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New paths to competitive advantage New possibilities for growth and innovation"The environmental focus has switched from technology to marketing - although the technology still has to be in order, of course". That is how they view the situation at the speciality vegetable oil and fat supplier Aarhus Olie, one of the Danish enterprises who here relate their experiences with the market for cleaner products - and the competitive advantages they have gained or expect to gain. For enterprises today, consideration for the environment is both about limiting pollution and placing cleaner products on the market - and hence about development, growth and innovation. For some it is about thinking far ahead and being at the forefront, while for others it is about complying with immediate customer demands. Some enterprises can clearly see that consideration for the environment pays, while others are still waiting for greater market demand for environmentally sound products. It is the Danish Government's goal that a green market economy shall support sustainable development. In Denmark, we have been working to promote the development, production, sale and purchase of cleaner products for some years now. Among other means this has been achieved through the Council for Cleaner Products, which provides financial support for the development of knowledge and tools and to promote involvement and cooperation among the various actors. It is the experience of Danish enterprises that specific environmental requirements have increasingly been imposed in recent years, especially by international customers. Several of the enterprises interviewed here confirm this. At the same time, dialogue and cooperation about environmental aspects in the product chains is expected to encompass an increasing number of enterprises because the focus on the environmental impact of products from cradle to grave means that all the actors have to become involved. We hope that this publication will inspire authorities, branch organizations and enterprises interested in how to ensure positive interplay between the market and consideration for the environment.
Minister for Environment Chairman of the Council for Cleaner Products
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