Policy / Systems / Technology

May 10, 2006

 

Environment Ministry Releases Manual on Environmental Reports

Keywords: Government Policy / Systems 

The Japanese Ministry of the Environment released on January 16, 2006 a manual for corporations that have just started preparing or are planning their environmental reports. The manual explains the minimum items that should be included in such reports in a detailed and easy-to-follow manner.

The manual (in Japanese only) is designed particularly for "independent administrative institutions" (a specific type of quasi-governmental corporation serving the public interest) and other corporations that were established by special laws. Those specified corporations are required to prepare and publish environmental reports in accordance with the Law Concerning the Promotion of Business Activities with Environmental Consideration by Specified Corporations, etc., by Facilitating Access to Environmental Information, and Other Measures. The law took effect in April 2005. The ministry hopes that many other corporations will utilize the manual as well.

The manual is comprised of three parts. The first part, written for beginners, explains how to make and use environmental reports, the significance of such reports, general principles for reporting and how to build credibility. In the second part, all the required items are spelled out. Also, this part contains columns describing simulated examples of reporting by an independent administrative institution and a national university.

The third part is aimed at corporations that already have experience in publishing environmental reports, offering suggestions on how to enrich the contents of their reports and how to improve environmental communication through such reports.

http://www.env.go.jp/en/laws/policy/business.pdf

Posted: 2006/05/10 10:49:09 AM
Japanese version

 

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