**********************************************************
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has updated the two ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems (EMS) support packages for small & medium enterprises (SMEs) in the construction and electrical/electronic sectors.
The Assistant Director of Environmental Protection, Mr Benny Wong Yiu-kam, said today (November 21) that as the certificates issued under the existing ISO 14001 : 1996 version would expire on May 15 next year, the updated packages would help all business trades in the territory to meet the latest requirements on ISO 14001 : 2004 version.
"The support packages also represent the continual efforts by EPD to update international environmental management tools and provide SMEs with the most current environmental information," he added.
Specifically, the updated packages would help SMEs in the construction and electrical/electronic sectors understand the latest trends in environmental supply chain pressure that the industries are facing and to stay competitive in the environmentally conscious business market.
"Although the packages are developed for SMEs' specific sectors, the User Manual and the Generic ISO 14001 : 2004 EMS Templates of the packages are designed to be of assistance to SMEs in any sector to develop their own EMS," Mr Wong said.
Apart from a comprehensive update of the package to comply with the 2004 version, the support packages also contain a brief summary of comparison between the old and new versions so as to help users have a quick understanding of major changes of ISO 14001 EMS.
"The benefits of adopting EMS are many, including fulfilling supply-chain requirements, ensuring continual environmental improvement, helping to reduce legislative non-compliance, improving company image, enhancing favourable customer relationships, reducing environmental risks, promoting staff environmental awareness, and increasing financial savings resulting from resource saving and cost reduction," Mr Wong said.
The new support packages in CD-ROM form are now available at EPD's offices and can also be downloaded from the EPD's website at www.epd.gov.hk.
Ends/Monday, November 21, 2005
Issued at HKT 11:01
NNNN
