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The Dow Quality

Management

System Manual

CONDENSED

EDITION

A Corporate Overview

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Approved: January 2004 2 of 8

Printed: 05/14/04

Dow provides this information in good faith without charge

and assumes no obligation and makes no representation

regarding the fitness and qualification of the information for

a particular task. You will need to use your own independent

judgment in determining whether products, services and

information referred to in this document are appropriate for

your use, and for ensuring that your workplace and disposal

practices are in compliance with applicable governmental

requirements. NO WARRANTIES ARE GIVEN. ALL IMPLIEDWARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A

PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 4

COMPANY OVERVIEW 4Quality Policy 4Dows Vision 4

Global Quality Systems Corporate Structure 4 Six Sigma 4

Quality Measurement Systems 4

Employee Involvement/Teamwork 4

Customer Focus 5

Responsible Care 5

THE DOW QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMPurpose 6

Quality Management System

Management Responsibility

Resource Management

Product Realization

Measurement, Analysis and Improvement

GLOSSARY 8

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Introduction

This manual describes, in a condensed

format, how The Dow Chemical Company

assures quality to its customers. Themanual covers most of the main topics

found in the companys quality

management systems:

Company overview and asummary of the systems in place

to assure product and service

quality,

Overview of the qualitymanagement system,

Glossary of terms.The manual has two purposes:

It briefly outlines the companysquality standards for use by Dow

people.

It also provides an easy-to-followoverview of Dows quality

systems for use by customers and

other interested audiences.

COMPANY OVERVIEW

The Dow Chemical Company is a global

science and technology based company

that develops and manufactures a portfolio

of chemical, plastic and agricultural

products and services for customers

around the world.

Quality Policy

Dows Quality Policy is described belowin the companys Quality Performance

statement:

"Quality Performance is a

commitment to excellence by each Dow

employee. It is achieved by teamwork

and a process of continuous

improvement.

We are dedicated to being the

leader in providing quality products and

services which meet or exceed theexpectations of our customers."

Quality management plays an important

role by assuring that the company can

produce and deliver the quality products

and services expected by its customers.

Global Quality Systems Corporate

Structure

Dow has established infrastructure and

support organizations to assist

management in implementing Quality

Systems in a consistent and coordinated

manner globally. Under the sponsorship

of the Vice President of Operations, the

Global Quality Systems Leadercoordinates the implementation of the

Dow Quality Management System

throughout the company.

The company has also established a global

Business Quality Leader network. The

members of this network implement the

systems, policies and standards that assure

quality products and services are delivered

to Dows customers. In addition, they

manage their global business product

documentation systems that support theintroduction and sale of Dow products and

services.

Six Sigma

In addition to a number of specific quality

programs, Dow embraces the toolset,

methodology and mind set of Six Sigma.

Dows Six Sigma commitment coordinates

with and builds on other quality initiatives.

The rigor and data-driven decision makingof Six Sigma is at work in every Dow

business and function, driving out defects

and variation.

Dow is applying Six Sigma in order to

improve current operations and develop

innovative new solutions. An important

aspect of Dows commitment is a focus on

applying the power of Six sigma to

increase customer satisfactionbuilding

to establish an unprecedented level of

customer loyalty. The desired outcome isunparalleled business excellence.

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Quality Measurement Systems

Dow has established quality measurement

systems to measure its progress in

continuous quality improvement. Some of

the tools used to monitor progress in each

business include external and internal

customer surveys, auditing or

organizational self-assessments, customer

complaint and resolution systems, and

statistical tools.

Employee Involvement/Teamwork

All Dow people play important roles in

quality. To foster an environment where

involvement, continuous improvement,

and teamwork (including cross-functional

teamwork) flourish, managers are

encouraged to:

Treat employees as valued teammembers.

Actively solicit ideas on problemsand solutions from all people inthe work group.

Remove barriers as identified byemployees.

Empower people to makedecisions and implement solutions

Push decision making down to thelowest possible level.

Collaborate with the entire workgroup to develop a mission.

Customer Focus

Dow views its product and service quality

as being defined by its customers. Dow

works closely with its customers to

understand their businesses and their

expectations. This close working

relationship helps Dow to better meet its

customers expectations today and to

anticipate and meet their future needs.

