27 February 2006, Hong Kong - Press Release
Chief Executive Donald Tsang Presents Neonlite the Grand Award of The Hong Kong Awards for Industries in Environmental Performance
HKSAR Chief Executive Mr Donald Tsang today presents the 2005 Hong Kong Awards for Industries in Environmental Performance organized by the Business Environment Council (BEC) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The Award aims to recognize Hong Kong enterprises in both industrial and services that exemplify outstanding environmental achievements.
Mr Andrew Long, both the Chairman of BEC and the Final Judging Panel of the Awards said, "Environmental excellence in business is a growing imperative for success. Local and worldwide trends show increasing demand for goods and services that observe the principles of sustainability: the impact on the economy, society and ecology. Environmental sustainability is becoming key to reassuring customers, clients and stakeholders. I congratulate all the winners for their outstanding environmental achievements and demonstrating so clearly that the benefits to business of operating in a responsible and proactive manner."
Initiated by BEC in 1992, the Hong Kong Award for Industry in Environmental Performance provides recognition to local enterprises for their pursuit of environmental excellence. In 2005, the Hong Kong Awards for Industry reached a milestone in merging with the Hong Kong Awards for Services to form the Hong Kong Awards for Industries. This new award extends recognition for best practices in corporate environmental responsibility in all business sectors.
Participants included companies from a wide spectrum of industrial and service enterprises. They have demonstrated a very high level of commitment in pollution prevention, waste reduction, resource use, legal compliance, staff and community engagement.
"The Grand Award winner, Neonlite Electronic & Lighting (H.K.) Limited has demonstrated excellent environmental commitment by developing systematic eco-product design guidelines, performing life cycle assessment to their products, implementing supply chain environmental management, as well as supporting out-reach programmes to community. It has also showcased landmark efforts in reducing impacts including significantly reduced carbon dioxide / green house gas emissions in production, energy saving programs achieved electricity saving over 2,000 kwh per day, over 90% of their new products are complied with the EU directives on Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) - the former requires producers to be responsible for taking back and recycling of products, while the latter bans the use of hazardous substances. They also used Amalgam to replace liquid mercury in product, as well as released a series of dimmable energy saving light bulbs in 2005."
Four outstanding companies, Gammon Construction Limited, The Hongkong Electric Co., Ltd, Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation and Swire Properties Ltd, received the Environmental Performance Awards. Twelve companies including BioCycle (Hong Kong) Limited, Cathay Pacific Catering Services (HK) Limited, Chun Long Construction Limited, Hang Yick Properties Management Limited, Hong Kong Recycling Company Limited, Kai Shing Management Services Limited (Palm Springs), Kum Shing (K.F.) Construction Co. Ltd, L T K Ind Ltd, Roots Biopack Limited, Shell Hong Kong Limited and Sunshine City Property Management Limited and Well Born Real Estate Management Limited were granted Certificate of Merit. They are all excellent examples striving for the best in their efforts towards pollution prevention, waste reduction, resource use, legal compliance, staff and community engagement.
Mr Kevin Edmunds, Deputy Director of BEC and Chairman of the Preliminary Judging Panel noted, "Many organizations nowadays adopt an environmental management system (EMS) to save energy, avoid pollutions and recycle waste. More and more are being certified to standards such as ISO14001 for their EMS and SA8000 for social accountability as they move towards corporate social responsibility (CSR)."
"Product's life cycle assessment and design to minimise material and energy use whilst maximize reuse and recycling are observed. More winners are committed to address the enforcement of the EU Directives on Eco-Design of Energy-using Products (EuP), WEEE and RoHS," added Mr Edmunds.
Mr Andrew Long also believed that by participating the Hong Kong Awards for Industry in Environmental Performance, winners benefited not only from gaining recognition for their efforts, but also in learning through the award assessment how they can further improve. Their success will do much to encourage the continued acceptance of corporate social and environmental responsibility across Hong Kong's wider business community.
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 is a membership organization based in Hong Kong with offices in Beijing and Shenzhen.
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.
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