Enterprises join hands to protect the environment

Binh Duong Province has recently announced Green Book 2016. This is the 4th time that Binh Duong honored provincial enterprises had joined hands with local authorities to be responsible for environmental protection in production, business activities. The Green Book has a positive meaning of encouraging enterprises to be more responsible for the whole community.

 FDI enterprises are active in environmental protection

In 2010, Binh Duong published The Green Book for the first time. In this event, 31 companies were named in the Green Book, which was the clearest evidence for the province's view, socio-economic development must be associated with environmental protection responsibility.

Mr. Nguyen Hong Nguyen, Deputy Director of Department of Natural Resources – Environment, said that this year 176 businesses had registered, the Department had selected 86 businesses to carry out evaluation, and then 61 companies were qualified to be included in Green Book 2016. Among these, 52 companies are located in industrial parks (IPs), 9 enterprises are outside IPs, 51 enterprises are FDI enterprises and 10 are domestic companies. On this occasion, PPC awarded certificates of merit to 61 businesses listed in the Green Book 2016.

The number of honored FDI enterprises kept increasing throughout 4 times of Green Book introduction. This indicated that businesses have performed their business activities responsibly. To complete environmental protection tasks, businesses were not afraid to spend more time and costs to employ advanced technologies, machinery to diminish negative environmental impacts.

For example, 100%-Japanese-invested Nitto Denko Company is specialized in manufacturing flexible printed circuits. The company set up a treatment system of wastewater and exhausts. The waste are collected and treated according to standards, while a green space has been maintained with an area of ​​30% the facility. Every year, the company organizes trainings for all staff on handling emergency situations, such as fire, explosion, and chemical spill; trainings on occupational safety, occupational health and environment.

Toa Vietnam Paint Company, which is a member of Toa Thailand Paint Group, has also been very active in environmental protection. The company is strengthening energy saving; establishes environmental management system of ISO 14001, ISO 9001: 2015 quality management system evaluated and certified by TUV (Germany). In addition, the company invested in environmental protection equipment installed at production lines, workshops; constructed waste water and exhausts treatment system meeting standards before being discharged into the environment. The company also saves 19% of the area for planting trees, creating healthy environment for employees. The company is planning for using LEDs to save energy.

Efforts from domestic firms

Although the number of domestic enterprises based in the province makes up a modest proportion in the Green Book, their endeavors are significant and noteworthy. For example, Binh Duong Printing Factory under Binh Duong Lottery Company is a company specializing in the design, prepress printing on paper materials. The company equipped their printing plant with modern, specialized system with closed processes from printing to finished product. Printed products here are strictly controlled from input to output by applying ISO 9001: 2008 quality management system. The company pays special attention to work safety, labor protection, and environmental protection. Accordingly, all production positions are applying 5S model to help improve productivity and quality. Water treatment system with high capacity is usually maintained is to ensure wastewater output to meet environmental protection standards.

According to a branch representative of Vietnam Dairy Products Joint Stock Company, the company invested in advanced technologies to increase productivity, quality and ensure environmental sanitation. To operate the processing system with large capacity of 100 - 150m3, the branch uses more than 70 formatting robots, including 15 laser guided vehicles and 14 rail guided vehicles. The company also invested in a finished-product smart warehouse, which is the first in Vietnam; automatic warehouse management software (WAMAS) connected online to the ERP system of Vinamilk.

Meanwhile, Wastewater treatment plant under Biwase is specializing in clean water producing and supply, waste collection and treatment in the province. The plant has professional engineers, experts, workers, who commit themselves to environmental protection career. Biwase have applied advanced technology of wastewater treatment, contributing to completion of wastewater treatment system in TDM City; thereby improving the life quality of people, enhancing public health, protecting water resource of Saigon River, creating fresh, green - clean - beautiful landscapes.

 According to Mr. Nguyen, along with the rapid industrial growth in the province, the work of environmental protection has become a major challenge and a big concern of provincial leaders. Many policies and measures have been enacted and deployed to improve the efficiency of local environmental management to prevent environmental pollution and improve environmental quality, contributing to the sustainable development of Binh Duong. Notably, quantification and classification of the level of industrial pollution to publicize information on the environmental situation is an important tool.

"On that basis, the information about businesses that have performed well environmental protection tasks was announced as the Green Book for timely commendation, reward and propagation among the community. Furthermore, companies that have not interested in environmental protection will put more efforts into environmental management; thus promoting behavioral changes and investments in environment improvement to be present in the Green Book, and enhance enterprise image, trademark in the marketplace and community,"Mr. Nguyen said.

Reported by Xuan Vi – Translated by Ngoc Huynh