Winners of Japan's 5th Green Purchasing Awards

The Green Purchasing Network of Japan (GPN) presented the 5th "Green Purchasing Awards" on October 22, 2002, to Fukui Prefecture, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Daimatsu Doken Co., and the Learning and Ecological Activities Foundation for Children (LEAF). This award, started in 1998, is presented to groups, businesses, and organizations for outstanding performance in promoting and practicing green purchasing in other words, placing a high priority on buying products with a lower environmental impact.

Fukui Prefecture, awarded in the government category, has achieved almost 100 percent performance in the green purchasing of office supplies, work wear, vehicles, and so on. The prefecture also extended these efforts by promoting green purchasing in public works and by introducing solar- and wind-power facilities. Fukui also launched a regional network to spread green purchasing activities throughout the prefecture.

Matsushita Electric, the winner in the large corporation category, studies and sets guidelines for chemical substances contained in as many as 80,000 parts used in the manufacturing of its products. The company also assesses and supports the environmental activities of its 3,173 top suppliers, which account for 90 percent of the company's domestic annual purchases, amounting to approximately 2 trillion yen (U.S.$16.3 billion).

Daimatsu Doken, a construction company, earned the award in the small- to medium-sized enterprise category. It posts video images of its industrial waste disposal plant on the company website, providing moving images of the dismantling process for the public as well as for its contractors. After collecting and carefully separating concrete debris, a by-product of construction, Daimatsu Doken manufactures and sells it as recycled roadbed material it calls "Eco-Saiseki" (or "Eco Crushed Stone"), which has received Japan's Eco Mark certification.

LEAF, awarded in the non-profit organization category, lends out samples of environmentally friendly writing materials to give children an opportunity for a hands-on experience, and sells sampler sets of stationery with illustrated brochures explaining the environmentally friendly features of each product. LEAF also set up the "eco card" program for children. The program, supported by 1,500 adult stamp-holders from local shops, businesses, municipalities, and schools, aims to encourage children to participate in environmental activities by collecting stamps on the Eco-Card.



Posted: 2002/11/16 07:30:16 AM
Japanese version