material for Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) for chemicals were identified through a survey led by the German Environment Agency ↗ (UBA) and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment ↗ (RIVM) in the Netherlands. This survey, carried out over summer 2023, targeted three major stakeholder groups: risk assessors, industry and academia. It covered aspects such as preferred formats, content and characteristics for both information gathering and educational material on SSbD.
The report summarises the responses to the survey, 109 in total. It highlights the identified requirements regarding characteristics, format and content of material for knowledge sharing and education on SSbD, tailored to the needs of stakeholders. Based on the survey results, such material should provide both general and detailed information as well as relevant links on SSbD for different levels of expertise. Education on SSbD, should be tailored to the needs of users and enable dedicated discussion and exchange of experiences on this rapidly evolving topic. The report furthers outlines how these requirements will be considered and implemented in a planned PARC SSbD knowledge sharing platform. Knowledge sharing, education and training on SSbD are key for successfully implementing SSbD principles in the innovation process and fostering widespread acceptance of these practices.
“The most prioritised learning goal of all stakeholder groups is to receive general knowledge on SSbD. This is by far the most important to the group of regulators and risk assessors. Skills on SSbD assessment are second most important for this group, while for industry as well as academia, skills on SSbD assessments and detailed skills on methods and tools are equally important learning goals."
Safe and Sustainable by Design is a strategic approach aimed at developing and evaluating new chemicals and materials, as well as assessing existing ones, to ensure they perform their intended functions while minimising negative impacts on human health and the environment. The European Commission has developed a framework ↗ to determine whether a chemical substance or material meets SSbD principles.
P-A-R-C helps put the Safe and Sustainable by Design framework into practice by creating a toolbox with practical examples and setting up a platform for sharing knowledge. For more information, please visit the 'Safe and Sustainable by Design' thematic section.