[Front Page] [Contents] [Previous] [Next] Sector-integrated Environmental Assistance Environmental management opens up new marketsIntegration of environmental aspects in Eastern and Central European companies will increasingly become a precondition for access to markets outside national borders – not least in the EU. For that very reason, the Agency sector-integrated environment programme launched a range of company-related demonstration projects with focus on environment management and implementation of ISO 14001 and EMAS. This is an area where Danish authorities and companies have advanced far compared to authorities and companies in Russia, Poland and the Baltic States. Weight is attached to the demonstrative effect of projects, as they are to help in promoting the utilisation of cleaner technology in selected sectors of the Baltic region. Improved competitiveness and opportunities of expansion Thus, the sector programme of the Danish Agency for Trade and Industry contributes to a more sustainable resource application by developing the Central and Eastern European companies to become better at documenting environmental conditions and thus become more interesting partners and sub-suppliers to Danish and other European companies. Through the demonstration projects, the companies also perceive the savings inherent in improved management of energy and raw-material consumption with entailing lower costs to e.g. waste disposal. Thus, the activities are to contribute to improving companies' competitiveness and opportunities of expansion in the long run.
Additional information Information on the business-related part of sector-integrated environment
assistance Danish Agency for Trade and Industry
Environment management equals improved conditions for competition The Danish Agency for Trade and Industry has launched demonstration projects in the electronics industry, food industry, pharmaceutical industry, wood industry, metal industry and printing industry. One of the projects targets the Estonian food industry. Its main objective is to introduce principles of environment management, but also to transfer knowledge and experience to Estonian consultants. The project is realised in cooperation with Carl Bro A/S, Det Norske Veritas and Stockholm Environ-mental Institute – Tallinn Centre and has mobilised a number of companies in the Estonian food sector. Environmental management in focus Conferences and other dissemination activities (for instance quarterly newsletters) have put the focus on principles of environmental management and its advantages to Estonian industry. The project grants aid such as consultancy and training to a selected group of companies representing various branches of the food industry. Efforts have been the actual setup and implementation of environment management. Eight companies participated in the intensive process. Their environmental conditions and problems were identified, and environment objectives and action plans were established. The work was performed by the companies themselves, but with the support and assistance of local and Danish consultants. New business opportunities In the future phases, company-specific activities will be narrowed down to cover only two companies. In contrast, they will receive fairly extensive assistance in implementing their own environment management system and training internal auditors. Dissemination of the projects will be strengthened to ensure that the companies' project experience can be disseminated to the entire sector – and, hopefully, to even wider circles of Estonian society. The participating companies give the project very positive evaluations, and –as a result of their participation in the partnership – the local consultants perceive new, major commercial opportunities. [Front Page] [Contents] [Previous] [Next] [Top] |