Environment and business: competitiveness at stake

1995/03/01 Kaltzada, Pili - Elhuyar Zientziaren Komunikazioa Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Ingurumena

The complementarity between business viability and environmental management is becoming increasingly evident. Several companies in the Basque Country, aware of this need, have already developed production systems and services that do not harm the environment, adapting to the new global trend that is being imposed.

The conferences organized by the Department of Spatial Planning, Housing and Environment of the Basque Government will be a unique opportunity to publicize this philosophy and the new production systems that are being developed. The project that has been carried out through the IHOBE Public Society aims to be a reflection of this change of trend and philosophy, for which companies and professionals of environmental services will attend Bilbao on 23 March.

Entrepreneurs and managers of service companies, technical directors, managers of quality and environment and, in general, anyone with environmental concerns will be the topics that will be discussed at the School of Engineers of Bilbao. In addition to the study topic related to business and industrial activity, the Basque Government “2000 Global. The main deaths of the “Clean Products and Technology Action Plan” will be announced in the same days.

Respect for the environment will require more than the fashion of the moment for Basque companies to move forward. At present, the new production model that is being implemented worldwide has led to the implementation of a new change not considered to date. And they begin to perceive that producing is more than just a treatment of raw materials. The study of how it is produced and production costs is becoming an increasingly common variable in companies.

This trend has just come. This time the puncture has also come from outside. Foreign investors, before establishing commercial relations, analyze the environmental management situation of the company or sector, according to which a large part of the investments can be accepted or rejected. This reflects that the concept of competitiveness has not come unexpectedly to us, but combining the sustainable cost of production with business viability. Obviously, the future of many Basque companies is based on the ability to face new challenges and adapt to new times.

Management of the process “2000 Global. The project “Clean Products and Technology Action Plan” will take place in the coming years. In addition to reflecting the environmental strategy of the regional government, the main objectives of the new Plan are to establish criteria for the incorporation and promotion of innovative and clean technologies and behaviors in Basque companies.