30 June 2005 - Press Release
To exemplify environmental achievements of Hong Kong businesses - 2005 Hong Kong Awards for Industries: Environmental Performance calls for entries

Business Environment Council (BEC) today launched the 2005 Hong Kong Awards for Industries: Environmental Performance to recognize environmental achievements of Hong Kong businesses in all scales, including manufacturing and services sectors. The Awards Scheme is now calling for entries and the deadline for application is 31 August, 2005.

Dr. Andrew Thomson, Chief Executive Officer of the Business Environment Council said, "Businesses across all sectors face increasing pressure to improve environmental performance. Customers are demanding increasing environmental responsibility of companies that adopt green programs. These companies do not only satisfy the customer demand but also benefit from improved efficient use of resources, waste management, energy savings, lesser environmental impact, as well as better compliance with environmental legislation. By participating the Hong Kong Awards for Industry in Environmental Performance, entrants from industrial and services sectors not only receive recognition as environmental leaders within the industry, but also obtain advice from judges and BEC assessors on operational efficiency and cost reduction by adopting sound environment practices."

The Hong Kong Awards for Industries: Environmental Performance entries are evaluated on a "company-wide" basis - covering all sites and operations with due consideration to the nature and scale of their businesses in three areas: firstly, the Commitment to Environmental Protection, which refers to the adoption of environmental practices throughout day-to-day operations, such as the formulation of an environmental policy statement, the involvement and awareness of staff, the setting and review of goals and initiatives, the adoption of cleaner technologies, innovative ideas and process re-engineering, and support and to suppliers and customers, etc. Secondly, the Improvement in Environmental Performance - demonstrable progress in, as appropriate: the prevention of air, water and noise pollution; the reuse, recycling and management of waste; the efficient use of energy, water and other raw materials; protection of the ecosystem; and the introduction of pollution-free processes to their industry. Finally, the last criterion is Compliance with Environmental Legislation.

Into its fourteenth year, the Awards has become the foremost means for local manufacturing and related enterprises to gain recognition for their achievements. Winners are selected by an independent panel of industry and environmental experts. Over the past 13 years, more than 90 local corporations have been recognized.

Past Environmental Performance top winners include the Hong Kong & China Gas Co. Ltd., Fook Tin Technologies Ltd., Philips Electronics (Hong Kong) Ltd.-BCU Audio, CLP Power HK Ltd., Green Island Cement Co. Ltd., etc.

The Awards Scheme is open to all companies in the manufacturing and services sectors which possess valid business registered certificate in Hong Kong. Subsidiaries and divisions of such companies may also enter the award as an individual applicant.

Organizations in the services sector with major operations in Hong Kong are eligible to enter the Awards. The location of activities need not necessarily be confined to Hong Kong for manufacturing sector. However, at least one or more of the critical manufacturing-related processes such as design, research and development, tooling, quality control, product development, logistic control, etc must be carried out in Hong Kong to support overall in-house manufacturing operations.

Applications are now invited for the 2005 Hong Kong Awards for Industries: Environmental Performance Grand Award, Environmental Performance Award and Environmental Performance Certificate of Merit.

Winning companies will receive their prestigious Hong Kong Awards for Industries trophies / certificates in recognition of their success at the ceremony in February 2006. The Grand Award and Award winners will be entitled to display the official Hong Kong Awards for Industries logo on letterhead, envelope, compliment slip, advertising and promotional materials for three years.

The Hong Kong Awards for Industry and the Hong Kong Awards for Services were established in 1989 and 1997 respectively to recognize and encourage excellence as well as to promote successful practices and strategies in different aspects of industrial and service performance. A milestone is reached in 2005 with the merging of the two Awards Schemes into the "Hong Kong Awards for Industries". The merged Awards Scheme will continue to seek to recognize the outstanding achievements of Hong Kong enterprises in their move towards higher technology and higher value-added activities; raise the profile of Hong Kong manufacturing and services sectors both locally and internationally; promote competitiveness of enterprises and encourage their pursuit of excellence in product design, machinery and equipment design, customer service, environmental performance, innovation and creativity, productivity and quality, and technological achievement.

The Awards Scheme covers seven categories: Consumer Product Design, Machinery and Equipment Design, Customer Service, Environmental Performance, Innovation and Creativity, Productivity and Quality, as well as Technological Achievement. Each of which is organized by an industry-related organization. The Director-General of Trade and Industry chairs the organizing committee of the Awards Scheme and the Hong Kong Productivity Council is the Secretariat.

About the Business Environment Council (www.bec.org.hk)

The Business Environment Council is a leading independent cross-sector business association in Hong Kong advocating sustainable development. Our aim is to balance economic, social and environmental interests whilst empowering competitiveness. We are a regional partner of the World Business Council of Sustainable Development.

Established in 1989, the Council has expanded to a network of more than 10,000 companies, offered more than 700 environmental programs, benefited more than 70,000 professionals, assessed almost 100 buildings totalling almost 60 million sq.ft., organized Hong Kong Awards for Industry for 14 years, to name a few.

Press contact
Estrid Wai, Communications and Marketing Manager, T. (852) 2784 3922