Green Collar - Achieving Healthy, Productive and Sustainable Workplaces was a conference about empowering business leaders and building capacity to deliver sustainability at work. At the conference, fourteen policy maker, business leaders and experts in the industry gathered to build consensus on emerging trends, practical insights and success stories of reducing the ecological footprint of their organizations. This is the first 2007 conference of EnviroSeries hosted by the Business Environment Council (BEC).
"We spend a significant amount of our time in the workplace and perhaps half of our corporate spending on maintaining our workplace and workforce." Mr Stephen Fong, Chairman of BEC highlighted in the opening remarks. "The Green Collar conference presents the 'why and how' of 'walking the sustainable talk' to help business leaders to create and achieve a healthy, productive and sustainable workplace and workforce, harvesting unexpected environmental and social benefits while increasing competitiveness and stakeholder value."
Keynote speaker Ir S K Ho, Chief Engineer, Energy Efficiency Office of Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD), HKSAR Government set the scene for the importance of a carbon constrained society. "EMSD has embarked over the years on a variety of energy efficiency and conservation initiatives. Starting with energy management, energy data and voluntary energy labeling, along with monitoring the power companies, our works have gradually extended to the grounds of building energy codes, water-cooled air-conditioning, new & renewable energy technologies, energy-efficient technologies, building energy benchmarking, energy efficiency awards, building life cycle energy analysis, etc."
"With mandating the energy labeling scheme on appliances to drive out inefficient products being our recent focus, we continue with our works to arrive at more energy saving to avert the adverse consequence of global warming." Ir Ho added.
Another keynote speaker Ms Robyn Joseph, Director of EcoVision Asia Ltd also emphasized the need for corporate commitment to Hong Kong's waste dilemma. "Successful, sustainable recycling systems have many components, but these only add to the business opportunity. Getting the right solution will require a combination of convenience, sound environmental knowledge, and reasonable regulatory benchmarks."
An overseas speaker Dr Paul Bannister, Managing Director of Exergy Australia Pty Ltd, provided insights in his sharing of "Energy Benchmarks - Transforming the Australian Marketplace". The Australian Building Greenhouse Rating scheme, which provides a performance based benchmark of the greenhouse emissions associated with the energy use of office buildings, was launched in 1999 and has transformed the Australian marketplace.
"The key to the scheme's success has been to provide separate benchmarks for landlords and tenants so that they can take responsibility and ownership of their own consumption. This has enabled significant programs of upgrades as well as extensive efforts to achieve ratings hitherto unachieved." Dr Bannister remarked in the conference.
"Indoor Air Quality will be a future focus of the workplace footprint," predicted Dr Andrew Thomson, Chief Executive Officer of BEC. "By creating and achieving a healthy, productive and sustainable workplace, businesses are moving a step forward to corporate responsibility and a more sustainable future for Hong Kong."
About the Business Environment Council ( www.bec.org.hk )
The Business Environment Council (BEC) is an independent, non-profit organization set up by business for business as an environmental solutions provider. BEC's services include consultancy, research, training and award programs for companies across all sectors and at any stage of their corporate sustainability journey.
BEC's Council Members include CLP, China Resources Enterprise, Gammon Construction, Great Eagle Company, Hongkong Electric Company, HSBC, Hongkong International Terminals, Jardine Pacific, Kowloon-Canton Railway, KMB, PCCW, Shell, the Swire Group, Modern Terminals and Wheelock. BEC's broader membership extends to a network of more than 20,000 companies.