4.8 Environmental protection

Paying due attention to the environmental protection aspects of production and product development — ‘Green Productivity’ — is no longer a luxury; it is not something which can be afforded only by large enterprises in good times, by the producers of ecological niche products or by supposedly ‘over-regulated’ economies, such as the German. For environmental protection and know-how of environmentally-friendly production and work processes is an important factor to competitiveness. The yardstick for this is no longer the existence of legal requirements and limits, but rather the knowledge and availability of technology which protects the environment. These today constitute an important technological asset, as is indicated by the environmental initiatives of Japanese enterprises (hugely supported by government), the market-leadership positions of American enterprises which produce environmentally-friendly goods, and European design which builds into a complex product ease of dismantlement after its useful life in order to maintain environmental standards.

‘Green productivity’ also impacts favourably on other factors contributing to productivity development. Linking environmental management opportunities with safety and health at work can be a significant contribution to improving working conditions since enterprises’ internal and external environments are very closely associated. Thus, it opens up good economic development opportunities for SMEs. Finally the important role that workers can play in identifying and eliminating waste and monitoring green production strategies is to be stressed.