RESPONSIBLE CARE

Dow has a long-standing commitment to

safety, health and the environment. The

company is committed to implementing

the Responsible Care initiative a

continuing effort to improve the chemical

industrys health, safety and

environmental performance.

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The Dow Quality

Management System

Purpose

Assuring quality is a multi-functional

effort covering many aspects of

operations. It is a continuous process

involving:

The identification and documentationof customer needs.

The development, manufacture anddelivery of products and services to

meet those needs consistently.

Feedback from the customer to assessthe companys performance.

Action on the customers feedback toimprove the companys performance.

Developed and endorsed by company

management, the Dow Quality

Management System ensures that

customers receive quality, reliability and

integrity in the products and services Dow

provides to them, and that customers

needs and requirements are met. The

system calls for strict adherence to

specifications, as well as regulatory and

quality requirements.

Product quality is maintained through

systems of standardization and process

control. Service quality covers all aspects

of customer transactions and is ensured by

the function that is providing the service.

Both product and service quality

characteristics are agreed upon by Dow

the customer.

Quality Management System

Dow's Quality Management System is not

a stand-alone system, but is integrated

within Dow's Operating Discipline

Management System, which encompasses

the policies, requirements and work

processes of Environment, Health, Safety,

Manufacturing, Human Resources and

Quality. The Operating Discipline

Management System is compliant with

ISO 9001:2000, as well as ISO 14001:

1996 and ISO/TS 16949:2002.

This approach to an integrated system

ensures implementation of a management

system that promotes business excellence

through leveraging of best practices.

Leadership Responsibility

Dow Leadership takes a visible and

leading role in creating and sustaining core

values, policies, strategies, directions,

performance expectations, and customer

focus. Leadership approves and leads the

implementation of a management system

that promotes performance excellence for

business success. Leadership from all

levels of the company plays an active role

in verifying the effectiveness and

efficiency of the quality managementsystem, and ensuring that resulting actions

lead to continuous improvement.

Resource Management

Dow Leadership ensures that resources

essential to the implementation,

maintenance and improvement of the

quality management system are identified

and made available. Particular importance

is placed on ensuring that people reachtheir full potential in an empowering

environment. This process leads to

competent individuals and teams carrying

out their tasks with an understanding of

the importance of their activities in

achieving the organizations' goals -

especially customer satisfaction.

Product Realization

Dow Leadership ensures the effective and

efficient operation of manufacturing and

support processes to the benefit of

satisfying customer requirements. Work

processes form the cornerstones of Dow's

ability to convert customer input into

output, as demonstrated by our wide -

ranging product family offerings.

Measurement, Analysis and

Improvement

Dow Leadership ensures that

measurements form the basis of making

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fact-based decisions. Effective and

efficient measurement, collection and data

analysis techniques are used to monitor the

organization's performance and customer

satisfaction. The analysis of data within

the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle ensures fact-

based decisions are made to the benefit of

all our stakeholders.

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GLOSSARY OF TERMS

BUSINESS QUALITY LEADER

NETWORK:A network made up of the top quality

representatives for each global business.The Network, sponsored by the Vice-

President of Operations and the Global

Business Quality Systems Leader, has the

charter to guide company policy on

Quality Management Systems.

BUSINESS QUALITY LEADER :The person with responsibility for

coordinating business quality efforts and

assuring quality for a particular product

line.

QUALITY MANAGEMENT

SYSTEM:All planned or systematic actions

necessary to provide adequate confidence

that a product or service will satisfy given

requirements for quality.

QUALITY CONTROL:The operational techniques and activities

used to fulfill requirements of quality.

QUALITY POLICY :A document issued by The Dow Chemical

Company President and C.E.O.

formalizing the companys commitment to

Quality Performance. Business Leaders

may also issue similar statements in their

respective businesses.

RESPONSIBLE CAREA continuing initiative by chemical

manufacturers designed to improve the

chemical industrys health, safety andenvironmental performance.

SIX SIGMA:A company quality objective that provides

businesses with a series of interventions

and statistical tools that can lead to

breakthrough profitability and quantum

gains in quality.

SPECIFICATIONS:

The prescribed requirements to which aproduct, service or plant must conform.

Registered Service Mark of the American

Chemistry Council.

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