St. Charles Operations (SCO) has issued its 2003 Public Report on its local web site at www.dowlouisiana.com. The online report announces that SCO employees’ safety record has improved by 61 percent since 1996 and the site received the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star Certification from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in 2003.

The St. Charles Operations Public Report focuses on measurements related to Dow’s commitment to creating value in sustainable ways and includes data regarding energy usage, emissions, product and plant safety performance, employee injury and illness rate, community outreach efforts, contributions, capital expenditures, local purchasing and payroll, among other items.

The Public Report also includes a letter from Nawzer Parakh, Site Leader of St. Charles Operations. In his letter, Parakh states, “Dow is committed to operating its facility safely and responsibly, and living up to its obligations within the community. This public report is presented as a report card on our performance. We hope you will see a strong, vibrant company that is a good employer, a responsible neighbor, and a conscientious supporter of the community for long-term, mutual growth.”

St. Charles Operations 2003 Public Report Highlights:

• The site’s safety record has improved by 61 percent since 1996.
• SCO was recognized as one of the safest workplaces in the nation, as the site received VPP Star Certification from OSHA.
• SCO had steady improvement in reducing energy usage - even while the site experienced an increase in production of 32.6 percent.
• Chemical emissions, process safety incidents, leaks, breaks and spills are down.
• SCO employees donated more than 6000 hours of community service.
• SCO’s annual economic impact included $22 million in state and local taxes, $136.9 million in employee and contractor payroll, and $22.4 million in local purchasing.
• SCO and its employees contributed nearly $600,000 through educational, diversity, health, charitable, and environmental causes in the local community.

The St. Charles Operations Public Report is one of 21 local reports produced by Dow in addition to the company’s sixth global Public Report, which has also been produced. Dow’s Global Public Report is available at www.dowpublicreport.com. As part of the company’s effort to increase transparency, this web site offers additional information, allowing in-depth study of key operating and performance data from Dow and its 21 major manufacturing sites. Visit www.dowlouisiana.com for the link to St. Charles Operations Public Report, as well as information on Dow products, career opportunities, and community outreach activities.

Dow is a leader in science and technology, providing innovative chemical, plastic and agricultural products and services to many essential consumer markets. With annual sales of $33 billion, Dow serves customers in more than 180 countries and a wide range of markets that are vital to human progress, including food, transportation, health and medicine, personal and home care, and building and construction, among others. Committed to the principles of sustainable development, Dow and its approximately 46,000 employees seek to balance economic, environmental and social responsibilities. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. St. Charles Operations is owned by Union Carbide Corporation, which is a subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company.