Google Operationalizes Safer Chemistry in Product Design

How hazard data and workflow integration enable proactive, safer material decisions at scale

A case study with Source Intelligence and ChemFORWARD

Chemical compliance is one thing. Operationalizing safer chemistry is what actually reduces risk.

Reactive compliance programs and fragmented data won’t be sufficient as chemical complexity increases and the number of regulated substances expands. Companies relying on outdated methods have limited visibility into the materials that make up their products, creating risk that often goes undetected until it’s too late.

Leading companies like Google are moving toward safer chemistry as a scalable, operational capability across product design and supply chains. In partnership with Source Intelligence and ChemFORWARD, Google embedded chemical hazard assessment and risk management directly into product design. Product compliance software connects hazard data with product and supplier information, enabling safer decisions, stronger risk mitigation, and more proactive compliance.  

Here’s how safer chemistry becomes actionable at scale. 

See how Google operationalizes safer chemistry to reduce chemical risk earlier in product design with Source Intelligence and ChemFORWARD.

Download the case study to learn how hazard-based decision-making, connected data, and product compliance software enable proactive chemical risk management at scale. 

Why safer chemistry is difficult to operationalize at scale

Safer chemistry is a growing priority across global organizations, but turning that goal into a repeatable, scalable process remains a challenge.  

Already overburdened teams must manage: 

• Thousands of chemicals across complex supply chains  

• Evolving global regulations and enforcement pressure  

• Limited visibility into chemical hazard assessment data  

• Disconnected systems for product, supplier, and compliance data  

Traditional approaches to chemical risk management rely on restricted substances lists and reactive workflows. These methods are not designed to support proactive compliance or evaluate safer alternatives early in development. As a result, safer chemistry often remains an intention rather than an operational capability, making it difficult to scale across products and suppliers. 

From reactive compliance to proactive chemical risk management

The shift toward safer chemistry requires a new model built on proactive compliance and integrated data. 

Instead of reacting to regulations, organizations must: 

• Evaluate chemical hazard assessment data earlier in product development  

• Compare materials based on inherent hazard, not just compliance status  

• Connect chemical and material risk management to real product structures  

• Enable faster, more consistent decision-making across teams  

This is where product compliance software becomes critical. By connecting hazard data with structured product and supplier information, organizations can move from reactive compliance to proactive risk mitigation. 

How Google operationalizes safer chemistry

Google’s approach demonstrates what safer chemistry looks like in practice. 

Through its safer chemistry program, the company embeds chemical hazard assessment and risk management into product design workflows. This enables earlier decision-making, as teams can evaluate materials before constraints limit safer alternatives. 

This model connects: 

• Chemical hazard assessment data from ChemFORWARD to inform safer material decisions early

• Structured product and supplier data through Source Intelligence to create a scalable data foundation

• Existing engineering, PLM, and BOM workflows to embed compliance into product design

• Integrated software systems that unify data, automate analysis, and enable cross-functional decision-making

Within this environment, teams can: 

• Evaluate chemical hazard alongside regulatory requirements  

• Identify higher-risk substances earlier in development  

• Compare safer alternatives using consistent, science-based data  

• Support proactive compliance without slowing innovation  

This transforms safer chemistry from a policy into a scalable operational capability across products and supply chains.

Who should read this case study?

Professionals responsible for chemical risk management and product compliance across complex supply chains will find this case study useful. 

It is particularly relevant for: 

• Product compliance and regulatory leaders  

• Engineering and product development teams  

• ESG and product stewardship professionals  

• Supply chain and sourcing leaders  

• Teams evaluating product compliance software and proactive compliance strategies  

If your organization is working towards scaling safer chemistry, improving chemical hazard assessment, or strengthening chemical and material risk management, this example provides a clear path forward. 

Continue reading: Download the case study

Safer chemistry requires more than compliance. It requires a connected approach to chemical hazard assessment and risk management.

This example explores how a global organization operationalizes safer chemistry—turning hazard data into actionable insight and reducing chemical risk earlier in product development.

You'll learn about:

• Embedding safer chemistry into product design workflows

• Applying chemical hazard assessment earlier in development

• Connecting hazard data with product and supplier information

• Enabling proactive compliance across global supply chains

• Scaling chemical risk management across complex product portfolios

Download the case study to see how safer chemistry can become operational.

Frequently asked questions about safer chemistry

What is safer chemistry in product design?

Safer chemistry in product design is the practice of evaluating and selecting materials based on their inherent human and environmental health hazards early in development. It enables organizations to reduce chemical risk before products reach the market and make more informed material decisions across supply chains.

What is chemical risk hazard assessment?

Chemical risk hazard assessment evaluates substances based on their intrinsic health and environmental hazards rather than regulatory status alone. This approach supports risk management for hazardous chemicals by helping organizations compare alternatives, identify higher-risk substances, and make safer material decisions earlier in the product lifecycle.

How does product compliance software support safer chemistry?

Product compliance software connects chemical data, supplier information, and product structures in a centralized system. It enables organizations to perform chemical hazard assessment, improve data visibility, and support proactive compliance by identifying and mitigating chemical risk earlier.

What is proactive compliance?

Proactive compliance is an approach that identifies and mitigates regulatory and chemical risk early in the product lifecycle. Instead of reacting to new regulations, organizations use data and structured workflows to prevent compliance issues before they impact products or supply chains.