This paper focuses on the anticipatory component of the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework. Anticipation of safety and sustainability issues plays a pivotal role in the collaborative alignment of emerging chemicals and materials with societal and environmental goals. To contextualise this anticipatory aspect, the paper places SSbD into a longer historical trajectory of chemical regulation, thus highlighting the potential of the SSbD framework in the proactive engagement with societal dynamics around safety and sustainability. Arguing that anticipatory responsible innovation requires an integrated, forward-looking approach that unites technical excellence with social responsiveness, the paper subsequently explores several limitations, focusing on the need for weaving interdisciplinary collaboration into the development process. Finally, by detailing how the current attention to the implementation of SSbD can help shape methodological and strategic decisions, the paper concludes with proposals for harmonising advances in chemicals and materials with the global need for sustainability.