Companies compete for environmental
award
Paris, 17
April 2000
- The International Chamber of Commerce is set to launch a major, web-based
Millennium initiative to further highlight the many bottom-line benefits of
sound environmental management to its thousands of member companies worldwide.
The launch of a new website
dedicated to Environment and Sustainable Development will coincide with the
presentation by ICC of a global environmental award to 12 companies selected
from more than 100 entrants.
ICC collaborated with the
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to launch the Millennium Business
Award for Environmental Achievement. The 12 award winning companies will be
announced at ICC's 33rd World Congress in Budapest on 5 May.
Lord Holme of Cheltenham,
the Chairman of ICC's 150-strong Environment Commission and a special Advisor
to the Chairman of Rio Tinto Plc, said: " The new website will sharpen
ICC's outreach efforts as we seek to promote the philosophies of sound environmental
management, efficient use of resources and technological innovation to many
thousands of companies. The Millennium Award will also highlight the real advances
which are being made by companies large and small around the world."
"The Rio+10 meeting
( the 10-year follow up to the 1992 Rio Earth Summit) will take place in 2002.
ICC believes that it is critical that companies are allowed to tell the very
strong story of their achievements in making environmental management a reality.
The corporate world is playing its full part in the move towards sustainable
development. The new website will assist companies to both tell their story
and share ideas on how environmental good practice and linking sustainable development
values to their operations can improve competitiveness and boost bottom line
performance," added Lord Holme.
ICC Secretary General Maria
Livanos Cattaui commented: "Our Millennium initiative will capture the imagination
of thousands of companies worldwide who are already building environmental excellence
into their operations. The Millennium Award rightly recognises the efforts of
12 companies who are in the vanguard of corporate efforts to make continuous
improvement in environmental management a reality."
Other features of the new
ICC environment and sustainable development website will include:
- Comprehensive coverage
of developments concerning the ICC Business Charter for Sustainable Development;
a set of 16 principles for environmental management launched in 1991 and supported
by more than 2300 companies.
- A Company Showcase linking
users directly to the environment and sustainable websites of companies worldwide.
- A Millennium Award area
highlighting 12, in-depth case studies of those companies presented with the
inaugural award at ICC's 33rd World Congress in Budapest. The site will also
cover development of the award in subsequent years.
- A Workshop enabling
users to access the latest tools and ideas to facilitate the integration of
sound environmental practices into daily operations.
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